Full of tartness and sourness, and packed with nutrients, blackcurrants are a versatile fruit that can be found in both breakfasts and desserts. But what do you do if you’ve got an abundance of them?
Can You Freeze Blackcurrants?
Yes, you can freeze blackcurrants for up to 6 months. Spread blackcurrants out onto a baking tray, freeze for a few hours before bagging them up and storing them in the freezer for the longer term.
Do Do Blackcurrants freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Blackcurrants? Yes
How to Freeze Blackcurrants
If youāre feeling lazy or are pushed for time, popping your fresh blackcurrants in the freezer in a ziplock bag might be enough.
But, if you want your blackcurrants to retain their nutrients and original flavour, add a few extra steps to this quick routine.
The lazy method might save you time and effort, but our method below will leave you with blackcurrants that taste fresh and retain their original shape.
We recommend an ‘open freeze method,’ allowing your blackcurrants to retain their original appearance and thaw out much better. Weāve listed out step-by-step instructions that you can follow to freeze the blackcurrants easily:
- Spread Blackcurrants Out on Trays: Grab a couple of baking trays and line them with parchment paper (or use non-stick trays). Then, spread out your fresh blackcurrants over the tray.
- Ensure They’re Spaced Out: Ensure the blackcurrants are spaced out well, so they do not touch each other. This will ensure that the blackcurrants are individually frozen instead of a single lump if you directly freeze them in a bag.
- Flash Freeze: Put these trays in the freezer for a couple of hours. The recommended time is anywhere from 2-3 hours. Try to keep them as flat as possible.
- Bag Up: Once you feel the covering of the blackcurrants is hardened, remove them from the freezer. Then shake the blackcurrants into a plastic container or a Ziploc bag.
- Seal and Freeze: Donāt forget to seal the bag or the container tightly. Then just pop the blackcurrants back in the freezer until you want to use them.
Remember, the fresher blackcurrants you freeze, the longer they will last. This will ensure you can retain the nutrients and freshness of the blackcurrants for a longer period.
3 Tips for Freezing Blackcurrants
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing blackcurrants to have the best results:
Turn Blackcurrants into Dishes
Blackcurrants freeze well, but they can also be turned into dishes that can also be frozen. Both blackcurrant compote and blackcurrant cordial can be frozen successfully.
Flash Freeze
Flashing freezing (not in the commercial sense) enables you to keep each blackcurrant separate. When you eventually bag them up, they won’t clump together, making it far easier to defrost a handful at a time.
Try Mixing
Blackcurrants on their own can be quite tart to eat. But try mixing them with sweeter berries such as strawberries to create delicious fruit mixes that can be used in smoothies or atop breakfast cereals.
How Long Can You Freeze Blackcurrants?
If you want to store your blackcurrants for long periods, consider freezing them when fresh. This way, the blackcurrants will retain their nutrients and remain yummy even after a few months.
Ideally, you should use the blackcurrants within 6 months of freezing them. That is why you should label every sealed blackcurrant bag with the date.
Although they retain their flavour and nutrients for ten months, consuming them sooner rather than later is better.
Blackcurrants will keep in the fridge for between 3 and 4 days. Beyond that, they will begin to soften and then will turn incredibly sour.
How Do You Defrost Blackcurrants?
When you use the āopen freeze methodā to freeze your blackcurrants, they will be frozen individually. Freezing the blackcurrants individually makes it easy to scoop out the amount you need instead of defrosting a big lump.
Most recipes donāt need you to defrost your blackcurrants. You can rinse them out and then directly add them to the desired recipe.
If you want to defrost them, just put the frozen blackcurrants in a bowl of lukewarm water. It will only take a couple of minutes for the blackcurrants to defrost! All you have to do next is drain and dry them, and they’re ready for any recipe.
Can You Refreeze Blackcurrants?
Yes, you can refreeze the blackcurrants. Just ensure you refreeze them as soon as possible so that no bacteria or mould catches on.
If you have kept your frozen blackcurrants out for long, consider cooking them into a puree or compote to freeze them again!
Do Blackcurrants Freeze Well?
The long and short of it is that blackcurrants freeze well, and you can enjoy these antioxidant-rich berries all year round!
Whether you have frozen or fresh blackcurrants doesn’t make a huge difference. They both have the same amount of nutrients, and you’ll not notice a difference in taste too. Like most berries, blackcurrants are worth freezing.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing blackcurrants or blackcurrants in general, then these may help:
Redcurrants can be frozen for around 6 months. Freeze them on a baking tray initially. Once solid, you can tip the frozen redcurrants into a freezer bag to store for the longer term.
Most major supermarkets will sell bags of either blackcurrants or, more commonly, mixed frozen berries.
Sources
We have verified the information on this page using the following resources:
