Freezing Wild Black Raspberries
My mom has a nice area in her back yard where a lot of wild black raspberries grow. She’s had a bumper crop this year, so she invited me over to pick the extra berries she didn’t want.
I went over several days last week and one day this week and I spent about an hour each time. So far I’ve been able to pick 10.5 pounds of wild black raspberries for our freezer! I’m heading over again today so I should be able to add another 2-3 pounds to that total. That means I won’t have to go to the local blueberry farm to buy blueberries this year since I have so many raspberries.
I freeze the berries on a cookie sheet so that they don’t freeze together in the bags. When they’re frozen, I scoop them up and put them in a freezer bag.
This way I can easily measure out what I need for a recipe from the bags and I don’t have to pre-measure into smaller freezer bags. I prefer freezing my berries and dealing with them later when I have more time and when the weather’s cooler outside.
I’m looking forward to making some jam this winter and perhaps some cobbler or some black raspberry scones.
How do you preserve berries for those long winter months?
Filed under Berries, Edible, Freezing, Fruit, Harvest Keepers Challenge | Comments (19)
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We freeze blackberries and raspberries exactly as you describe. We also make jam/jelly, syrup and I plan to make some wine this year. We pick blackberries every 3 days for a month and end up with tons…we’re well stocked all season!
warren´s last blog ..Swarm in Kanawha City
to warren's comment
Do you know how jealous this Arizonian is. I would do anything to be able to grow berries.
C Aultman´s last blog ..Welcome to the Good Ole USA………
to C Aultman's comment
Oh, I love wild “black caps” as we call them here. In fact, I think they’re more flavorful than the domesticated red ones. I actually have a small patch growing in my yard and today we’ll be going over to my parents wild patch as well. Yummy!
farm mom´s last blog ..A Simple Observation
to farm mom's comment
So happy to have found you! I have a bumper crop this year and with my dh out of work free food looks awfully good!
Sue´s last blog ..My Husband is Laid Off
to Sue's comment
We typically pick from a couple of different ways to preserve our berries…freezing, dehydrating (whole/halved/quartered or as fruit leather), or jams. I’m jealous of your totals. Last year we made jam and had lots of frozen and dried berries. This year I got the jam made, but didn’t get a chance to go back to pick more strawberries for drying/freezing until it was too late.
We’ve got our own berry bushes/plants, but they won’t be producing or producing anything of significant quantity until as least next year. Since I missed out on the strawberries, I’m hoping I can take advantage of other later bearing fruits – it’s too expensive to buy these types of things at the store the rate my kids go through them for snacks!
Pampered Mom´s last blog ..Car Free – An Update on our Discoveries
to Pampered Mom's comment
I didn’t know that there were wild raspberries. Here in Oreogn, its the non-native wild blackberry that will be coming into season by the end of the month. And then it’s one month solid of picking and eating or freezing, just like you descibed. There is nothing better than , on a cold winter day, pouring out a few cups of frozen berries to make a desert. It’s like we capture a bit of summer in the freezer.
Lexa´s last blog ..New Kid on the Block
to Lexa's comment
They are probably near the mountains in Oregon. At least that is where they are here in Washington.
We are in the foothills below Mt. Rainier and have them all over our property.
What I’d like to know is how to move them all to one place on our property so it is easier to take care of them.
to Mary Stirrett's comment
You could dig them up and move them, I’d try to dig up first year canes (since they fruit on 2nd year) then they’d probably still fruit the next year. That would be a lot of work, and since raspberries put out runners they’d probably be all over the place in no time again!
to Susy's comment
I like to freeze berries too. I like keeping my options open in terms of using them later. And most of the time, I’m happy to just serve them defrosted over ice cream or pancakes or mix them up in a smoothie anyway.
Allie´s last blog ..A/V Fridays – Eco Trip – Cotton
to Allie's comment
I went to the store yesterday and found blueberries (produced in USA) for .99 per pint. I got 10 pints and have been freezing them:)
Shannon Meyer
Mrs. Meyer´s last blog ..New life
to Mrs. Meyer's comment
We have lots of shiny, sticky, wild red raspberries growing in our yard. They are delicious fresh, but when I froze some last year they had a very chemical taste. Has anyone else experienced this, and what can I do to freeze them and not get that terrible taste?
to Iyan's comment
That’s quite odd, I’ve never heard of this problem. Mine taste just like fresh when I thaw them, hopefully someone knows the answer to your question.
to Susy's comment
Sounds like there was something wrong when you picked them. They should never be sticky.
to Anne Dorley's comment
I have a few black raspberries growing around my house. When they have berries there’s only a clump of 4 or 5 on the whole bush. How can I get more fruit? Should they be cut back or fertilized or what do I do to get more berries?
to carol Vander Zanden's comment
I really like black raspberries “Yummy” ! But I want to know how it’s good for you and why?
to Yummy Girl's comment
Does anyone sell black raspberries? Trying to find some to make a special dessert for my in-laws. They used to make a black raspberry steamroll back in PA and haven’t been able to make it since moving to AZ. Thanks!
to Toni's comment
I think I’ve seen them in the stores occasionally. They’ll probably be expensive since they’re so delicate. Make sure you check the frozen section as well, they might be there. I do see them at my local farmer’s markets when they’re ins season.
to Susy's comment
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to Homemade Blueberry Muffin Cake | Chiot’s Run's comment
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