Whether you live in North America on the Canadian Prairies, in the northern U.S. (Juneberries), or in the UK (Service berries), Saskatoon berries, also known as "prairie berries" only come around once a year. And if you are lucky enough to have a place to pick Saskatoon berries and get a lot of them, you'll be wondering how to freeze Saskatoon berries. They are actually very easy to preserve.
Saskatoon berries are especially popular during Saskatoon berry peak season, which is early to late July and early August in North America (but this will vary depending on where you live and the crop that year). A lot of people aren't sure how to freeze or use frozen Saskatoon berries and that's what inspired me to write this post. There is nothing like the flavour of fresh Saskatoon berries and preserving your Saskatoons by freezing them means you can enjoy them any time of the year!
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How long do fresh Saskatoon berries last?
Saskatoon season is short and fresh Saskatoon berries don't have a very long shelf life. Therefore, you're going to want to use them within 7 days. Some sources say 10-14 days, but that has never been my personal experience. In fact, in my experience, it's more like 5-7 days. If I haven't used them by then, I freeze them. And why not? Freezing them will guarantee they last!
If you get them from Farmers markets you don't know how long they've been sitting there, so you'll want to freeze them within a few days.
I will also pick a big batch of fresh berries and refrigerate some for use right away and freeze the rest. Keep fresh-picked Saskatoons in the fridge in airtight plastic containers prior to freezing them.
🔪Instructions
When you are out picking, try to pick the ripe Saskatoon berries (purple berries and avoid unripe or mushy berries) to save yourself work when it comes time to sorting.
I prefer to lay them out you a better view of the berries.
Pick out and remove any bits of stems, leaves, unripe berries, and soft or mushy Saskatoons, then discard.
Clean berries by washing them under cool water, in a large sieve, or a colander to remove as much water as possible. I usually let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander.
This is another opportunity to do quality assurance and make sure that you get all of the bad berries, stems, bits of leaves, critters, etc (I found 2 spiders in my last batch of berries!)
Lay a clean kitchen towel on the baking sheets and put the wet berries on the towel.
Pat them dry with paper towels or another tea towel.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place berries in a single layer on the parchment paper.
Place them in your freezer for 4-6 hours. *You can stack these in your deep freezer (I stack 3-4 cookie sheets).
Then transfer frozen berries to a storage container or Ziploc freezer bag, pushing out as much air as possible, before sealing.
💭Top tip
You can use a salad spinner to dry the berries. Be sure to avoid adding too many berries in the spinner at one time (it gets too hard to spin it). Using about 1 cup or so at a time is ideal.
🍽Equipment
You will need a colander or strainer, a large baking sheet or tray (affiliate links) that will fit in your freezer (or 2 smaller ones), parchment paper, and Ziplock freezer bags (not storage bags)
🌡️Storage
You can freeze Saskatoon berries for up to 6 months in airtight freezer containers or Ziploc freezer bag, but I have frozen them for a year (double-wrapped). Just remember to label the bag with the name and the date (including the year).
👪 Serving Size
You can freeze these delicious berries in large freezer bags or in smaller 2-cup portions. However, they are easy to scoop out and measure when they are frozen, so this is not really necessary. When you are freezing Saskatoon berries, make sure you use actual freezer bags to avoid freezer burn.
How do you use frozen Saskatoon berries?
- Leave them in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours. *Only use the microwave if you are planning to cook with them!
- Defrost, drain any excess liquid, and use them as you would fresh Saskatoon berries.
- But be sure to measure AFTER they are fully defrosted and drained.
- Saskatoon berries get a little tougher when you freeze them, so they are best used in baked goods and cooked sauces, as the cooking process allows the berries to soften up.
I use frozen Saskatoon berries in almost all my recipes. If you are looking for a Saskatoon recipe to use your frozen Saskatoons in, you can use them in many desserts, including fruit crisps. Here are some delicious ways I use them (this Saskatoon pie filling is my most popular!):
- Saskatoon Berry Pie (shown above)
- Healthy Saskatoon Berry Pancakes
- Saskatoon Berry Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze
- Saskatoon Berry Muffins (Dairy-free)
- Saskatoon Berry Oatmeal Cookies (shown above)
- Saskatoon Berry Tiramisu Dessert Shooters
- Saskatoon Berry Ice Cream (no churn)
- Saskatoon berry crisp (in a mug)
- No Bake Saskatoon Berry Cheesecake (in a jar)
- Saskatoon Berry Dessert Perogies
- Saskatoon Berry Layer Cake (shown below)
And here are some more Saskatoon Berry recipes!
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can eat raw Saskatoon berries - they are similar to blueberries.
If you wash them before freezing it could make the skin a little tougher. However, I have not found this. I prefer to wash them to be sure I've removed any dirt or pests. I just make sure to dry them well with paper towels or tea towels before freezing.
The best way to freeze berries is on parchment-covered cookie sheets in a single layer (for 4-6 hours) before transferring them to a Ziploc bag.
Freezing fresh Saskatoons is very easy and a great way to make this delicious fruit and the incredible taste of summer last all year long!
🌡️How to Freeze Saskatoon Berries
Equipment
Ingredients
- Saskatoon berries
Instructions
- I prefer to lay them out on baking sheets to sort them, as it gives you a better view of the berries.
- Pick out and remove any bits of stems, leaves, and unripe, soft, or mushy Saskatoons.
- Wash the berries under cool water, in a large sieve, or a colander to remove as much water as possible. I usually let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander.
- This is another opportunity to do quality assurance and make sure that you get all of the bad berries, stems, bits of leaves, critters, etc (I found 2 spiders in my last batch of berries!)
- Lay a tea towel on the baking sheets and put the wet berries on the towel.Pat them dry with a paper towel or another tea towel.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the dried berries on the parchment paper.
- Place them in your freezer for 4-6 hours.Then transfer to a storage container or Ziploc freezer bag, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing.
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