When you vacuum pack berries you can use them throughout the year for: baking, juices, jellies, jams, and wines! You could also use them in hot cereals (blackberries in hot oatmeal - YUMMY!), fruit smoothies, or simply a frozen summer treat.1. Before freezing, rinse the berries in cold water to clean them. Drain in colander/strainer. The
berries don't have to be perfectly dry.
2. Spread the berries out evenly and only one layer thick on the cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheets (with the berries on them!) in the freezer for about 4 hours. Overnight is even better. The berries should be frozen SOLID before proceeding.
3. Once the berries are frozen solid they should break away from the waxed paper quite easily. Now, you can handle them without damaging them.
4. Now, measure and pour them into a vacuum seal bag and package them under vacuum. Since the berries are already frozen solid, they will not be damaged or crushed by the vacuum packaging process. Vacuum packaging will also extend their "shelf-life" in the freezer dramatically.
