If raspberries put a smile on your face, you probably want to have them around for all your recipes and cravings. Luckily raspberries not only taste wonderful but also store easily. So even though the raspberries season is short, if you keep them well stored, you can have raspberries for a while. The reason why today, we’ll be telling you how to preserve that wonderful goodness in freeze-dried raspberries.
Besides tasting so good, raspberries also offer great nutritional value. They are high in dietary fiber, are also rich in copper and manganese, Vitamin C, A & K, and are full of all sorts of good stuff to help fight off cancer, protect your DNA, and more.
So in the case that you are new to freeze-dried raspberries and have no idea where to start or how to do it, do not fret. There are a few ways in which you can easily preserve your raspberries, and we’ll be sharing with you all the goodness about freeze-dried raspberries, which is perfect for keeping your berries for a longer period of time.
Freeze Dried Raspberries
Method 1: The Freezer
Tools:
- Raspberries
- Baking sheet
- Deep freezer
Steps:
- Place all your fruit on a baking sheet, side-by-side.
- Place the try into a deep freezer.
- After the raspberries freezes, take them out of the deep freezer, then allow them to thaw at room temperature.
- If the fruit turns black after thawing, then the drying process is incomplete. If the freeze-drying method is successful, the fruit will retain its color, so test one piece at a time for best results.
- After the drying process is complete, seal the fruit in a ziplock container and store it.
Method 2: Dry Ice
Tools:
- Raspberries
- Insulated gloves
- Large container, such as a cooler
- Dry ice (enough to cover food)
Steps:
- Completely cover your fruit with dry ice. Use the same amount of ice as the fruit you are drying.
- As dry ice melts, it will emit gas, so leave the lid up to relieve any pressure.
- Once the dry ice is fully melted, take the fruit out (it should be dried) and store it in an airtight bag.
Koxly Winter Gloves
Winter gloves are made of high-quality thick-layer windproof materials. The inner side of the gloves is lined with warm cashmere and breathable film to keep your hands warm in winter.
The winter gloves have an extra back waterproof zipper, which is convenient to wear and take off, and the cuffs are slippery and comfortable without restricting your outdoor sports and movement.
Zipper design makes gloves more suitable for most people’s hands.
Features:
- Zipper closure
- Unique touch screen technology
- Suitable for daily use and work
Plano Frost Cooler
The personal-sized Plano Frost 14-Quart Cooler allows for the easy one-handed carry and keeps ice frozen for up to 5 days with 1″ commercial grade insulation and a continuous airtight Dri-Loc seal.
Features:
- Industrial strength construction
- Shock-resistant protection
- Dual-stage molded latches
Nice Packs Dry Ice for Coolers
Soak in water to expand cells & freeze overnight. Perfect for any lunchbox or bag. It lasts 4-7 times longer than ice! Fits in any cooler around food & drinks. The ice packs keep your cooler dry with no melting ice.
Features:
- Flexible
- Long-Lasting
- Durable
- Reusable
Method 3: Vacuum Chamber
Tools:
- Vacuum chamber
- Sliced raspberries
Steps:
- Place sliced fruit into a tray and place it into a vacuum chamber under low heat. Then allow sublimation to occur.
- After the water crystals on the fruit have completely dried, inspect to see if all the moisture is completely gone from the fruit.
- Place into an airtight container or ziplock bag and store.
- When ready to use your fruit, add a little water to retain its original color, appearance, and taste.
Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer
The USV20 Chamber Vacuum Sealer is equipped with many features, including the pump and seal bar, but in a smaller, more compact design to sit neatly on your countertop.
The USV20 has a sleek, stainless-steel body, a flat, tempered glass lid, and side handles for easy carrying. It also has an integrated accessory port for quickly and easily vacuum sealing external jars and canisters. This model would be ideal if you are looking to vacuum seal individual or small family-size portions for long-term freezer storage or sous vide cooking.
Features:
- Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Construction
- Clear View Tempered Glass Lid
- Pouch clamp to hold the pouch securely in place
- One-Touch Function
Common Questions Regarding Freeze Dried Raspberries
What is freeze-drying?
In the past, freeze-drying was cultivated by drying food in the sun as a means for the fruit to dry very quickly. Nowadays, freeze-drying techniques are a bit more cutting edge, and many food brands utilize this technique to preserve meals without loss of nutrients.
The freeze-drying technique completely depletes fruits and vegetables of moisture. Once water is added, freeze-dried foods can regenerate back to their original form. Because freeze-drying completely depletes moisture food, there is very little need to add preservatives to keep bacteria away. Utilizing the proper packaging and storage methods, freeze-dried foods can last for years at a time.
How do you make freeze dried fruit?
You may freeze-dry your fruit with or without a machine. However, the process involves eliminating any moisture out of the fruit while it is freezing. Therefore, it would be much easier to do with a vacuum chamber utilizing low heat. Fruit that contains an ample amount of water is much easier to work with and will maintain its initial shape once the freeze-drying process is complete. Before implementing this method, it is also best to slice your larger fruit, such as oranges, lemons, or tomatoes.
Because some fruit contains more water than others, more or less drying times may be required. However, most fruits take between 24-36 hours.
Can you make freeze dried raspberries?
You can freeze-dry pretty much any fruit you like and then later bring it back to life when it is ready for use. No fruit is off-limits when it comes to this technique, and all you need is about a cup of water to bring them back to its original structure. The easiest fruit to freeze-dry include strawberries, bananas, peaches, watermelon, grapes, berries, oranges, grapefruit.
What are freeze dried raspberries used for?
You can enjoy freeze-dried raspberries as toppings, add them in baked goods or enjoy them plain as a yummy snack. Freeze dried raspberries are also great for cake frostings and fillings, whipped cream, and other things where you want the flavor of fresh berries but not the added moisture.
Are our freeze dried raspberries healthy?
Raspberries have significantly high phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid (tannin), quercetin, gallic acid, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, kaempferol, and salicylic acid. Scientific studies show that these antioxidant compounds in these berries have potential health benefits against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Freeze-drying your fruit is a great option for those seeking a healthy alternative to candies and other snacks laden with salt and sugar. And because freeze-drying keeps can hold up to 90% of their original nutritional content, you can bet your freeze-dried raspberries are good for you.
What do freeze dried raspberries taste like?
Taste is subjective, some may find they taste nothing like the actual fruit, and others may think they taste just fine. Our advice is if you freeze-dried your berries, use them as toppings so you can use a mix of flavors.
Freeze Dried Raspberries Additional Tips
- The moisture loss enables freeze-dried fruit to be used for toppings for a variety of foods.
- Freeze-dried fruit doesn’t require any additives to keep it fresh.
- During the freeze-drying process, only the moisture is removed from the fruit. Therefore the nutrients stay intact.
- Because moisture is the only thing being removed and freeze-dried fruit isn’t being cooked, it also keeps the majority of its flavor.
Read: A beginner’s guide to growing organic Brussels sprouts.
