For me, one of the key things to consider when freezing blueberries is to have individual berries that can be placed in smoothies, pancake mixes, and the like. If you happen to have giant, huge blueberries in your freezer, you can roughly cut them in half or into thirds so they don’t sink and soak your baked goods.
Blueberries can be frozen as soon as the owner desires. Blueberries should be kept in an airtight bag, and one should not rinse them before freezing. Rinsing should occur during the thawing process. Blueberries can be kept for up to a year if frozen, but they lose flavor after a few days.
If a recipe calls for frozen blueberries, you can usually use them straight from the freezer unless the recipe says otherwise. To preserve the quality of your blueberries so you can use them fresh in a sauce or make a summer dessert out of them, use this blueberry freezing method.
How to Thaw Blueberries
You can place them under running water or in a bowl of cold water if you want to thaw them before using. You don’t need to thaw them before using them in a recipe, but if you want to thaw them, soak them in cold water for a minute or two. If you put freezer bags in the freezer, they will also thaw.
So you can use them frozen in your cakes, pies and other desserts without having to thaw them or leave them submerged first. Blueberries should ideally be used within 6 months of being frozen, although they will retain their flavor and health benefits for up to 10 months. Because blueberries are smaller, they take less time to freeze than blackberries or whole strawberries.
After the blueberries are frozen, remove the frozen berries from the pot and store in a freezer-safe container. Once the blueberries are frozen, transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag. Mark containers with frozen contents and dates and place them in the freezer.
How Long Blueberries Can Be Frozen For
Blueberries can be frozen for up to a year with minimal loss of flavor or texture. Frozen berries can be stored for 10-12 months if stored properly, but for best results, use frozen berries within 8-10 months. If you’re using frozen berries to add to baked goods, I don’t recommend thawing them first.
The best way to thaw frozen blueberries is to keep them at room temperature or place the entire freezer bag in cold water. If you plan to wash the blueberries, make sure they are completely dry before freezing – the water outside can form ice crystals that can ruin the texture of the berries.
However, the key to freezing fresh blueberries and strawberries is that they must be dry when frozen, and they must be placed in an appropriate freezer bag or container. You can freeze blueberries straight from the bush when you get home from picking them or after they’ve been in the fridge for a few days.
Most of us only use a few blueberries at a time, so it’s good to know that you can store them safely in the refrigerator for a few months and take them out when needed. You can keep frozen blueberries for up to six months, although I’ve been known to keep them until the next blueberry season.
Best Practices for Freezing Blueberries
To freeze blueberries, spread the dried blueberries on a flat baking sheet and place them in the freezer. When the berries are firm, transfer them to a covered container or freezer bag.
After 2 hours, remove the pan from the freezer, measure the berries and place them in a resealable plastic bag. Place the bag in the freezer and spread it out to completely freeze.
Precautions: Use a good quality freezer bag (not necessarily a brand). Also, double wrapping the berries or wrapping the bag in plastic wrap can help delay and prevent freezer burn. Also, if the refrigerator is very, very full and the air is not circulating, the berries may take longer to freeze.
You don’t want to dump fresh blueberries directly into a freezer bag before you freeze them because you end up with a giant lump of blueberries frozen together. Finally, take the pan out of the freezer and use a spatula to remove the blueberries from the pan if they have been frozen. Feel free to use Ziploc bags, Stasher bags, or glass or plastic food prep containers to store your berries in the freezer.
Divide the mixed berries on a tray, freeze quickly, then separate into mixtures in freezer bags. First, lay a layer of blueberries on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 1 hour. Arrange the blueberries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer. Transfer the blueberries to containers or freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible.
Use Freezer Bags for Storing Blueberries
A freezer bag or other airtight container will help keep the blueberries fresh. Blueberries aren’t great to start with, so the berries should be frozen in no more than an hour UNLESS your freezer is already full. Freezing blueberries is mostly a practical operation, as the time you spend actively preparing them is minimal, but you do need to leave them for a couple of hours in the freezer before you’re ready to store them.
Dry your blueberries by laying them out in a single layer on absorbent paper or a clean kitchen towel, or use a berry juicer to quickly get rid of most of the water. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat and arrange the dried cranberries in an even layer, preferably not touching. Once dry, place the pot in the freezer for a couple of hours until the blueberries are frozen.
How Long to Freeze Blueberries for Maximum Freshness
Place the pan in the refrigerator and let the berries freeze for 4-5 hours (or overnight) until they are frozen. Make sure the berries are in a single layer so they freeze quickly and evenly. This will keep the blueberries from sticking together in the refrigerator, making them easier to defrost later.
If you wash the blueberries before freezing, you will remove the coating, and you will need to dry any young blueberries thoroughly before freezing to prevent them from sticking together.
The best thing about this approach is that the blueberries will freeze individually. This ensures that each of your beautiful blueberries freezes individually and not together when the berries touch each other. This allows you to vertically store and freeze many blueberries at the same time.
You can freeze blueberries in glass jars, quarter or gallon freezer bags, or any freezer-safe food container. They store well because they are just stored in plastic freezer bags. After freezing, you can move them to a safe container with a lid for extended storage. They can be placed on the shelf or stacked with other freezer bags in the freezer.
