Wondering How to Freeze Cherries?

How to Freeze Cherries Like a Pro

It's summer and you've come across a bounty of cherries, how do you keep the fresh flavour for later on in the year? There are a few methods that one can use to achieve this.

Let's start with the easiest one.

In order to freeze your cherries there are a few steps you'll want to go through before you can store them until you need them. The first thing you are going to want to do is wash them. After washing, dry them off gently with some paper towel. The next thing you'll want to do is place them on a metal tray and put them in the freezer for a few hours.

Once this time has passed you can place them in zip-lock bags and then put them back in the freezer. That's it. When you're ready you can merely take them out, wait for them to thaw and then eat cherries year round. The second method works as well but is a little more complex.

For this recipe you will also need a few ingredients. You are going to want to get some plastic containers, water and sugar. As cherries are naturally sweet be careful with the amount of sugar you use, a 1-4 ratio should be more than ample for what we're looking to achieve.

As with the previous method you are going to want to wash the cherries and then dry them with paper towel or equivalent. Depending on the size of your pot, measure 8 cups of water into it (for smaller apparatus merely use 4 or 2 cups and halve or quarter all the following values respectively).

Add around two cups of sugar depending on your preference for sweetness. Once the water boils simply add the cherries and wait for the water to boil again. When it does, shut off the heat and wait for it to cool completely. Place the cherries and the remaining liquid into the plastic containers and then transfer to the freezer.

Those are the two methods to freezing cherries. When needed simply remove and thaw. As cherries are a seasonal fruit it is in this way that you will ensure you have a supply of cherries for the full year.

This is a relatively simple process and shouldn't take up too much of your time or equipment. Once the cherries are thawed instead of just eating them whole you may want to consider making some other dishes that go well all year round.

Ensure all equipment is sanitised to a high degree before usage. Always take care around boiling water. If you have small children you may want to consider removing the pips as they may present a choking hazard.

Year-round Cherry Recipes

So you've thawed your cherries, now what? Well luckily for you there are a number of cherry recipes that will go well year round. For some recipes you may want to consider drying your cherries. This is quite an easy procedure that can be done using an oven.

Simply preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (90 celsius), remove the pits and stems, place the cherries on a rack and keep in the oven for 6 hours. Once complete you can remove them and allow them to cool. Dried cherries can be sprinkled onto breakfast cereals and oatmeal or even be added into muffins and cake. Not a fan of dried cherries? Here are some cherry recipes that require no further alteration of the fruit.

Once your cherries have thawed out there are a few things you can add them to to create refreshing cherry infused recipes. One of these are smoothies. These are not difficult at all and various recipes can easily be found online.

Simply add the cherries to your favorite smoothie blend to give it a great new taste. Cherries can also be added to yoghurt or jam if you are looking for a little variety from eating them plain. Food with cherries not really your thing. Did you know cherries can be added to beverages as well?

Like lemonade, why not give it a twist by adding some cherries? By combining two cups of cherries, ½ a cup of lemon juice, ⅓ a cup of sugar, 2 and a ½ cups of cold water and lemon slices for garnish you can make your very own cherry lemonade that can be made year round.

Not a fan of lemonade, not to worry, a more adult variation of this drink is cherry margaritas. Add 12 cherries, 2 and a ½ tablespoons of tequila, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 and a ½ tablespoons of syrup, 1 tablespoon cherry liqueur into a cocktail shaker and mix well before serving. So now you know how to freeze cherries and what to do with them, but how should you go about selecting which cherries you will use?

For drinks that utilize cherries remember that you need to ensure they are pitted before blending.

Buying the Best Cherries to Freeze

Another important question when buying cherries is which cherries to buy and how to know whether they are good quality or not. Luckily for you, there are a few indications of the quality of your cherries. So what should you be looking for?

Well the first thing you want to keep an eye out for is a deep red colour. This tells you that the cherries that you are buying are ripe and mature. If they are too bright this means they have not matured enough and you should avoid cherries that are too light. The skin of the cherry also provides vital information towards their quality.

There are a few tell-tale signs that should indicate to you that you should avoid particular cherries. Along with non-mature cherries, cherries that are too ripe will also affect your cherry experience.

You can tell a cherry is too mature by looking at the stem and overall appearance. If the stems of your cherries are shrivelled and dried along with the entire cherry looking dull, steer clear, this means they are too mature.

Other things to look out for are a texture that is too soft and partial discoloration. If you avoid these things then you should get cherries that are ripe and perfect to eat plain or use in any recipe of your choosing.

Indications of Cherry Ripeness

Cherry Quality	Indications	Notes
Immature.	Bright coloration. Possibly smaller than those around it. Extremely hard texture.	Avoid these cherries. Their flavoring can be quite bitter and will not make a good addition to your cooking.
Ripe.	Rich, deep coloration. Not too soft yet not too hard. No or minimal discoloration.	These are the cherries you want to look out for. They are ripe and will provide you with the flavoring and texture you need.
Overly Mature.	Shriveled and dried stems. Overall dull look. Texture that is overly soft.	Avoid these cherries as well. Their texture should be off-putting enough at times even becoming mushy.