Freeze Fresh Cranberries Now to Make Thanksgiving Easier
Too often, I’ve been the person who buys two bags of cranberries a week before I need them, only to find that 50% of them are a horrible, slippery mess when it’s time to cook. On the other hand, I’ve also been the person who waited until the last minute to find that the cranberry shelf had been completely destroyed. The choice has always been this: buy too early and the berries turn into mush, or buy too late and there are not a single cranberry in sight on the shelves. Both of these options will leave you without berries.
However, if you store fresh cranberries correctly, you can have perfect, unspoiled berries ready for when you need them. Stock up on a few bags right now and freeze them. Here’s how to do it right to keep them nice and fresh.
How to store fresh cranberries in the freezer
No matter where you stand on the great cranberry sauce debate, whole, fresh cranberries are a cold-weather gem. Use them in cookies, cakes, pies, or cool your drinks with them .
1. Deal with bad cranberries
Once you have purchased a (hopefully) first-class, firm, undamaged cranberry, you need to inspect it. Resist the urge to just throw the whole bag in the freezer. It’s important to check them now because once they freeze, you won’t be able to easily tell whether they’re rotten or not.
I set up a sorting station with a sorting tray, a small bowl for spoiled berries, and a large bowl for keepers. Place some cranberries from the bag into the pan. Take a handful and scoop out the bad berries. they go into a small composting bowl. Place the good ones in a large bowl. Repeat with all the cranberries.
How do you know if cranberries are harmful?
Gently squeeze them and turn them over to check all sides. Any cranberries that are squashed, severely wrinkled, brownish, or feel like water beads will soon fail if they are not already completely rotten. Good cranberries are firm, with thick, shiny skin. Flat spots should be expected as cranberries have internal seed chambers so they are not always perfectly round. Their color can vary from light pink and spotted white to dark red, almost black. Those with soft brown areas are not suitable.
2. Freeze them in a single layer.
Once you’ve sorted the berries, place them on a clean baking sheet or baking dish in a single layer. Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This step will allow the berries to cool apart from each other and maintain their round shape.
3. Secure the cranberries.
Once frozen, transfer the berries to a container or freezer bag. Seal tightly and store these tart balls in the freezer until you need them. They keep well in the freezer for eight months to a year.
When you’re ready to use them, measure the frozen berries directly into the recipe. There is no need to defrost them; They can be used straight from frozen. Pour them into a pan to make the best cranberry sauce , or add a few to your champagne to keep it chilled and festive.