My daughter Becky, a soil sciences and agronomy major, is spending the next six months interning at a blueberry farm in Washington.
I can hardly wait for all the tips she'll share about how to grow the best blueberries. Unfortunately for us, she won't be learning anything about preservation methods.
So what are the best methods for preserving blueberries? The answer depends on your individual circumstances and preferences, and especially on your intended use. The individual circumstances to consider include your available freezer space and willingness to rely on electricity, humidity in your area, the equipment you have to work with, and susceptibility to earthquakes.
Canning. Blueberries canned in syrup will yield the best results for pies and other desserts. However, once you open the can, you will need to use all of it pretty quickly. Blueberry jam is pretty divine on biscuits. And the jam can be thinned with corn syrup for making pancake syrup. It's also very easy to add a spoonful or two to yogurt.
Dehydrating. Dehydrated blueberries can be rehydrated in the exact quantities needed so that there is no waste. These have a residual water content of about 8 percent and a potential shelf life of up to five years. Dehydrate at 115-120 degrees for about 24 hours. (Do not dehydrate berries, especially whole berries, at higher temperatures to hasten the process. This can result in case hardening, where the outside of the fruit dries first, trapping moisture in the interior, and resulting in spoilage down the road.) Ultimately, the time necessary to fully dehydrate any food depends on the humidity, amount of food in the dehydrator, the temperature, the size of the foods being dehydrated. Large berries are going to take a lot longer than small berries. Pricking and/or cutting the berries in half will significantly reduce dehydrating time. If you are beginning with frozen berries, the skins will have already been split by the freezing process, so they do not need to be pricked. Rehydrate dehydrated berries in a ratio of 1/2 cup cold water per cup of dehydrated blueberries. Allow about 15-30 minutes.
Drying. Dried blueberries can also be rehydrated in the exact quantity needed so that there is no waste. However, they have a higher residual water content, so the shelf life is shorter, about six months. Commercially prepared dried blueberries are also often treated with oil so that they are softer, and the oil shortens the shelf life considerably. Dried blueberries work well in cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, and granola. Rehydrate dried berries in a ratio of 1/2 cup cold water to every cup of dried berries.
Freezing. Starting with frozen blueberries is the easiest way, right? Buy at the store, put in the freezer at home. Fresh blueberries should be blanched before freezing for best results and longest storage.
Freeze-drying. Using commercially frozen blueberries is the easiest way to go, since they've already been pricked. If you are starting with fresh blueberries, they need to be pricked or cut in half for even drying. Freeze-drying offers the longest term storage, but of course, the freeze dryer is pretty expensive.
Powdering. Powdered blueberries are best for making smoothies, especially when you don't have electricity or a powerful blender to really make a smooth smoothie. They're nice for mixing into yogurt. And when they are dehydrated and powdered, you can store a lot of blueberries in a small jar. To make the finest blueberry powder, first puree the blueberries until they are perfectly smooth. Pour the blueberry puree onto dehydrator sheets and spread into thin layers. Dehydrate until very crispy. Cool thoroughly and then put the crispy blueberry "leather" (though it really shouldn't be leathery--it should be very dry and crispy) into a blender to powder it. Store blueberry powder in canning jars. One tablespoon of blueberry powder equals approximately 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries.
(Note: While dehydrated blueberries can also be used to make a blueberry powder, the blueberry bits probably won't be as fine or uniform unless you have a very powerful blender.)
5.20.23
