How to Properly Clean and Wash Blackberries

If you’ve ever gone blackberry picking or had blackberry brambles at home, you’re aware that these juicy fruits may be a haven for worms and bugs. If you don’t clean and wash them before using them in a delicious treat, you might end up with a pesky insect in your fruit salad or blackberry smoothie.

We’ll show you how to wash blackberries properly so that the delicious dark fruit doesn’t get ruined. Different methods are described in the article, so you can use any one of them depending on the ingredients available at home.

How to Clean Blackberries

1. Rinse under Water

Blackberries are the most sensitive of all berries. This means you must handle them with extreme caution. You’ll also need to be aware of how to properly clean them.

Washing blackberries is as simple as rinsing them under a spray of cold water. Alternatively, for further cleaning strength, apple cider vinegar can be used. To avoid fuzziness and wrinkles on your preserves, remove any spoiled berries and dry the rest.

When it comes to washing blackberries, all you need is clean, flowing water. It is recommended that you clean as many blackberries as you intend to utilize at that time. Because even a small amount of moisture might cause your berries to spoil rapidly, it’s best to protect them with paper towels.

Let’s get down to business with the real washing.

Wash your blackberries when you need them; otherwise, they may become mushy or even break down.
Fill a colander halfway with berries. Any other strainer will do the trick. Fill it with as many berries as possible while keeping them from spilling out on the floor.
Turn on the faucet in the sink. For obvious reasons, the water stream should be mild in order to avoid crushing the berries.
Shake the colander to drain the water once all of the berries are wet. It’s vital to avoid soaking the berries for too long, as this will turn them mushy.

2. Washing Blackberries with Vinegar

Washing blackberries with vinegar is undoubtedly the most effective approach to eliminate bacteria and debris.

First and foremost, sort the berries. You’ll want to get rid of any mushy or unripe berries here because they’re easier to detect. But don’t worry if you forget any; you’ll have another chance while you’re doing the laundry.

Fill a bowl halfway with clean, cold water. You can use the sink instead if you have a lot of berries.
1 part vinegar to 3 parts water is the ratio for mixing water and vinegar. Simply keep the ratio at 1:3 to ensure that the solution is strong enough to combat germs and mold. If you wash your berries this way, they will survive much longer in the fridge than you might think.
Pour as many berries as you can into the solution. Set some aside if the space is limited. You can wash them afterward if you don’t want to replace the solution.
For at least one minute, swish the berries in the mixture. Stir the berries with your hand to ensure that they are uniformly soaked. If you’re going to soak them for a longer period of time, make sure you don’t go past the 10-minute mark, as they’ll start to become mushy, which you don’t want.
To drain extra water, lift the berries from the bowl with a strainer. They’ll smell like vinegar at this point. As a result, you should proceed to rinse them under a mild stream of clean water to remove the vinegar odor.
To dry them, use a paper towel or a kitchen towel. That’s all there is to it.

Can You Freeze Blackberries?

Smoothies and juices benefit greatly from having frozen berries on hand. They’re safe to consume and can last months in the refrigerator rather than just a few days. After washing, pat them dry gently with a paper towel until all extra water has been absorbed. To avoid clumping, place the berries in a freezer bag and lay them out on a single level sheet.

How to Pick Berries?

While some berries are available year-round at grocery stores, blackberries are seasonal fruits that are more plentiful, less expensive, and usually taste better when they are in season. Blackberries taste their best when the temperature is warm.

When shopping, choose blackberries that are plump, delicate, and vibrant in color. Avoid moist or discolored containers since these could indicate overripe fruit. To prevent mold from spreading to other berries, remove and discard any moldy or mushy berries.

Choose blackberries that easily split from their stems if you’re collecting or growing your own. Berries, unlike certain other fruits, do not mature or become sweeter after being picked.

Freezing Blackberries with a Sugar Pack

Before freezing the blackberries, you can additionally sweeten them. You can slice them if desired. Sprinkle a small bit of sugar over a small amount of fruit in a freezer bag or container. Rep the layering process, leaving a small opening at the top of the bag or container. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or until the fruit is moist. As directed above, seal and freeze.

Final Thoughts

With these pointers in hand, you’ll be able to properly clean and wash blackberries without causing any damage to this delicate fruit. You can use either water or vinegar to get rid of the bacteria and debris covering the berries. Both are effective for cleaning and washing blackberries and won’t cause damage if you follow the instructions provided above.