While strawberries are only in season for the summer, June being their peak, you can enjoy them year-round. Strawberries, and berries in general, freeze very well and you can use them for all kinds of recipes. You can enjoy frozen and thawed berries in your smoothies, acai bowls, and even on top of your pancakes!
Strawberries thaw out in just a few easy steps, so you’ll be able to use them in no time. You can thaw strawberries by placing them in the fridge or the microwave. You can also thaw them under running water and on top of the stove.
There’s no reason to not store a bag of frozen strawberries so you can enjoy them whenever the craving strikes. Strawberries offer a variety of nutritional benefits, so you can feel great about using them in recipes.
It’s important to note that the texture of frozen strawberries will differ from that of fresh ones. This is true for frozen fruit and vegetables in general. However, you can take a few steps to ensure they don’t get too soft to where they’re unpleasant to eat.
What’s great about freezing your strawberries is that you’ll have preserved the delicious taste of the fresh berries. While the texture may become a little softer, the sweetness of the berries will still shine through.
How To Thaw Strawberries in the Refrigerator
This is one of the best ways to thaw out your frozen strawberries. Depending on how many you have, you may want to place them in the fridge overnight. They’ll be defrosted by morning.
If you don’t have that much time to wait, then there are still several options at your disposal. Thawing food items in the fridge allows it to come to temperature evenly, to preserve the texture.
Place the frozen strawberries into a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap.
Allow the berries to sit in the fridge until they’re properly thawed.
Remove the berries and consume within a day or two for the best quality.
How To Thaw Strawberries in Cool Water
If you have a bit less time, this is a great method for you when it comes to thawing strawberries. Please note that you want to use cold or cool water for this and not warm or hot water. The higher temperature could negatively impact the strawberries, causing them to become mushy.
Place the frozen strawberries into a large bowl and cover them with cold water.
Allow the berries time to soak before checking them.
Drain the water and cover with more cold water if the strawberries need extra time to thaw.
Strain the berries and allow them to dry on a paper towel, to remove the excess moisture.
This method is significantly faster than the refrigerator method but requires more active hands-on time. However, if you’re in a bit of a pinch and need thawed strawberries quickly – this is the method for you.
Soaking the berries in cold water allows them to retain good texture. More so than heating them in the microwave or on the stovetop. Keeping the berries cool is the key for this method.
How To Thaw Strawberries in the Microwave
Strawberries can be a bit tricky to defrost in the microwave since they’re a bit larger than say blueberries or raspberries. It can be a fine line between thawing them and overcooking the outside while the inside is still frozen solid.
However, with a little patience, you can have thawed frozen strawberries using the microwave. Some microwaves have a defrost button and you could certainly use that during this process.
Put the frozen strawberries into a microwave-safe bowl or dish.
Heat the berries in short increments, mixing them around in between.
Remove from the microwave once they have been fully defrosted.
By mixing the berries in the bowl, you’re ensuring that the heat is going to be evenly distributed. You don’t want one side to become soft while the bottom is still cold and hard. It’s important to keep an eye on the berries to ensure they don’t overcook.
How To Thaw Strawberries on the Stovetop
This isn’t the most ideal method for thawing strawberries, but it can be done. This may result in the berries becoming more broken down due to them being cooked on the stove. However, that could certainly work or even be ideal for some recipes.
Make sure your strawberries aren’t frozen together and place them into a pot.
Heat the pot over low heat, making sure that it doesn’t get too hot.
Gently warm the strawberries until the ice begins to dissipate and melt away.
Remove the strawberries from the heat once they have adequately thawed.
You may find that the outside of the berries gets a bit mushy during this process, but that’s okay. They’ll still be delicious to use in whatever you’re planning to make. Similar to the other methods, this is a bit hands-on compared to the refrigerator thawing process.
Do You Have to Thaw Strawberries?
You don’t always have to thaw out frozen strawberries before you use them. Depending on what you plan to do with them, it could end up being beneficial to keep them frozen. Throwing frozen strawberries directly into a smoothie can benefit the resulting texture.
However, if you plan to chop them up and put them into pancakes or waffles, you’ll need to thaw them first. Of course, you could always chop up your berries into smaller pieces before freezing. That way, you could just toss the small frozen pieces directly into your breakfast and they will thaw as it cooks.
How Long Will Thawed Strawberries Last?
Depending on how fresh the berries were when they were originally frozen, they may only last a few days. This also assumes that they’ve been properly sealed and stored.
The longer the strawberries are allowed to sit in the fridge, the mushier they can become. If you’re worried about the texture, then it’s best to consume them immediately.
If you don’t think you’ll get to your thawed strawberries quickly, then it’s best to keep them frozen. Thawing and refreezing can be detrimental to the overall quality of the berry.
In Conclusion
Frozen strawberries are a great fruit to have on hand. While they aren’t in season for very long, you can keep them in your freezer year-round. They bring freshness to your recipes and taste delicious.
You have multiple options for thawing your berries. You can defrost them in the fridge, in the microwave, on the stove, and even with a bit of water. You’re sure to find an option that suits you best.
While the texture may be a bit softer than fresh strawberries, that doesn’t change the taste. Previously frozen strawberries can be just as tasty as their fresh counterparts.
