How to store your strawberry bounty
If you’re lucky enough to have fresh strawberries on hand, you’ll want to make those beauties last. Strawberries are delicate and can spoil fast. Here are a few key steps to follow.
Storing: Keep the green stems on. Arrange freshly picked strawberries in a single layer on a shallow plate or pie plate lined with paper towels. Cover or fit into a large plastic sealable bag and then seal the bag and refrigerate. Stored this way, strawberries should last five to seven days, maybe even longer. Strawberries should stay dry and cold.
Taste of Home magazine recently tested several ways of storing strawberries. One method that worked well involved storing unwashed strawberries in a refrigerator crisper drawer. Place the strawberries on a tray lined with paper towels or refrigerator liners, then put them in the crisper drawer and open the vents. According to the magazine, the process allows moisture to escape and keeps humidity low.
Preventing mold: Experts differ on the use of vinegar, which is supposed to kill any potential spores of bacteria on the fruit. The process involves rinsing the strawberries in a vinegar and water solution. Mix together a cup of vinegar and three cups of water in a large bowl, add strawberries and let them sit in the rinse for several minutes. Give them a good swish around and then rinse under cool water. Dry berries thoroughly on a baking sheet that has been lined with several layers of paper towels. Once dry, line a container with paper towels. Place the berries in the container. Cover and refrigerate.
Freezing: Strawberries and most other berries freeze extremely well. It’s the best way to stockpile if you’ve come across a lot of them or want to use them months later to make a quick smoothie or jam. Rinse the berries well and pat them dry. Once dry, place them on a parchment- or wax paper-lined tray. Place the tray in the freezer until the berries are almost frozen solid. Transfer the berries to a freezer bag and return to the freezer, placing the bag flat to save space. This is called flash-freezing. It keeps berries from sticking together after they’re packed.
Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @Susanmariecooks on Twitter.