AMR Farms Purchase & Storage Tips for Berries
order@amrfarms.com P.O. Box 843, Jefferson, OR 97352 www.amrfarms.com
Plan your berry purchase: Consider how many pints of berries your business or family will need for one year. 1 pint (2 cups) = about 2-4 servings Average 9 inch pie recipe = 2 pints (4 cups) Average jam recipe = 4 pints (8 cups) make 8 eight-ounce jars 1 - 1¼ cups fresh = 10 ounce frozen For highest quality flavor, texture and appearance, only purchase the amount of berries that you have time to freeze, use in a recipe or consume within three days of purchase. You can preserve their food value and quality by treating the berries gently. Make a point of refrigerating them as soon as possible after purchase. Berries should be stored in dry refrigeration. They should not be damp because moisture speeds the rate of decay. Avoid placing berries in the sunshine or in the trunk of your car. The passenger side floor works best. If your car has air conditioning, use it on your way home. When you get home:
Make a point of refrigerating them as soon as possible. DON’T keep at room temperature. DON'T wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling. Inspect and discard any damaged berries. Cover container with paper towel and plastic wrap. Or put a paper towel on the bottom of a shallow container and gently roll transfer the berries into it. (Glad™ or Ziploc™ disposable plastic sandwich containers work well) Raspberries: DON’T fill the containers more then 2 inches deep if you want them to hold their shape. Sprinkling a little sugar on the berries will help preserve them longer. Put a couple of days supply into the refrigerator and freeze the rest.
How to wash fresh berries: Gently roll transfer berries into a wire mesh colander. A single layer at a time or no more then 2 inches deep. Briefly and gently run cold water at low pressure over the berries using as little water as possible. Don’t shake the colander. Allow to drain for 10 minutes and carefully spread out on a dry cloth or paper towel.
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AMR Farms Purchase & Storage Tips For Berries
order@amrfarms.com P.O. Box 843, Jefferson, OR 97352 www.amrfarms.com
How to remove seeds: Wash berries 1. Puree berries in blender. 2. Process puree through a food mill to remove the majority of the seeds. 3. Press through a meshed sieve, lined with cheesecloth. 4. Transfer to freezer storage containers. OR 1. Gently heat mashed or pureed raspberries until they thin out and the seeds separate. 2. While still hot, pour through a meshed sieve, lined with cheesecloth. 3. Cool and transfer to freezer storage containers. How to freeze: Most berries can be frozen without washing them. Hull and rinse strawberries before freezing. Use any type of freezer quality container. Consider how much space you have to store the berries. If you don’t have a lot of space, you may want to go with the Ziploc freezer bags or seal-a-meal/food saver vacuum storage bag. Ziploc type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects better against freezer burn) o To remove the excess air from a Ziploc bag, insert a straw halfway into the bag and zip the bag closed as far as possible, leaving a part of the straw sticking out of the bag. Using your mouth, suck the air out of the bag, pinch the bag and straw shut, and slide the straw out of the bag, holding the open part shut. Then, quickly zip the bag all the way. Glad™ or Ziploc™ disposable plastic sandwich containers with lids work well. Seal-a-meal/food saver vacuum storage bag are best used after the berries are frozen. If you plan to use the berries in smoothies, jam, pie or any recipe that doesn’t need pretty berries, you can freeze the berries in Ziploc™ or plastic storage containers with lids. After they are frozen, they may stick together a little bit, but should break apart fairly easily. Pretty berries: If you want the berries to hold their shape during freezing place them in a single layer in a shallow pan on a sheet of waxed paper and freeze solidly (at least two hours), then transfer to an appropriate freezer-quality container. Write the date on the container. Freezer life is typically 12 - 18 months. How to wash frozen berries: When you take them out of the freezer put them in a wire mesh colander. Briefly and gently run cold water at low pressure over the berries using as little water as possible. Allow to drain for 10 minutes. Transfer to storage container and let them thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours. Don’t use the microwave unless you are planning to cook them.
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