There are several quick methods for cleaning strawberries that only need water and a few ingredients from your pantry. To properly clean your strawberries, follow these suggestions and instructions.
Table of Contents
Why Should Berries Be Cleaned?
The Dirty Dozen List’s top spot is always occupied by strawberries. This indicates that compared to other fruits and vegetables, strawberries grown conventionally are exposed to pesticides more frequently. Hence, one justification for cleaning strawberries you’ve purchased at the store: is to get rid of any chemicals!
What Tools Will You Need For Cleaning Strawberries?
- White vinegar
- Water
- Large bowl with a colander
- Clean cloth or paper towel
How To Clean Strawberries?
You should always wash strawberries before eating them raw or using them in recipes, whether you purchased them at a farmer’s market or in the grocery store. Unwashed fresh berries may have dirt, bacteria, or even tiny insects living on or in them, not to mention pesticide residue on the fruit’s skin, which can cause foodborne illness. Here are a few strategies you can use to empty a box of strawberries.
- 1. Simple sink rinse: Rinse each strawberry berry thoroughly under cold, running tap water for the quickest and easiest way to clean strawberries. Put your strawberries in a colander and gently rub each one as you run them under cold water to get rid of any remaining dirt. Use a paper towel to pat your strawberries dry before eating them or incorporate them into a strawberry dish like strawberry rhubarb pie or strawberry cobbler.
- 2. Vinegar wash: Your strawberries were probably sprayed with pesticides if they were produced commercially. Strawberries should be submerged in a vinegar bath for the best results in removing pesticide residue. Strawberries should soak for 20 minutes in a bowl containing a mixture of four parts water and one part white vinegar. Strawberries should be thoroughly rinsed in cold, fresh water to remove any vinegar residue.
- 3. Baking soda rinse: If you don’t have any vinegar on hand, you can clean your strawberries by soaking them in a solution of baking soda and water. Strawberries should be soaked for five minutes in a large bowl containing four cups of water and one teaspoon of baking soda. After that, dry them off by patting them dry and rinsing them under cold running water.
- 4. Saltwater rinse: To get fruit fly larvae out of your organic fruit, use salt water to clean your strawberries. Each cup of warm water you use should have one teaspoon of salt dissolved in it. Strawberry soak time is 5 minutes in completely cooled water, followed by rinsing and drying.
3 Tips For Cleaning Strawberries
Here are some pointers to keep in mind as you clean off your fresh strawberries.
- Wash your hands before cleaning. It would be a waste to clean your strawberries only to contaminate them later with dirty hands. Always wash your hands before touching any fresh produce.
- Only wash your fruit before you’re about to enjoy it. Just before eating or using it in a recipe, wash your fruit. You run the risk of your fruit going bad if you wash your strawberries and put them in the refrigerator.
- Discard any too-soft berries. Look for strawberries with too-soft skin or bruises as you wash all of your strawberries. The berries that are rotting already and are moldy or mushy should be thrown away.
How Long Do Cleaned Strawberries Last?
The amount of time they can be stored depends on how fresh the berries are when you buy them. Strawberries can last up to two weeks if you clean them with vinegar and water. According to a storage test we conducted, our cleaned berries maintained their freshness for two weeks.
Best Ways To Use Them
Once you’ve cleaned those beautiful fresh berries, they’re ready for snacking or for use in strawberry recipes. Here are a few standout ways to use them:
- To a Fresh Strawberry Pie.
- Bake them into a Classic Strawberry Crumble or Strawberry Bread
- Blend them into frosty Strawberry Sorbet or Strawberry Milk
- Make Classic Strawberry Shortcake
- Mix up Strawberry Puree for waffles or pancakes
More On Cleaning Strawberries
Another tip: Because berries go bad very quickly once they are exposed to moisture, only wash as many as you plan to use. “If you do want to wash them all to keep in the fridge ready to eat, you must completely dry them before storing to keep them from turning as quickly,” says Kaidanian. You can dry strawberries by laying them out on a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels or a kitchen towel. Before placing the berries in the refrigerator, gently but thoroughly press the tops and sides of the berries to squeeze out extra water.
