Freezing elderberries - this is the best way to do it

Freezing elderberries properly - practical tips

This preparation is what matters

The fresher the fruit, the easier it is to freeze it. This also creates the best conditions for later processing the fruit into jam, jelly or syrup. If you use the following checklist, elderberries will find out the best way to prepare them:

harvest the fruit umbels and clean them under running water
Wipe the berries with a kitchen fork and pat dry
Sort out unripe and overripe fruits
mix the fruit in a bowl with sugar

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When are elderberries ripe?

Studies have shown that sugared fruit can be kept for 12 months in the freezer. Unsweetened elderberries should be processed within 6-8 months. Since the fruits are only edible after they have been boiled down, some of the sugar required can already be added during the freezing process.

Suitable packaging for freezing

The perfect packaging for the freezer does not allow air to penetrate the berries, nor does moisture penetrate outside. Airtight bags or freezer cans are therefore highly recommended when you freeze elderberries. Conventional clear bags, on the other hand, are completely unsuitable. In this case, the dreaded freezer burn is inevitable.

Step-by-step instructions

Immediately after the preparatory work, the elderberries are frozen. This is how it works in next to no time:

Pour the sugared berries into cans or bags so that 10-15 percent air remains
this is where the freezing liquid will later spread
The cans can be stacked in the freezer
First place the freezer bags side by side so that the fruits are not squeezed
Do not stack them until the berries have frozen solid

As the elderberries gradually freeze through, ice crystals form in the cells. These pierce the cell walls, which causes a softened consistency when thawed later. The lower the temperature, the smaller the ice crystals. Therefore, freeze the fruit as quickly as possible to -17 degrees Celsius or lower.

Tips & Tricks

If elderberries are vacuumed before freezing, this measure prevents freezer burn even more effectively. With the help of a special vacuum sealer, all air is extracted from stable film bags and the seam is sealed. This also protects against a loss of flavor and saves space in the freezer.