In this article, you will learn not only how to store cherries and how long they last, but also how to freeze and dry them. If you have cherries that you’re not going to eat right away, it’s best to learn how to store them like a pro so they last longer.
Sweet cherries can remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Sour cherries are more likely to go bad in under a week. However, cherries of all types are able to be preserved for months when frozen commercially. Cherries placed in the freezer may last longer, but their flavor will degrade.
If you plan to store cherries long-term, freezing may be one of your best options. If you need the cherries to keep longer, or if the cherries are in large quantities so as not to spoil, there are a few things you can do. If you’re freezing cherries, you need to follow a few steps to properly prepare them.
Cherries Can Be Refrigerated for a Few Days
If you know you won’t be eating cherries for a few days, you should definitely refrigerate them. If you bought a container of cherries from your local grocery store, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Storing cherries in the refrigerator will ensure they keep around the ten-day mark as the temperature remains constant. Leave the cherries in the freezer for about 2 hours until they are all frozen and sticky.
Cherries last longer in the refrigerator, ranging from four to ten days, depending on how ripe they are in storage. The fresher the cherries you buy, the better they will keep, some will last up to ten days in the refrigerator, although most will only last for a week or so. Like most fruits, cherries can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerated for about 10 days. When refrigerated, fresh cherries are best not stored for more than two weeks, as these fruits are low in acidity and sugar, and are more prone to microbial growth when refrigerated.
Cherries can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two to three days, depending on the initial quality of the berries. Cherries can be frozen; you may decide to freeze cherries if you think they will not be edible within 7 days. There’s no need to freeze cherries in small portions, as you can grab as many handfuls as you want.
Cherries Can Be Preserved in a Multitude of Common Ways
For fun, you can also string a few cherries on a wooden skewer and freeze the cherries, then freeze and enjoy. You can freeze cherries if you want to cook with them, but they are too soft to enjoy fresh. If you bought too many cherries or picked them off the tree, here are some things you can do to save them for later.
Removing the stalks and seeds of cherries before storage can be a very smart idea, as it will allow you to store more cherries in the jar.
After bringing home fresh berries, cherries should be stored unwashed, uncovered, in the coldest part of the refrigerator. What you see in the store you will find at home, cherries should be refrigerated to prevent spoilage.
Once you’ve picked your cherries, it’s important to get them in the fridge as soon as possible. Cherries often taste better at room temperature, so you can take them out before eating, but put back the ones you don’t eat as soon as possible. It is advisable to wash the cherries before use, rather than storing already washed cherries in the refrigerator. It’s a matter of personal preference, and most people have no problem removing the pits from cherries before freezing.
Keep Cherry Purchases Light to Avoid Wasting Them
You should only buy as many cherries as possible in a few days, or choose other methods to extend the shelf life of the cherries. You can safely eat frozen, dried, or canned cherries for an extended period of time, even after their expiration date. If you store cherries correctly and don’t let the fruit go bad by eating it too quickly or in contact with other foods, the cherries will stay fresh on your countertop for up to 10 days before they start to spoil.
If you store cherries in the refrigerator under the right conditions, cherries can last 10 to 12 months in the refrigerator before they spoil. For quality and roundness, cherries are recommended after 5 days, but 7 to 10 days old can be eaten if there are no visible signs of spoilage.
Cherries like Bing will keep fresh for two to three weeks in the refrigerator, while cherries like Montmorency or Early Richmond will last three to seven days. If fresh cherries sit at room temperature for too long, they can end up rotten on the skin or moldy inside the pulp, which can lead to indigestion.
In this post, we will not only share with you the shelf life of fresh cherries on the farm, but also discuss some useful tips on how to determine if cherries have gone bad and how to properly store them.
