Did You Pick Too Many Raspberries? Freeze ’em!

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I could eat raspberry anything…cobblers, pies, smoothies, muffins, jam or just by the handful. They’re too expensive in the stores, so I’m thrilled when my mother-in-law’s 80-year-old boyfriend calls to tell me he’s been in his garden picking and has some for me!

He takes my “I’ll take as many as you’ll give me” to heart, and I end up with tons. Fresh raspberries stay good for such a short amount of time, and when they come on, they ripen with a vengeance! I can’t use them as fast as he can pick them, and God forbid I turn any down, so I freeze them. I’m not a canning/freezing expert, being a bit intimidated by any form of food preservation techniques, but  freezing them is so incredibly easy even I can do this!

How to Freeze Berries

1. Rinse the berries in cold water. Put a colander in a large bowl and swirl the berries around gently to remove any dirt.

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2. Drain. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.

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3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the berries in a single layer, not touching.

Photo credit: wikiHow

4. Stick the pan in the freezer overnight.

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5. Pack the berries in Ziploc bags and label them with the date.

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Done and done. Freezing any type of berry this way allows them to freeze quickly, and you don’t end up with clumped frozen fruit. It also preserves their fresh taste.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is better than a fresh-picked raspberry, but when October rolls around, these run a close second.

Enjoy!