What to do with a glut of strawberries?

lostinrates

Dh and I were once watching Saturday morning kitchen when this was made

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/strawberrybalsamicvi_75150

It was so good the presenters could not stop eating it and missed their autocue.

We made it later that day and eat it at least once a year now.

Otherwise, strawbs tend to be a bland this time of year...picked early from not that tasty varieties and brought in from miles and miles away. I would not bother whoch much that relies on their innate pure flavour.

Roasted strawberries with a pannacotta would be decadent at this time of year, or even in a crumble or cooked tart.

If less fussed about flavour, a strawberry cream pie or steamed pudding.

Pink.

This thread should help with the strawberries:

What to do with a glut of strawberries?

And this one should help with the clementines:

Clementines - what to do with them?

I'll add this thread to the first link later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

Mrs_Veg_Plot

I currently have a glut of strawberries which is great but I need some advice please.

I have frozen some to make jam with when it is a bit cooler (can't face making it in this heat), will I need to make any adjustments to allow for the fact they were frozen? I seem to remember they are quite mushy when defrosted.

Second question. I want to make strawberry muffins but can not find a recipe that says they are ok to freeze. Have any of you successfully made and frozen strawberry muffins? Again do they go soggy when defrosted?

Thanks

Mrs VP

-taff

Strawberries have low pectin anyway, so you might need to add some to get it to set. Boil up some apple rinds and cores and reduce the liquid, hey presto, homemade pectin.

Linda32

Hi, We have got a strawberry glut as well. We ARE NOT planting more runners next season

I've frozen some as well for jam. I've never made jam from frozen fruit so I can't help with that question. I intend to treat the same unless I read otherwise.

I understood that they are mushy when defrosted. However, I did defrost one in the fridge just as an experiment and it wasn't as soft as I expected, so I would say, just try defrosting a couple and see if you like the texture. If you do it could open up more possibilities.

As for muffins, I'm not very good at making them. I know how to make them, bearly mix the ingredients, don't maul it, that sort of thing. But mine always come out bland, dry and stodgy and if frozen are even more bland, dry and stodgy. Certainly not soggy.

Having read back, I'm not sure if I've actually helped there :rotfl: I think I can establish that muffins don't go soggy after freezing.

One thing we do do with strawberrys is to puree them. Then freeze this in portions. Defrost and mix with plain yoghurt.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Jam is fine made with frozen strawbs. However if you are intending to make jam or muffins with them, chop before freezing, saves ages waiting for them to defrost before mashing in the jam pan.

Some strawbs don't go mushy when defrosted, mine have been fine. So save the best and freeze whole for adding to ice cream and chop,the rest for cooking or jam making with.

Don't forget strawberry wine is fantastic and you only need 2.5 kg for a gallon of wine...and you can save the solids for mixing with ice cream once you have strained them after the first week's fermentation.

-taff

strawberry wine...hmm......:D

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Thanks for the help. OH had bagged and frozen them when I was at work but will chop the next batch. I love the idea of freezing them as a puree for yogurts and ice cream so will give that a go.

We don't drink much so probably won't be trying the wine although I do like the idea of it.

zippychick

ive merged this with an older thread on strawberry gluts

Zip