When I pick berries from our strawberry patch, or I buy them fresh at the market, I usually use them right away. But this summer was different. Very little canning took place with my kitchen in the garage!
In the process we did some swapping for a new (to us) fridge, giving our old in exchange for a stand-up freezer that I’ve wanted for a long time.
I’m grateful for our $50 chest freezer that we had for years, but it finally gave up the ghost before moving to this house. But what I learned was I wasn’t wise in how I used it. I over-bought food and it would get shoved to the bottom and left there for – well, who knows how long?
For 4 years I’ve been without a large freezer, so when this new opportunity came along, I was so excited!
I always told myself I’d never get a chest freezer again, that I’d be more organized with a stand-up one, arranging and using my food more wisely.
In the meantime, I bought fresh raspberries from a farm up in Portland a couple of weekends ago, and using my friend Pam’s tip on freezing berries (she swears that this method makes more flavorful jam!), I followed these directions.
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.
2. Lay washed berries out evenly and place in the freezer.
3. After 24 hours, when completely frozen, place into Ziploc bags.
In a few months, in the dead of winter, I’ll be using these bags to make fresh jam!
What’s your method of freezing berries?
And do you prefer a chest or stand-up freezer?
Hi, I'm Sandy. Five years ago I stocked up on beautiful glasses from the Dollar Store. As I started writing about dinner parties, I realized that this “icon” portrays a great message. 
I freeze berries like this, too! It's great that they freeze seperately and you can pull out a handful for pancakes or muffins whenever you need them! And I totally agree on the troubles with a chest freezer. I use the standup kind much more efficiently! No more digging to the bottom!
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Hi Sandy! I freeze raspberries that same and there is nothing like adding a few of these babies to a protein smoothie throughout the year. I Love raspberries!
I had a chest freezer for many years… and finally gave it to our son and daughter-in-law, who are amazing cooks. We now have two huge side-by-sides that work well for us… with most of our kids gone. But I gotta tell you, I do miss not having a chest for the holidays so I can buy a couple turkeys when they're on sale.
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That's is a great idea! I am going to try it. Thanks for the tip.
Jane
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This is what I do too. Works every time!
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That's how I learned to freeze them…mainly so they wouldn't freeze in one big clump…and it always works great. However, I never thought to use the frozen berries to make jam in the middle of the winter…I just use them for smoothies etc…guess I have a new use now.
I have been looking into buying a freezer to put in the garage and thought about getting a chest…you now have me rethinking that…what to do?!
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I've tried this method which is very good. But I tend to use berries for muffins or cobblers, so I use the easier "measure in 1-2 cup quantitites and free" method.
And I try to go through my small chest freezer every couple of months – #1 to see what I have and #2 to use it!!
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We have a chest freezer, but you have a point about things getting lost on the bottom. I always write down what I put in there, and cross it off when I take it out…so I always know.
Those raspberries look beautiful.
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I have a chest freezer, a huge one! My father has a cattle ranch and he gives us a full beef every year (my poor arteries).
I have no idea, what is in the bottom 1/3 of that freezer.
My grandma, does all my berry prep, and however she does it, is exactly how I like it.
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I freeze berries same way! Great minds think alike and all that.
I have just a small apartment size freezer, because I thought a large one (which I used to have) would be too big (and then you never know what's in there)……..
Enjoy the fruits of your labour!
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I freeze berry's just like you do. I freeze Peaches the same way! After I peel and pit them of course.
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Good grief, I would never have a chest freezer! Knowing me I would put something in there, it would be on the bottom and be there for EVER!!!!!!!!!!!LOL! Now I want some berries!!!!:):) Pinky
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I freeze berries exactly the same way you do. One fruit we love to freeze are grapes. I buy them on sale, bring them home, take them off the stems, wash them and dry with paper towels. I freeze them on parchment paper and when they are frozen I place them in ziploc freezer bags. We eat them frozen. Almost better than ice cream!
I have a chest freezer. We looked at uprights but the chest freezer meets my needs.
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Hey, I do that, too! So, easy and convenient. Mine usually go into smoothies.
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I love freezing my berries this way because they are easy to add to your favorite muffin recipe when separately frozen.
I can't wait to see your new kitchen reveal. I am so excited for you. I know you have been very patient for a long time.
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I freeze berries like this too. This year, I got a lot of berries… froze them… bagged them… placed them back in the freezer… went on my way… and a when I went to get something out of the freezer a few weeks later, discovered that my berries were thawed, melted, and molded. Along with everything else in my stand up freezer.
I cried.
Now I have no freezer. A sad state, indeed.
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