Need flash freezing tips

[Jewel]

Would freezing on Parchment Paper keep the fruit from sticking? I also have a small freezer space until I talk DH into a Stand-Up Bad Boy for the garage, so I'm looking for compact tips myself! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Jewel (edited 05-30-2001).]

[Vanessa]

HI. If you have an abundance of strawbeeries check the following:
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/abstracts/aSTRWBRY.html

[brendat4]

Hi! Does anyone have any tips for flash freezing fresh fruits (or anything for that matter)? I just bought some fresh strawberries at a great price so I bought a lot. I'd like to freeze the majority of them so I can use them all (especially in smoothies).

Whenever I've flash frozen things before they tend to stick to the pan I use. I usually use a metal cookie sheet lined with either foil or wax paper, but depending on how "wet" the item is they can still stick a bit. I just have a below the fridge freezer so space is a concern as far as getting big pans in there and a flat cookie sheet is about all I can fit in there easily.

Any advice, thoughts, etc. is appreciated. Thanks!

[Anne]

Have you tried making sure the berries were really dry on the outside before freezing? Freezing wet blueberries can make the skins tough or can make them burst when later thawing them. I don't know if this applies to strawberries but it does seem to hold for raspberries somewhat. I don't think I can imagine having more strawberries than my family could eat fresh. good luck.

[Curleytop]

My suggestion is DO NOT WASH the berries, and make sure they are dry. I harvested some of my boysenberries yesterday, and I do not wash them (they are not sprayed) place them on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper and it works well. You know, you can always wash the berries as they are thawing, and place them on paper towels. I do that with blue berries.