How to Prepare Blackberries
Blackberries are one of the most abundant fruits in North America. There are several hundred species of this cousin of the rose, both wild and cultivated, growing across the continent. Due to the diverse nature of the plant, its sweet berries are popular in jams, jellies, pies and cobblers, syrups and drinks. With careful preparation, the berries can be either used immediately or stored for future use all year long. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Colander
- Paper towels
- Superfine granulated sugar
- One gallon plastic freezer bags
- Cookie sheet
- Wax Paper
Instructions
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1
Place berries in a colander and rinse, using cool water. Spread the berries out on a paper towel, and let them air dry. (This prevents the bruising that patting them dry may cause.)
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Carefully pick through the berries once they have dried, removing stems and leaves.
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3
Cook your berries in pies or cobblers or preserve them as jam or jelly.
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Preserve the berries for future use by freezing them. For fillings, cordials, soups or sorbets, puree the berries in a blender, then freeze them in ice cube trays. Store the cubes in gallon-sized freezer bags until needed.
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Freeze whole berries for use in pies and cobblers. Coat the berries in superfine granulated sugar, then place them on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheets the freezer until the berries freeze. Place the frozen berries in resealable freezer bags or airtight containers.
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Tips & Warnings
Cooking berries often makes them mushy and causes loss of vitamins. Freezing is reccomended over canning for preserving berries.
