Freezing fruit helps keep them good for longer so that you can use them at all times in the year. Frozen blueberries are great to carry the taste of Summer throughout the cold months. However, like many other fruits, thawing blueberries can change some of their physical properties.
There are many ways to thaw frozen blueberries from letting them sit out on the counter to thawing them in a cold water bath. Each method takes a different amount of time and can change how the blueberries look.
This method works great if you have other tasks to do in the meantime as this method takes a long time. Be warned, this method may be dangerous if you have snacky roommates.
Step 1: Move your blueberries into a room temperature bowl and cover it with plastic or the container’s top.
Step 2: Leave your blueberries out on the counter.
Step 3: Wait a few hours. If your kitchen is warm, this may take as soon as 4 hours.
Step 4: Check if they are still frozen. If they are, continue waiting. If they have thawed, enjoy!
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Pros:
Little to no effort
Preserves the blueberry texture better than some other methods
Can be done while doing other tasks
Cons:
It takes a very long time
Length of time can depend on how hot or cold your kitchen is
Your blueberries may be eaten before you can use them (maybe keep an eye on them)
You do have to be more attentive with this process
You have to make sure that the water is very cold. Hot water can cause bacteria to grow.
The Microwave Method
This is the fastest method, though it is probably the toughest of the blueberries. If you’re planning to cook with the blueberries, then this method will work in a pinch.
Step 1: Put your blueberries in a microwave-safe bowl
Step 2: Remove any ice chunks that may have grown on the blueberries. This can affect the heating process and texture.
Step 3: Microwave for 10-second increments. Check on them after every increment.
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Pros:
This is the quickest method
Cons:
The microwave causes the biggest change
Needs the most amount of attention so they aren’t in the microwave for too long
Can make the blueberries “soupy”
What Can Thawed Blueberries Be Used For?
Even with the fridge method that changes the blueberry’s texture the least, the texture will be different after thawing. This means that you probably don’t want to snack on them alone. However, there are still plenty of ways to use thawed blueberries so that the new texture doesn’t matter.
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Baking
Making syrups
Making smoothies
Adding them to yogurt or oatmeal
Making jams or jellies
It is important to note that once your blueberries are thawed, they should be used quickly. In a fridge, these berries can last for about 2 days. Plan your thawing accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Freezing your blueberries, whether you bought them frozen or did it yourself, is a great way to preserve them. Even though the texture can get weird once they are thawed, there are ways to prevent a squishy mess.
Thawed blueberries can be just as good as fresh when handled properly. Knowing which method works for your blueberry plans will improve the quality of what you are making. So don’t let those blueberries sitting in the fridge go bad, freeze them!
