I adore summer berries: whole, sliced, frozen and plunked into lemonade, crushed in a cocktail, blended into a smoothie, simmered into a jelly or jam. With all the ways to use them, I’m amazed at all the times I’ve had to throw moldy berries away. Until I learned this trick.
With few exceptions, like melons that will be sitting on the counter, you shouldn’t wash produce until right before use. Berries are another exception: washing them properly as soon as you get them home can prolong their lifespan.
Berry wash Simply mix one part white vinegar and five parts cool water. Soak the berries for a couple of minutes, then remove them to dry on paper towels, or spin them for fifteen seconds in a salad spinner. While they’re drying, wash the container they came in using the vinegar mix, too. Be sure to toss out any padding that came in the container, and replace it with a clean paper towel. Once your berries are dry, return them to the container and store them in the fridge. Change the towel when it gets moist and your berries will stay fresh up to two weeks.
Still have berries left? Berries freeze well when placed on a baking sheet with plenty of room between them. Once they’re frozen solid, pop them into a freezer bag and store for another day. Or, forego the freezer and slice them, then add 1/4 cup of sugar for every 1 cup of berries. Stir gently and store in an air-tight container in the fridge where they’ll stay good for several more days.
What are your favorite ways to eat berries in the summer? Share in the comments below!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Kate ,when you make the beef jerky let me know how it turns out
I sure will, and thank you again!
Up to 2 weeks?! I’m lucky if I get my berries to stay mold-free for even ONE week right now so I will definitely be trying this! Thanks!!
The vinegar kills those mold spores, so the berries last so much longer than we’re used to! It’s important to change the paper towel pretty much daily so it stays dry. Otherwise, the paper towel’s dampness will attract mold spores and, boom, the berries rot.
{ 1 trackback }