Strawberry Care

For best flavor Strawberries should be picked ripe without any white showing.  Unlike some fruits like banana, kiwi, pears, and peaches, strawberries do not ripen further after picking.   Unless you are working with the newer California strawberries that "crunch" like an apple when you bite into them,  ripe local strawberries  are very soft & fragile and should be handled as little as possible after picking. Avoid pouring berries from one container to another as this bruises the berries and makes them more susceptible to rot. Protect the berries from direct sunlight and excessive heat -- don’t leave them in an closed car that can get warm for more than a few minutes. Cool the berries down in your refrigerator just as soon as you get them home. Keep them cool ( 34 to 40 degrees F) until they are used.

Do not wash the berries until you intend to use or freeze them. Remove hulls (the green part) before using or freezing the berries.

Discard any berries that are not shiny or are dull looking--these are berries on the road to rotting and one or two bad berries can spoil your whole recipe !! If there is any question, sample a few of the berries. If the berries have a sour or bitter taste---pitch them out !  A normal overripe berry should have a very sweet taste.

If you purchased more berries than you can use in a few days, freeze the rest.   Under ideal conditions (dry, cool weather before you pick and quick refrigeration after you pick) berries can be kept up to a week. It is not very often that we have "ideal" conditions in Missouri, however.