I can't believe it's October and I'm still picking berries! We have been having a beautiful summer on the Oregon coast and so far our Fall has been unusually warm and sunny. The fab weather seems to be promoting berry ripening and I am reaping the benefits. When you pick wild blackberries you have a small window of time before they start to mold. When I don't have time to make jam I end up freezing them. There is a technique to handling berries and I'm sure everyone has their own but below you'll see my freezing method to my blackberry madness.
I never wash my berries until just before I prep for freezing or making jam.
I lightly wash my berries in small batches removing bugs and stems in the process.
It's important to not water log them, treat them like your washing mushrooms.
Then I line a cookie sheet or two with wax paper and carefully spread the berries out.
I then pop the berries in the freezer over night and the next day vacuum seal them.
I can now make blackberry pie in the dead of winter, or make a sauce, or a cobbler, or whatever.
