When you have a bunch of Blueberries, freeze them so you always have some on hand.
I recently went Blueberry picking. I go every year and I love it. There is nothing like a freshly picked blueberry, but when I pick at least 5 lbs at a time, I need a good way to store all those blue beauties. I went picking the second weekend of our season, so some of the bushes weren’t completely ripe yet – that didn’t deter me, because we still left with a huge amount.
To freeze blueberries, there are basically 2 different schools of thought: washing before freezing or washing after thawing. I always wash my blueberries before I freeze them, mainly because I just take them straight from the freezer and put them right into a recipe. Some people think that washing before freezing results in a tough skin, but I really don’t notice a difference.
How to Freeze Blueberries
1. Sort through Blueberries, picking out any stems or berries that are not good.
2. Thoroughly rinse your Blueberries. I generally do this in batches because there are so many.
3. Place Blueberries on a sheet tray with sides (jelly roll pan) lined with paper towels.
4. Let the Blueberries dry completely. Remove the paper towels.
5. Place the tray in your freezer for a minimum 4 hours.
6. Once the Blueberries are completely frozen, place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag that is labeled with the date. You can also measure/weigh out how many Blueberries are in each bag to make it easier for future recipes.
Even Gracie had fun Blueberry picking!
Until next time
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
I miss picking blueberries. But luckily I can eat what others pick. I too always freeze them. I use them constantly.