How to Freeze Blueberries

If you haven't gotten your $1.50 off Berrys coupon at Publix, you better print some now because it expires Wednesday, June 23. As luck would have it, Publix has blueberries on sale for $1.50 so they are free. I picked up several pints this weekend and made some wonderful blueberry pancakes and blueberry cobbler. But I still have berries so I'll be freezing some. Here's how

Step 1: What You'll Need to Freeze Blueberries

• Fresh blueberries
• Strainer or Colander
• Rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan
• Airtight containers or resealable freezer bags

Step 2: How to Freeze Blueberries

1. Place the blueberries in the colander, and pick them over, discarding any leaves or stray stems. Make sure the blueberries remain intact. Squashed blueberries can help creates clumps.
2. Rinse the blueberries in the colander.
3. Let the blueberries dry.
4. Spread the berries in a single layer on the cookie sheet.
5. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer, and allow the blueberries to freeze over night.
6. Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer, and quickly transfer the blueberries to resealable bags or airtight containers for long term storage.

Step 3: How to Use Frozen Blueberries

1. If you're making a blueberry pie or blueberry cobbler, you can use the berries directly from their frozen state.
2. If you're using blueberries in baked goods where the make up a small portion of the batter, you should also be fine with frozen berries.
3. If you're making blueberry pancakes, how you use the frozen blueberries depends on whether you're using small wild blueberries or larger blueberries.
   1. If you're using the smaller wild blueberries, rinse them under warm water, pat dry, and use the same way you would use fresh.
   2. If using larger blueberries, rinse them, pat dry, and thaw in the microwave for 2 minutes at 30% power, then add to the pancake batter.