How to Preserve Raspberries Techniques and Recipes

Preserving Raspberries by Freezing

1. Add a handful of raspberries at a time to a bowl filled with clean clear water. Clean and dry the raspberries. Raspberries are particularly fragile , so handle with care or you could end with raspberry mush. I like to scoop the raspberries out with a religious spoon {a holy spoon, one with holes} and lay them out on a cloth or napkins to dry. Some people just use a strainer or colander. Continue until all the berries are clean.
2. Next have a cookie tray or trays on hand sprayed with a nonstick coating such as PAM or other food grade sprays.
3. Spread your raspberries on a clean cookie sheet[s] so that the berries are not too crowded together.
4. Place the cookie sheet[s] in the freezer for a few hours. You can also freeze them directly in freezer bags , but you end up with a cluster of raspberries frozen together this way. Placing them on cookie sheets first keeps the raspberries separated and solid.
5. After a few hours , remove from the freezer , then put them in freezer bags or ziplock bags.

Freezing pureed raspberries.

1. Wash and hull the raspberries.
2. Puree using a blender or mashing device.
3. Pour the puree into plastic containers or individual ice-cube trays or whatever suitable container your little heart desires.
4. Pureed Raspberries can be frozen for up to 6 months.
5. You want to pass the puree through a cheesecloth if you find the raspberry seeds bothersome.

Freezing sugared Raspberries.

1. Wash, hull and drain the raspberries.
2. Sprinkle with fine sugar , I prefer confectioners sugar.
3. Pack the berries into plastic containers or bags. Berries frozen this way can be stored for up to 6 months.

Preserving Raspberries by Dehydrating / Drying

1. Unlike frozen raspberries, dried ones can be stored at room temperature.
2. When selecting raspberries for dehydrating choose the highest quality ripe raspberries . Wash them with white vinegar and rinse thoroughly with water. Remove the tops.
3. Spread the raspberries out evenly on trays allowing space for air to circulate freely around the strawberries during the drying process.
4. If the weather permits you can use the sun to dry your berries. Sun, or air drying requires a warm day with temperatures in the 90s and very little humidity. Place the raspberries in a sunny window, or outside covered with screening to keep the bugs away.
5. You can also dry them in an oven. Place the raspberries in the oven at 130 degrees. Check them periodically. raspberries should be brittle when done.
6. Pack your berries in a moisture proof container . Label them with the date of preservation. Store in a cool dry place. Raspberries should be used within a year.

If Using a Dehydrator

1. Wash, and dry (gently pat dry) the raspberries.
2. Remove raspberry stems.
3. Dehydrate raspberries at 100 degrees (F) for 8-10 hours or until brittle. Store dried raspberries in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool dark location.
4. You might also want to consider Freeze Drying if you preserve considerable amounts of produce [and even meats] Dehydrating and freeze drying are similar, but not the same. Dehydrating uses either light [sunlight] or heat to evaporate moisture out of food and is easily done at home. Freeze drying also uses heat at lower exposures. Freeze drying requires an investment in equipment that will freeze the food as well as expedite evaporation. Food that is freeze dried with rare exceptions will rehydrate for consumption more readily. See: Freeze Drying Foods at Home