A few years ago, I discovered that I could freeze my blackberries and keep them in the freezer for several months to use later. It works really well and is quick and easy to do. We have about 150' of blackberry bushes in our yard, that suck up water from the nearby creek, so the berries get nice and fat. We will never be able to eat all the berries our bushes give us, but we do our best. We make jam, jelly, syrup, cobbler, crisp, milkshakes, and more, as well as eat them fresh.
When I first froze berries, I just washed them, put them in a ziplock bag, and put them in the freezer. The problem with this is that they freeze together in one big clump. Then someone shared the right way to freeze berries. It works great and we will have several bags in our freezer by the time summer is over.
First wash your berries in a colander. Let them drain for a few minutes so that most of the excess water is gone. Be careful not to crush them. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and carefully put the berries on the wax paper in a mostly single layer. Place it in the freezer overnight.
When you take the berries out of the freezer they should all be good and frozen. Gently lift the wax paper off of the baking sheet from one corner and the berries should start coming apart. Place the berries in a ziplock bag as they come apart. It is a process that needs a little patience as the wax paper always rips, but it only take a few minutes.
After you have filled your bag, label it with a date and put it back in the freezer to be enjoyed later! They stay fresh about 6 months. We use our frozen berries for pancakes, baking, smoothies, popsicles, added in yogurt, and more. Happy blackberry season! Let us know how you use your blackberries and share a favorite recipe!
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