It’s almost raspberry season, and I’m getting excited! Raspberries are held in high regard around here. Knowing how to freeze raspberries will help you preserve their deliciousness throughout the year.
While frozen raspberries will never taste the exact way their fresh counterparts do, they rival them in other ways. Freezing raspberries makes better jam than fresh raspberries.
Our raspberry bushes are hanging full this year. We have three varieties on our homestead, and each one has its benefits. All are tasty, but some excel more than others.
Maybe you don’t have your own raspberry bushes to pick from, but when raspberries are in season, they are available to purchase almost anywhere. Freezing them at their peak freshness will ensure you get the best-frozen product as well.
When Are Raspberries in Season
Raspberries are a summer fruit. They are available to harvest in July, August, and sometimes September, depending on your growing area.
Pickings are scattered over a couple of weeks because not all berries ripen at the same time. This can take up to four weeks, depending on the type.
Also, there are a lot of different types of raspberries, and some will produce for a longer time.
But by July, you can start anticipating fresh raspberries.
Here at our place, it’s usually towards the end of July before we can pick fresh raspberries. Our raspberry bushes have a lot of unripe fruit hanging (it’s July 5).
Why Freeze Raspberries
The main reason to freeze raspberries is so that it’s a great way to enjoy their goodness throughout the whole year.
Raspberries go bad very quickly once they are ripe. They don’t last much longer than three days, even when refrigerated.
How Long Are Frozen Raspberries Good For
Frozen raspberries can be stored in the freezer for up to 12-18 months when stored properly.
Using vacuum-sealed or a freezer-safe bag will help prevent freezer burn, and keep them fresh longer.
How To Thaw Frozen Raspberries
How you want to thaw frozen raspberries depends on what recipe you are using. For muffins and smoothies, you want to keep them frozen until adding them.
To make jam or cheesecake, thaw them out ahead of time for best results. Frozen raspberries are very juicy when thawed. Save this natural juice for the jam or raspberry sauce. It holds a lot of flavors.
Frozen raspberries release liquid when thawing, a dark red delicious juice.
Be sure to thaw them in a bowl so the juice doesn’t go down the drain (ask me how I know…).
How to Use Frozen Raspberries
Frozen raspberries can be used in desserts, jams, smoothies, and yogurt.
Homemade yogurt with frozen raspberries and a touch of sweetener is delicious, and a favorite around here.
How To Freeze Raspberries
While freezing raspberries is a good way to waste less food, you want to freeze fresh berries for the best result.
Fresh raspberries when frozen will give a better end product. But go ahead and freeze those raspberries that are a couple of days old. They will still taste good.
Should I wash Raspberries Before Freezing
I recommend washing raspberries before freezing, especially if they are not organic.
If they have not been grown in your own yard, you don’t know if they have been sprayed with chemicals. Wash raspberries carefully. Raspberries will lose a lot of flavor if handled vigorously.
The best way to wash raspberries is by placing them into a colander.
Carefully place the colander into a bowl of ice-cold water, gently stirring with a hand to wash.
Strain, and let drip dry to remove excess water. Some prefer to use paper towels to gently let the berries dry, but I never do this.
You will need plastic freezer bags and freezer containers for freezing raspberries.
Method for freezing Raspberries
Whole
Step One: Wash raspberries gently. Drain in a colander.
Step Two: On a large cookie sheet, place a layer of parchment paper or wax paper.
Step Three: Place berries in a single layer onto the cookie sheet.
Step Four: Place the Cookie Sheets in the freezer, being careful to avoid stacking them.
Step Five: Leave to freeze for 12-18 hours. I often do it overnight.
Step Six: Remove frozen berries and place them in a large ziplock bag. Remove excess air as much as possible. Store raspberries in the freezer.
Step Seven: Enjoy for months to come! With this method, you can remove the number of berries you need, and leave the rest.
Whole frozen raspberries are a wonderful way to preserve ripe raspberries. It doesn’t take much time, and there is a great reward for your labor.
Add them to fruit smoothies for a special, healthy treat. Whole frozen raspberries are also great for raspberry muffins.
Jam
Step One: Wash raspberries gently. Drain in a colander.
Step Two: Pour into freezer-safe containers or plastic bags. When freezing raspberries to make jam, you don’t need to freeze them separately.
Step Three: Before making your favorite raspberry jam, thaw out the berries in a bowl.
Sauce
Step One: Wash raspberries gently. Drain in a colander.
Step Two: Into a bowl, measure one quart of fresh raspberries.
Step Three: Add half a cup of sugar, mixing gently to dissolve the sugar.
Step Four: Pour into freezer-safe containers. Leave 1 inch of headspace.
Step Five: Before eating, remove from the freezer and thaw. Mix again before serving.
This raspberry sauce is excellent as a topping for cakes, shortbreads, and ice cream. The amount of sugar will depend on personal preference and taste.
Other Options For Preserving Raspberries
Raspberries are also a fresh fruit that dehydrates well. Layer them carefully on your dehydrating sheets, and follow the instructions.
These raspberries can be stored in a glass jar in the pantry.
Another way to preserve raspberries is by canning them in simple sugar syrup. This recipe is included in my recipe book, Homesteaders Collection: 27 Canning Recipes.
Freezing raspberries while they are in season is a great way to preserve these delicious berries at the peak of their freshness.
If you don’t grow raspberries in your own garden, buy them while they are in season.
They are one of the easiest fruits to freeze. Local farms and farmers’ markets will carry them during the summer.
Some of our favorite recipes use raspberries, so we try to freeze a lot while we can.
Last summer was not a very good raspberry year. I was only able to get four gallons of fruit from our own raspberries.
We had a heatwave throughout the blooming period, and I think that set back the fruit. This year’s harvest is looking promising.
Was this easy tutorial on how to freeze raspberries helpful? Let me know in the comments below.