How to Keep Berries Fresh for Longer

We don’t really need another reason to eat berries this time of year – but here’s another (big) win to add to the equation: recent studies have linked eating berries to better brain health and performance.

Today: Don’t let your berries boss you around.

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Related: How to remove berry stains

Berries: can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without 'em. Like many coveted objects, berries are both precious and frustrating, expensive and fragile. What is more maddening than splurging on vivid, juicy berries at the market only to find that your fruity jewels have turned to mush—or worse, have been overtaken by dreaded mold—when you return to them for a mid-week treat?

Related: A strawberry rhubarb jam to make spring last forever

Don’t despair just yet: This berry horror story does not have to be your destiny. The culprits behind berry mold are the evil, microscopic mold spores waiting to make a home of the friendly, moist skin of your gorgeous berries. Fortunately, there is a simple way to kill off the mold spores and bacteria that find your berries as delicious as you do.

Related: A wild berry primer (+ an easy pie)

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Related: Boosting brain health, one berry at a time

It might seem counterintuitive to wash your berries before you’re ready to eat them. One of the cardinal rules of keeping berries mold-free is to leave them unwashed until the moment before consumption.

Related: 10 ways to enjoy overripe berries

But by washing your berries in a solution of vinegar and water, you can extend their shelf-life by days (sometimes even weeks!). In a large bowl, make a diluted vinegar bath—1 cup vinegar, 3 cups water—and give your berries a dunk. The vinegar will eliminate any pesky mold and bacteria.

Related: Black raspberries and 11 berry good ways to use them

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Next, drain your berries in a colander and rinse them under cool running water. This guarantees that you won’t be able to taste any lingering traces of vinegar later on.

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Now that you’ve washed your berries, it’s time to dry them as thoroughly as possible. Do not be fooled: Moisture is still the enemy. The same salad spinner you use to dry off greens can be used to wick the water from your berries. Line it with about 3 layers of paper towels in order to create a pillow for your berries, then spin your berries for about 15 seconds, or until they are completely dry.

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Instead of putting the berries back into the container they came in, where they will crowd each other, upgrade their digs. Place them in a sealable container lined with paper towels and leave the lid partially open as to avoid trapping moisture.

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But what if you return from the store with pints of berries only to realize there’s no vinegar in the pantry? A quick bath in hot water will also work to destroy bacteria and mold spores.

Dunk your berries in water between 120 and 140°F for approximately 30 seconds. Dry and store them in the same way you would after a vinegar wash.

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Once you’ve learned how to extend the lifespan of your berries, the real question becomes: What will you do with them? If you can resist eating all of your berries fresh, a blueberry tart, summer berry pudding, or raspberry swamp pie might be the ideal ending to your next summertime feast.

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Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Makes 3 half pints

1 pound strawberries
1 pound rhubarb stalks
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  1. Wash the strawberries and rhubarb well. Hull the berries and dice them into small pieces. Chop the rhubarb into segments approximately ½ inch in size.

  2. Place the chopped fruit in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with sugar. Stir to combine and cover. Let the fruit sit for at least an hour, until the juices are flowing.

  3. When you’re ready to cook the jam, prepare a small boiling water bath canner and three half pint jars and bring it to a boil. Place three new canning jar lids in a small pot and bring them to a bare simmer.

  4. Pour the fruit and all the liquid into your jam pot and place it over high heat. For these small batches, I like to use a 12-inch, stainless steel skillet, but any low, wide, non-reactive pan will do.

  5. Bring the fruit to a rapid boil and stir regularly. Over high heat, this jam should take 8 to 12 minutes to cook. It is done when it is quite thick. You can tell that it’s ready when you draw your spoon or spatula through the jam, and it doesn’t immediately rush in to fill that space. It will also make a vigorous sizzling noise when stirred when it is finished.

  6. Remove the jam from the heat and funnel it into the prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start your timer when the water returns to a boil, not the moment the jars go into the water bath).

  7. When time is up, remove jars from canner and set them to cool on a folded kitchen towel. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the rings and test the seals by grasping the edges of the lid and lifting the jar an inch or so from the countertop. If the lid holds fast, the jars are sealed. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly.

By Sarah Jampel