We can all attest to how wonderful the taste of strawberries makes us feel. They give these cool and cozy vibes that you begin to wonder if they have any effect on our brains. A ripe strawberry on a hot summer day is a game changer. Most straw berry lovers can attest to this.
But the major problem is that strawberries get spoilt too easily. Without proper preservation, they get bad within two to three days, and this can be frustrating. In this blog post, we’ll be looking at how you can preserve strawberries for at least seven days without them getting bad.
Keeping strawberries fresh after cutting does not seem to last for more than a couple of days, as the cut areas will begin to turn brownish and get spoiled after at least three to four days in the fridge.
Here’s a proper and tested method to follow to effectively preserve strawberries:
Use vinegar as a preservative solution when preserving your strawberries; this is how to do it. Put your strawberries into a solution made of one part white vinegar and three parts water, drain the water, and dry the strawberries thoroughly. Food52 suggested that you should dry them in a salad spinner, lined with paper towels to make sure the berries dry appropriately.
After drying, transfer the strawberries into a paper towel-lined container, place the lid on the container loosely without tightening it, and put them in the fridge.
At the end of the week, you’ll find that your strawberries are still fresh and okay-looking. Maybe you’ll see a few black spots here and there, but in general they’ll still be fresh.
How long do strawberries last after cutting?
The amount of time that cut strawberries are likely to last greatly depends on the means of storage. You’d have to freeze and keep it refrigerated for it to last so long.
To ensure your cut strawberries last as long as you want them to, you have to wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, put them in a container or a plastic bag, and refrigerate them.
Cut strawberries can last very well in the refrigerator if properly stored. They are likely to last about three to four days in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze your cut strawberries to make them last for a long period of time. Place your washed and cut strawberries on a cookie sheet that is lined with wax paper.
Place the uncovered cookie sheet in the freezer for at least seven hours until it is entirely frozen. It might need more hours to freeze, though. Now, transfer the frozen strawberries to covered, airtight containers or a heavy duty freezer bag.
The strawberries, after going through this process and remaining in the freezer, can last up to ten or twelve months and maintain their quality.
How do you store strawberries after washing and cutting them?
Getting a pint of fresh looking strawberries from the grocery store during summer is a temptation you can not avoid, and the majority of people will definitely fall for this fruity temptation, haha. Well, after getting your strawberries, storing them becomes the issue here to avoid them becoming bad, especially when they’re cut. We’ll be looking at a simple way you can store your freshly cut strawberries to sustain their shelf life.
Now here’s the gist: do not wash your strawberries immediately unless you want to eat them. You can cut and store them but not wash them, as the moisture can make the berries spoil faster.
Here’s what to do:
- Store your cut strawberries in the refrigerator at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the optimal humidity for berry storage should remain between 90 and 95 percent, according to Colorado State University.
- Cover your cut or sliced strawberries and put them in the fridge if you’re not eating them within two hours. Uncut strawberries should be kept in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator in a closed plastic container or a partially opened plastic bag. Uncut strawberries kept in the fridge should not last more than a week before you eat them, as they might begin to get bad after a week.
Do take note that you have to follow safety protocols when cutting and slicing your strawberries. Wash your hands and the fruits very well, and ensure your knife is properly washed as well. You also should not cut the berry open and leave it dormant if you’re not eating it immediately, as fruits when cut begin to release pathogens that allow bacteria growth. You do not want to allow bacteria to enter the cut surfaces.
Should strawberries be stored in an airtight container?
Moisture can be likened to what cancer is to humans. For strawberries, it really is the pinnacle of fresh berries getting spoilt. This is why, even if you store them in airtight containers, they will still rot very quickly if there’s any moisture trapped inside.
This is what to do instead: loosely pack strawberries in a wide pan or open container that is lined with paper towels to help secure water away from the berries. Colanders are also great for the storage of strawberries as they allow air to circulate freely.
However, unlike whole berries, if you cut your strawberries, they should be placed in an airtight container to protect the exposed cut area from mold and bacteria that highly reduces their shelf life.
Fresh strawberry seasons are so highly anticipated in the United States. Strawberries can easily lose their prime and freshness when they span a week’s time. This is why so many people find ways they can be properly preserved and stored to maintain their fresh state.
Freeze drying your strawberries will definitely retain them for at least six months or more, and they can even be stored for up to a year, but with a little loss of quality. Canned strawberries or the ones frozen in syrup can keep some of their flavor but will generally be soft and it will be best to use them for yogurt or oatmeal.
Should strawberries be refrigerated or not?
Yes, definitely. If you intend to have your strawberries fresh and kept safe without them rotting, then you’d have to put them in the refrigerator. Strawberries are seasonal fruits.
It’s important to learn how to store them just in case you get them in bulk, so they could last you in the long run without getting spoiled. Depending on how long you want it to last, there are different measures to store your strawberries for them to last for a few days or months.
Here are some tips for you before going ahead and putting your strawberries in the freezer.
Tip 1. Do not wash your strawberries if you’re putting them in the fridge: moist and strawberries do not go together at all; in fact, the more moist on them, the faster they get spoiled, so if you wash the berries and put them in the fridge thinking they’ll last, then you might be making a mistake. Just do not wash them.
Tip 2. -Remove any bad or moldy strawberries immediately. Before going ahead and putting the strawberries in the fridge, remove the bad or moldy ones so they do not contaminate the good ones when they spoil. This problem can be averted when you next visit the store to get strawberries. Choose and pick the freshest and brightest strawberries.
Tip 3. You can now go ahead and stroke strawberries in the fridge: remove the straw berries from the container they came with from the store, get another container, probably a Tupperware, and line it with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture away from the strawberries. Ensure you do not jam-pack all the strawberries together; leave room in the container between each strawberry. If it takes you two or more containers, do that.
Do strawberries last longer in a glass jar?
For so many strawberry users, they’d tell you that the glass jar method of storing strawberries is a deal breaker. Though it is not fully fact, many agree that the glass jar method is the best among all other measures when it comes to storing strawberries in the fridge.
Keep up with us as we’ll be showing you just how you can store your berries in the fridge and make them last for at least three weeks by using a glass jar.
Here are a few steps towards storing your strawberries in the fridge using a glass jar as follows.
Do not wash the strawberries at all, because moist and strawberries do not tally. Just simply get a glass jar and go ahead and put the strawberries in it.
Ensure there’s a little bit of space at the top for the airtight glass jar for it to be able to be properly covered.
You can now go ahead and put it in the coldest parts of the fridge to store it.
However, if you want your berries to last longer, it is advised that you soak your strawberries in a solution of one part white vinegar and two parts water in a container for 1-2 minutes, then clean them with a paper towel after they have soaked and gently put them inside the jar and keep them in the coldest part of the fridge.