Can You Freeze Mulberries?

Mulberries are only in season for a few weeks every year. Given that they are only in season for such a short amount of time, you’ll need to store them in a way that ensures they last for months to come….let’s freeze them!

How to Freeze Mulberries

Mulberries almost always come off of the tree with a little bit of stem attached when being picked. Leaving the stem on won’t affect the berry, but I prefer removing them prior to freezing.

Here are a few simple steps to take to ensure the perfect freeze on your fresh mulberries:

1. Wash
   Before placing the in the freezer, wash the mulberries under cold water and drain in a colander. This ensures the removal of harmful bacteria.
2. Spread On a Tray
   Spread the berries out on a baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper. This is called single-layer freezing. Place in the freezer for 2 hours. 
3. Transfer to Containers
   Take the tray of berries out of the freezer and transfer into freezer safe containers or ziplock bags.
4. Freeze
   Find a space in your freezer and freeze your berries for between 6 and 12 months at most.

3 Tips for Freezing Fresh Mulberries

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing fresh mulberries to have the best results:

Don’t Skip Single-Layer Freezing
If you’re going to want to be using small amounts of individual berries, then single layer freezing is key. It will stop the berries from sticking together and being in one big clump.

Freeze In Batches in Bags
The other way to freeze mulberries is to put all the berries into a freezer bag after washing and freeze them altogether. This is most practical when you know you will use the entire bag at once for something like jams or jellies.

Make a Mixed Berry Bag
All berries freeze well, so why not make a mixed berry bag that you can use for smoothies and jams? Simply add in different berries when you’re single-layer freezing and then throw them all into one bag. 

How Long Can You Freeze Mulberries?

Mulberries should be frozen as fresh as possible. This means they retain their flavour, texture and nutrition whilst frozen.

You can freeze mulberries for between 6-12 months. The single-layer freezing ensures that the berries don’t stick together in the freezer.

The berries should stay fresh in the freezer for up to 12 months, but they would probably be fine longer than that, though the flavour might not be the greatest the longer they sit in the freezer. 

You Can Freeze Mulberries for up to 12 Months

How Do You Defrost Mulberries?

If you are going to be using your mulberries as part of a jam or smoothie recipe then there is no need to thaw the berries beforehand.

The recipes will work just as well using frozen berries which makes things much easier and saves time too.

If you want to thaw the berries for other purposes, simply leave them in the fridge overnight in a bowl. If you’d like the mulberries quite firm, then 4 hours should be enough time.

You can also use a bowl of cold water instead and leave the berries in this for a few hours. You could also defrost berries in the microwave but this is better suited if you don’t need them to be firm.

Defrosting berries in the microwave can make them squishier than they would be otherwise, which does make them ideal for crumbles or jams.

Can You Refreeze Mulberries?

Theoretically, you can freeze mulberries, though thawing and refreezing them could also ruin them. Like most soft fruits, they have a high water content and so when thawed and refrozen, their texture can become damaged. 

Do Mulberries Freeze Well?

Yes, mulberries are a great fruit to keep in your freezer. They are an incredibly healthy fruit and a unique flavour to add to your jams or desserts.

The best thing is that frozen mulberries and fresh mulberries taste exactly the same so there’s no compromise on flavour. 

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