Frozen BLUEBERRIES
Equipment & Tools
Large bowl
Strainer
Baking sheet
Towel
2 gallon-size Ziploc bags
Ingredients
Produce:
4 pints blueberries (This is approximately 3 lbs.)
Recipe Notes
Good news! This recipe can be applied to blueberries (below!), blackberries, raspberries, and grapes.
Freezing freshly-picked blueberries is the most assured way to experience local, flavorful berries year-round. This process is relatively quick and results in a bounty of fresh blueberries you can use 12 months a year to make smoothies, jams, pies(!), ice cream toppers, and more!
We source our blueberries from Hancock Family Farm at Nashville Farmers’ Market. You can also pick your own at Kelley’s Berry Farm.
Step by Step Process
Yield: 2 gallon-size Ziploc bags
Total steps: 6
Read the full recipe. Read through each step below to learn your landscape ahead.
Bathe and rinse your blueberries. When my mom and I created Blueberry Mint Jam, she showed me a trick. Put your blueberries in a large bowl. Fill your bowl to the very top with cool water. Your bowl should be large enough to leave 1—2 inches of water sitting above your blueberries. Begin to gently sift through your blueberries with your fingers. You’ll notice loose stems, leaves, and debris begin to float to the top. Remove the excess debris (or as I call them, floaties!), and transfer your blueberries into a strainer. Rinse your blueberries.
Transfer your clean blueberries from your strainer to your baking sheet. Cover the entire baking sheet with 1 to 2 layers of blueberries. Use multiple baking sheets if needed to avoid exceeding 1 to 2 layers of blueberries. Gently pat dry with a clean towel.
Freeze. Set your entire baking sheet of blueberries in your freezer. Allow them to freeze for 24 hours. We use a baking sheet to freeze our berries because we want to ensure each individual berry is fully frozen. We also want to avoid clumping.
Fill your Ziploc bags. After 24 hours, transfer your frozen blueberries from your baking sheet to your Ziploc bags.
Date and store. Write the date on each bag of blueberries, and store flat in your freezer.
