Blueberries are a tasty fruit that can be incorporated into various menus. Despite being low-maintenance, they need to be appropriately stored for them to last because poorly stored blueberries are anything but delicious. In this article, you will find out how to prolong the life of your blueberries.
The most important step is to choose the best blueberries. You want to pick the plump, dark bluish-purple berries with firm skin. Look out for the red berries as they are not ripe. Check the bottom of the container for any mould or juiciness which shows smashed berries are in the bunch.
To prepare, place them in a shallow dish and sort the mouldy berries from the good ones. Find red or green berries (under-ripe), berries with fuzzy white mould, and soft and wilted berries and toss them out. Pull out any stems as they are bitter. If you got your berries from the farmer’s market or picked them yourself, look out for insects, twigs, debris or leaves.
After prepping the berries, place them in a container lined with two or more paper towels. You can use a ceramic container with slits or the plastic container that the berries came with. Make sure the container you use has small holes or slits for ventilation. Transfer the container with the berries to the fridge. Store the berries on the middle or bottom shelves. Avoid the crispers as they are too humid and lack enough circulation. Avoid storing the berries in airtight containers as you may trap moisture in the container, speeding up the rotting process of the berries. The paper towels help absorb moisture to keep moulding at bay. Your blueberries will last 5 to 10 days this way.
Start by prepping the berries as discussed earlier. Then, on a shallow tray lined with parchment paper, spread the blueberries in one layer making sure they are not clumped. Place the tray in the freezer and wait for 2 to 3 hours for the blueberries to freeze completely. Transfer the blueberries into a Ziploc bag, close the bag and toss them back into the freezer. You can also vacuum seal the bag for a longer storage term. Frozen blueberries can last up to 8 months in the freezer. Thaw them by popping them in the fridge and enjoy them whenever needed.
The main reason why fresh blueberries go bad is moisture. Keeping your berries dry and in low humidity areas can keep the mould away. At the store, always check the “best before” date before purchasing blueberries.
Unless you plan to eat your blueberries right away, it is not advisable to wash them. Moisture accelerates bacteria growth. If you must wash them all together, rinse them with 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Vinegar kills mould spores and prevent mould from growing. Remember to again rinse the berries with cold water to get rid of the vinegar flavour and make sure you thoroughly dry the blueberries.
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