Get some super easy tips for How to Preserve Berries easily right in your busy kitchen! Get simple methods for freezing, drying, and making jam with your summer berry haul – no special equipment needed. Perfect for families wanting to enjoy homemade goodness all year!

 

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Berries

Learning how to preserve berries is a timeless kitchen skill that transforms fleeting summer abundance into year-round joy.

Whether you’re making freezer-friendly berry mixes for morning pancakes, dehydrating them into chewy trail mix additions, or canning them for old-fashioned jam and pies, preserved berries capture summer’s sweetness in every bite!

Each preservation method has its own magic – frozen berries hold their shape beautifully in baked goods, dried berries add concentrated flavor to granola and yogurt, while canned berries bring that “just-picked” taste to winter desserts.

Master these simple techniques, and you’ll have a pantry full of berry treasures that turn ordinary meals into celebration-worthy moments.

Kitchen Equipment Essentials

For Dehydrating:

• Dehydrator or oven-safe racks
• Parchment paper or fruit leather sheets

For Canning:

• Water bath canner or large pot
• Canning jars and lids
• Jar lifter and funnel
• Candy thermometer

For Freezing:

• Freezer-safe containers or bags
• Parchment paper
• Label maker or tags

When To Harvest Berries

Raspberries: They are ready to harvest when they separate easily from the stem

Blackberries: They must be completely black and soft.

Blueberries: Taste one to see if they’re sweet. They should be fully colored and plump.

Strawberries: They should be harvested when fully red.

How To Store Berries

In the refrigerator 

Dehydrating

Raspberries: Not recommended

Blackberries: Not recommended

Blueberries:

• CUT: Wash and drain
• DIPPING: Plunge into boiling water 15-30 seconds to “check” skins. Stop cooking action by placing fruit in ice water. Drain on paper towels.
• DEHYDRATOR: 24-36 hours
• APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: shriveled, leathery

Strawberries:

• CUT: Wash and drain
• DIPPING: No treatment necessary
• DEHYDRATOR: 24-36 hours
• APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: pliable, leathery

Canning Berries: Raspberries, Blackberries & Blueberries

QUANTITY: An average of 12 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 8
pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A 24-quart crate weighs 36 pounds and yields 18 to 24 quarts – an average of 1-3/4 pounds per quart.

PREPARING BERRIES:

1. Wash 1 or 2 quarts of berries at a time.
2. Drain, cap, and stem if necessary.
3. Prepare and boil preferred syrup, if desired.

RAW PACK (for raspberries and blackberries)

1. Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently while filling.
2. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.
3. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath. 

HOT PACK (for blueberries)

1. Heat berries in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain.
2. Fill jars and cover with hot juice, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.

Canning Berries: Strawberries

QUANTITY: 7 ½ to 9 pounds

1. Wash strawberries under cold water; drain.
2. Remove stems and caps, leaving strawberries whole.
3. Measure strawberries. For each quart, measure 1⁄2 cup sugar. Combine strawberries and sugar in a large saucepan, stirring to coat strawberries with the sugar.
4. Let stand in refrigerator 5 to 6 hours.
5. Heat strawberry mixture slowly over medium heat, stirring to prevent sticking, until sugar dissolves and strawberries are hot.
6. Pack hot strawberries and juice into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.
7. Remove air bubbles.
8. Clean jar rim. Adjust lids.
9. Process in a boiling water bath: 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts.

Freezing Raspberries & Blackberries

PREPARING RASPBERRIES & BLACKBERRIES

1. Select fully ripe, firm berries.
2. Wash carefully in cold water, discarding soft, under-ripe or defective fruit.

SYRUP PACK 

1. Pack berries into containers and cover with cold 40 to 50 percent syrup, depending on sweetness of fruit.
2. Leave headspace.
3. Seal and freeze. 

SUGAR PACK 

1. Gently mix 3/4 cup sugar with 1 quart (1 1/3 pounds) berries.
2. Fill containers, leaving headspace.
3. Seal and freeze.

DRY PACK 

1. Pack berries into containers, leaving headspace.
2. Berries can also be frozen first on a tray and then packed into containers as soon as they are frozen.
3. Seal and freeze.

Freezing Blueberries

PREPARING BLUEBERRIES

1. Select full-flavored, ripe berries.
2. Remove leaves, stems and immature or defective berries.

DRY PACK

1. Do not wash blueberries. Washing results in a tougher skinned product.
2. Pack berries into containers, leaving headspace.
3. Berries can also be frozen first on a tray and then packed into containers as soon as they are frozen.
4. Seal and freeze.
5. Wash before using.

CRUSHED OR PURÉED

1. Wash the blueberries.
2. Crush, press berries through a fine sieve, or purée in a blender or food processor.
3. Mix 1 to 1-1/8 cups of sugar with each quart (2 npounds) of crushed berries or purée. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Pack into containers, leaving headspace.
5. Seal and freeze.

Freezing Strawberries

PREPARING STRAWBERRIES

1. Select fully ripe, firm berries with a deep red color.
2. Discard immature and defective fruit.
3. Wash and remove caps.

WHOLE BERRIES SYRUP PACK

1. Put berries into containers and cover with cold 50 percent syrup, leaving headspace.
2. Seal and freeze.

WHOLE BERRIES SUGAR PACK

1. Add 3⁄4 cup sugar to 1 quart (1 1/3 pounds) strawberries and mix thoroughly.
2. Stir until most of the sugar is dissolved or let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Put into containers, leaving headspace.
4. Seal and freeze.

SLICED OR CRUSHED

1. Prepare for packing as for whole strawberries; then slice or crush partially or completely.
2. To 1 quart (1 1/3 pounds) berries, add 3⁄4 cup sugar; mix thoroughly.
3. Stir until most of the sugar is dissolved or let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Pack into containers, leaving headspace.
5. Seal and freeze.

🍎🫙 Get a free Preserving Guide for all the details to dehydrate, can, and freeze 42 fruits and vegetables — get the FREE GUIDE here!

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