How to Freeze Fresh Picked Cherries

If you pick more cherries than you can use, freeze them and defrost as needed.

Superior to their canned counterparts, freshly picked cherries provide a multitude of options. Whether you choose to pop them in your mouth, one by one, or incorporate them into a recipe, you will need to freeze them if you don't plan on using them within six days after picking.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Colander
• Paper towels
• Cookie sheets or flat trays
• Plastic, sealing freezer bags
• Marker or pen

Instructions

1. Place the cherries, with their stems intact, in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water. If you have a large quantity of cherries, don't overload the colander. Instead, rinse the cherries in batches to effectively remove all surface contaminants.

2. Allow the water to drain out of the colander. When water is no longer dripping out of the bottom of the colander, place the cherries on a several layers of paper towel to dry. Wipe the outside of the cherries to remove any water droplets.

3. Put the cherries, in a single layer, on a flat tray or a cookie sheet. Space each piece of fruit so that it doesn't touch another cherry.

4. Place the uncovered cookie sheet or tray in a freezer for approximately 6 hours or overnight. Remove the frozen cherries from the cookie sheet or tray and placed in sealed, plastic freezer bags.

5. Label the bags with the date and store them for up to one year in the freezer.

Tips & Warnings

• Ripe cherries should appear plump and bright in color, and the stems should be attached.

• If you don't have room in your freezer for a cookie sheet, use a baking dish instead.

• Remove all the air from the freezer bags before sealing to prevent freezer burn.

• Handle the cherries gently to avoid bruising them.

References

• Tony Tantillo: Cherries