How to properly store fresh blackberries, drying berries and shelf life

This shrub bears crops in August or September. Sweet dark red berries made from them jams and preserves will be a wonderful table decoration. However, in order to take full advantage of them, you need to understand how to properly store fresh blackberries.

Preparation of berries

These fruits are fresh, tender and juicy. Therefore, when working with them, special care must be taken: it is not difficult to damage the skin, because of which the juice will begin to flow.

How to properly store fresh blackberries

When placing for storage in the refrigerator, pay attention to the following:

1. The berries are not washed due to the fact that they are easily damaged.
2. When placed in a suitable container, fresh blackberries are laid out in one layer. Putting more of it can damage the fruit.
3. Since they contain moisture, it is recommended to place the fruits on napkins so that they absorb excess liquid.

If you want the shelf life to be longer, beat the blackberries with sugar. Before that, it must first be cleaned of the tails. This treatment extends the shelf life up to three weeks. At the same time, the taste and the vitamins contained in it will remain during this time.

Freezing berries

In order to ensure high-quality storage, it is necessary to pre-process the blackberry. It should be borne in mind that these berries, being picked unripe, remain so in the future. They are able to ripen only while remaining on the branch. Therefore, when harvesting, pay attention only to fully finished fruits.

Their preparation for storage is as follows:

1. You need to carefully examine the material and remove twigs, dirt and insects if they are found.
2. It is necessary to carefully inspect the fruit. Those that are crumpled or damaged will not be suitable for storage - they must be set aside.
3. Although there is a high risk of damage when washing, it must nevertheless be done. It is recommended not to use a strong tap stream, but a very weak one or rinse with a shower.
4. In order for the moisture of the glass, you need to put the washed fruit in a colander and wait a while.
5. You need to carefully examine and cut off the tails from them. This must be done very carefully and do not allow the berries to burst.
6. The prepared berries must be laid out in one layer on napkins and wait until they dry completely.

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Blackberries can be frozen. With this storage method, it is able to preserve its taste and nutrients well.

Two methods can be applied for freezing.

When performing a quick freeze, you will need to do the following:

1. Prepare a large container (such as a dish) and place the blackberries in one layer.
2. In the prepared form, you need to put the fruits in the freezer. The temperature in it should be as low as possible.
3. You need to wait an hour or an hour and a half. The frozen blackberries are then poured into specially prepared containers or suitable plastic bags.
4. In this form, they are put back into the freezer, where they will be stored in the future.

When carrying out such processing, the fruits freeze qualitatively, while they will not stick together.

When it's time to eat the blackberries, they are taken out of the freezer, thawed at room temperature or using the microwave, and served.

The defrosting procedure can be accelerated by rinsing the fruit with hot water from the shower.

In the second method of freezing, the fruits are placed in the refrigerator immediately, skipping the stage of rapid preliminary freezing. This procedure is performed in this way:

1. Prepared as described above, the berry is placed in small bags. It is important to take into account that the size must be selected in such a way that the contents can be eaten in one meal.
2. Packages are placed in containers. In this case, neither the first nor the second are closed. Then they are placed in the refrigerator. They need to be placed in the freezer for a day.
3. When the appointed time for freezing has passed, it will be necessary to check the condition of the berries - to see if they have frozen well.
4. Now the bags and containers need to be closed, then you need to shake them and put them back.

In the freezer, the storage time is one year. This period is not a limit, since blackberries in this state can be stored for some time. However, it would be more reasonable in this case to send fresh berries for storage.

Drying blackberries

Dried according to all the rules, the berry can be stored for a two-year period. In order for it to preserve its taste and nutritional qualities well during this time, you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. When storing, choose fully ripe blackberries.
2. Before carrying out the drying procedure, preliminary preparation of the material is necessary. The berries wither slightly when kept in direct sunlight for two or three days.
3. While keeping the blackberries in the sun, cover the berries with gauze. This is important to protect the product from midges and other insects.

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After that, the blackberries are dried.

In the oven

Berries, previously dried in the sun, must be placed on baking sheets and placed in the oven. The drying process will take four or five hours. After that, the berries are placed in a sealed container and stored in a dry and dark place.

The shelf life of the berries processed in this way is two years..

In an electric dryer

Pre-dried berries should be loosely arranged on the wire rack and placed in an electric dryer. They are kept for 12 hours. After the end of the procedure, they are poured into containers and stored in a dry and dark place.

Storing grated berries with sugar

An important feature of this method is the absence of heat treatment. For this cooking method, you can take not only whole, but also damaged berries.

Processing is performed in this way:

1. The blackberries are washed and placed on napkins to dry.
2. Then it is poured into a deep container and the required amount of sugar is added (usually this is done in a one to one ratio).
3. The resulting mixture must be stirred and rubbed with a crush.Some people mince the blackberries with sugar.
4. The composition that has been obtained is left in a cool place for 12 hours. During this time, the grated blackberry will infuse.
5. Now the mixture is stirred one more time, and then placed in jars, where it will be further stored. The dishes are covered with plastic or metal lids.

It is recommended to store the product in the refrigerator or in the basement. Taste and nutritional qualities will last for a year or a little longer.

Dried blackberries

For cooking you need:

1. Take ripe berries and put them, sprinkle with sugar. For 1 kg of blackberries, it is enough to take 450 g. Leave for a day.
2. A lot of juice is formed. It can be drained into banks and saved.
3. Prepare sugar syrup: take 350 g of sugar for 200 g of water. Place the blackberries there and simmer over the fire for 10 minutes, avoiding boiling.
4. The cooled syrup must be drained.
5. Drying is carried out in the oven with the door open. It is performed three times for 20 minutes, with four-hour breaks.

Dried blackberries are stored in jars, which must be refrigerated.

Storage periods

Fresh berries can be stored for no longer than a week. Dried blackberries do not lose their properties for four months. When using freezing or drying, the shelf life is at least a year.