Making Blackberries Sterile / Clean For Freezing

[solly]

Afternoon all,

Went Blackberry picking this afternoon and managed to pick just over a Kilo
Not bad seeing that Tesco's are selling them for £1.99 per 200gms

Anyway I want to make sure that the berries are sterial before freeezing them, so was thinking along the lines of soaking them in a solution of water and a crushed campden tablet, is that the best method of cleaning them before freezing or is there a better way of doing is?

And I would guess that the method would apply to most fruit that you want to freeze?

[lockwood1956]

I always just bung them in the freezer, the really cold temps take care of any nasties.

not had a problem doing it this way

regards
bob

p.s. Your bottles arrived today

[Duffbeer]

I always just bung them in the freezer, the really cold temps take care of any nasties.

not had a problem doing it this way

regards
bob

p.s. Your bottles arrived today

Yup, same as Bob, if your in doubt after thawing pitch a k1v1116 yeast or sulphite the must and leave 24 hrs.

[fatbloke]

Ditto both Bob and Karl there. That's exactly what I do as well.

When they're defrosted, I do have the luxury of just steam juicing them for the "actual build" and that also helps nuke any nasties...

regards

jtfb

p.s. oh and I tend to look up recipes to work out how much fruit is needed for it and I weigh the fruit and write it on the bag with a permanent marker so I can just get enough for a must out of the freezer...

[ms67]

very similar method to me. i wash them gently and pick over them for the odd maggot. then drain, leave to dry and freeze in sealed containers (doh - stating the obvious!)

[solly]

Thanks for the reply guys.........they are in the fridge until tomorrow as we have run out freezer bags !!

[lockwood1956]

Space saving tip....


freeze them in plastic containers then bag them, they then stack on tiop of each other

or... you could bag them and put the bag in the plastic container, freeze it and then remove it.

[ms67]

nice tip, i love the simple stuff that you never think of until someone points it out! that tip is going into action tonight as we just picked another 4.5 kg!

[Gaztops]

After the berries have thawed, squeezed and put into a tub would it be right in adding sulphite solution or campden.

Gary

[NorthernWiner]

...I want to make sure that the berries are sterial before freeezing them...

The only way to sterilize berries is to cook them, and I don't think that's what you want. I would just wash and shake the excess water out of them before freezing.

[NorthernWiner]

After the berries have thawed, squeezed and put into a tub would it be right in adding sulphite solution or campden.

Gary

Yes.

[Gaztops]

I'm looking to pick my own elderberries and blackberries.

Thanks Steve.