# Keeping strawberries fresh



## taxlady

Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDroKJd4GN8


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## blissful

I had 6 lbs of strawberries, DH bought a ton, for the cheese platter and for the fridge and I was so worried they'd start to mold. I threw them in the sink and then put in lemon juice, swished them around, dried them. They lasted for the cheese platter and then for eating and then for a fruit salad, a whole week, so the acid does help and I'd do it again in a minute.


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## Merlot

Im so glad you posted this, we love to eat fresh fruit and it goes bad so quick, like flushing my money down the drain!


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## caseydog

Ooohhhh Nooooooo! This thread reminded me that I left half a carton of strawberries in the fridge before I left town -- for at least a week. 

CD


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## Cooking Goddess

The narrator needs a new refrigerator if her strawberries start going moldy in 2-3 days. The strawberries I had at breakfast finished up the first of two containers I bought on June 22, so 9-10 days ago. Nothing wrong with them and they were still rather tasty. Here's the second container, which will be gone in a couple of days.


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## taxlady

Mine certainly don't look that good after a week, CG.


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## Sagittarius

Tax Lady, 

Yes, strawberries have a terribly short shelf life ..  It is documented.

Yes, I have used White vinegar or red vinegar if you prefer and I have also used fresh lemon.

Both work wonders.   The Video is exceptional.   Thank you for posting .. 
Have  a nice day ..


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## Just Cooking

Interesting... 

Ross


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## Merlot

Cooking Goddess said:


> The narrator needs a new refrigerator if her strawberries start going moldy in 2-3 days. The strawberries I had at breakfast finished up the first of two containers I bought on June 22, so 9-10 days ago. Nothing wrong with them and they were still rather tasty. Here's the second container, which will be gone in a couple of days.


I had one batch mold quickly, the rest lasts longer  Not sure what happened but I definitely do not need a new refrigerator, if I do I'm going to cry


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## blissful

Merlot, I think he/she meant the narrator of the video. The temperature of a refrigerator should be above 32 degrees F and below 40 degrees F, so 35-38. Don't go buying a refrigerator until you measure the temperature. The comment about needing a new refrigerator was a jump in logic since there are many reasons that strawberries begin to mold.

I've had strawberries that looks perfect in the store, start to mold in 2 days on the bottom. The 6 lbs we bought were washed in lemon/water, of those, 2 strawberries were starting to mold, and that was the day they were bought. My refrigerator is at 35 degrees F. I pay attention to the temperature because I've been hyper vigilant about temperatures since I started making cheese, so I'm measuring it in the fridge, the hot water in the tap, and everything in between.


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## Merlot

blissful said:


> Merlot, I think he/she meant the narrator of the video. The temperature of a refrigerator should be above 32 degrees F and below 40 degrees F, so 35-38. Don't go buying a refrigerator until you measure the temperature. The comment about needing a new refrigerator was a jump in logic since there are many reasons that strawberries begin to mold.
> 
> I've had strawberries that looks perfect in the store, start to mold in 2 days on the bottom. The 6 lbs we bought were washed in lemon/water, of those, 2 strawberries were starting to mold, and that was the day they were bought. My refrigerator is at 35 degrees F. I pay attention to the temperature because I've been hyper vigilant about temperatures since I started making cheese, so I'm measuring it in the fridge, the hot water in the tap, and everything in between.


Oh trust me I'm not, unless someone else is paying  but I am going to check my temperature, thanks for the helpful info!


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## Andy M.

Strawberries with rot in any environment.  Blame the strawberries, not the fridge.


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## Dawgluver

Watch out. Bliss will come after you and try to take your temperature...

I like using lemon juice.


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## blissful

Dawgluver said:


> Watch out. Bliss will come after you and try to take your temperature...
> 
> I like using lemon juice.



Yes, that's right, I will! If you are not at exactly 98.6 degrees F, you are in big big trouble, beware.


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## Mad Cook

Merlot said:


> I had one batch mold quickly, the rest lasts longer  Not sure what happened but I definitely do not need a new refrigerator, if I do I'm going to cry


I find that, like tomatoes, they keep longer and taste better left out on the counter. Obviously, they aren't going to keep for a long time either in or out of the 'fridge


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## Just Cooking

I did the vinegar rinse yesterday... Can't get to the berries for a few days... Hope it works...  

Ross


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

From Oxnard, the uncontested strawberry capital of the world: 

JUST EAT THEM FASTER. WE'LL GROW MORE!


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## Just Cooking

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> From Oxnard, the uncontested strawberry capital of the world:
> 
> JUST EAT THEM FASTER. WE'LL GROW MORE!




I dunno.... I think that Watsonville might give you a run for the money...  

Ross


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## GotGarlic

Mad Cook said:


> I find that, like tomatoes, they keep longer and taste better left out on the counter. Obviously, they aren't going to keep for a long time either in or out of the 'fridge


What is the average summer temperature of your house? It's 90°F outside here right now and our air conditioner is set to 78. That's pretty warm for keeping berries out on the counter. 

I keep them in the fridge and they last a week or so. If they start getting soft, I put them in the freezer.


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## Kayelle

I also like the idea of lemon juice better *Bliss.* I'm trying it with my next basket.

I do like sliced strawberry's drizzled with a little good quality balsamic vinegar instead of sugar though.


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## taxlady

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> From Oxnard, the uncontested strawberry capital of the world:
> 
> JUST EAT THEM FASTER. WE'LL GROW MORE!


I just read that California farmers can't get enough workers to pick the whole crop and have to let it rot in the fields or plow it under.


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## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> I also like the idea of lemon juice better *Bliss.* I'm trying it with my next basket.
> 
> I do like sliced strawberry's drizzled with a little good quality balsamic vinegar instead of sugar though.


You should try dark chocolate balsamic, Kayelle. Mmm mmm good


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## Kayelle

GotGarlic said:


> You should try dark chocolate balsamic, Kayelle. Mmm mmm good



Oh now that sounds just decadent GG......where do I get that?


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Just Cooking said:


> I dunno.... I think that Watsonville might give you a run for the money...
> 
> Ross



Yeah, good luck with that! Does Watsonville have anything like this?

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drRcbo7h5wo[/URL]


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## GotGarlic

Kayelle said:


> Oh now that sounds just decadent GG......where do I get that?


It has to be a specialty store that carries good quality plain and flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I know there's one in Temecula - we went when I visited my sister there. I don't know if that's anywhere near you, but there should be something in southern California.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

taxlady said:


> I just read that California farmers can't get enough workers to pick the whole crop and have to let it rot in the fields or plow it under.



Don't believe everything you read. Oxnard has three harvests every year, so fresh picked strawberries are available year 'round.


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## BlueMoods

Store bought strawberries can go moldy in a heartbeat. Home grown picked when red but still firm will last a week or longer.

Why? I learned this when I used to work for a trucking company that hauls produce: Strawberries need to ripen on the vine to be sweet enough for us to like them, but they also need to be shipped, often across the country and, a truck takes 3 to 4 days to drive that far. Add to that a day for packing them before shipment and, a day for the grocery warehouse to get them to the store, the one more day in the cooler before they are on the shelf for us to buy. Well that's roughly a week of their self life gone already.

Now, trucking companies and, warehouses have a little trick, if the berries are pretty much firm but a few are going moldy - the gas them with ammonia. the mold disappears, berries look and smell fine but, you buy them and, in a day or two, when all of that ammonia wears off, they mold rapidly because not all of the first bit of mold spores was ever killed. Remove what's preventing mold growth and, it grows on our berries.

How to avoid those berries? Look carefully at the box you want to buy - do not buy any bruised, soft or even minutely wet berries. They should be firm, dry and slightly glossy, some should have a small amount of green near the stem, none should be extremely dark red. Those will keep 5-6 days, maybe longer in a cold enough refrigerator. Mine do fine for 10 to 14 days at 34 F.


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## Merlot

BlueMoods said:


> Store bought strawberries can go moldy in a heartbeat. Home grown picked when red but still firm will last a week or longer.
> 
> Why? I learned this when I used to work for a trucking company that hauls produce: Strawberries need to ripen on the vine to be sweet enough for us to like them, but they also need to be shipped, often across the country and, a truck takes 3 to 4 days to drive that far. Add to that a day for packing them before shipment and, a day for the grocery warehouse to get them to the store, the one more day in the cooler before they are on the shelf for us to buy. Well that's roughly a week of their self life gone already.
> 
> Now, trucking companies and, warehouses have a little trick, if the berries are pretty much firm but a few are going moldy - the gas them with ammonia. the mold disappears, berries look and smell fine but, you buy them and, in a day or two, when all of that ammonia wears off, they mold rapidly because not all of the first bit of mold spores was ever killed. Remove what's preventing mold growth and, it grows on our berries.
> 
> How to avoid those berries? Look carefully at the box you want to buy - do not buy any bruised, soft or even minutely wet berries. They should be firm, dry and slightly glossy, some should have a small amount of green near the stem, none should be extremely dark red. Those will keep 5-6 days, maybe longer in a cold enough refrigerator. Mine do fine for 10 to 14 days at 34 F.



Thank you for the information!!!  It reminds me of an article about eggs and how long  they are actually out.  I'm glad I have fresh farm eggs, we are thinking of raising meat for ourselves ( his family have done it before) now I need to get working on my garden!  I bought a cheap greenhouse yesterday to see how I would do and like it but I'm saving lots of old windows to actually build myself one !


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## Caslon

I got a two for one deal on strawberries, the usual good sized plastic carton size.  The first carton I cut up and poured a ton of sugar on it, for breakfast/brunch type eating.  The second carton sat in the fridge for a good week, and only showed slight dark discoloration on parts of the berries when I cut them up and sugar coated them again. They were equally delicious. ( I pour a heavy load of sugar on my strawberries).


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

BlueMoods said:


> Store bought strawberries can go moldy in a heartbeat. Home grown picked when red but still firm will last a week or longer.



I never buy strawberries in a store. I have at least 7 roadside produce stands within 2 miles of my house, and, being it is Oxnard, they all sell fresh picked strawberries, and they keep the biggest, sweetest ones for their stands before shipping the rest off to the packers. Since I have lived in the Oxnard area, I have never had to macerate strawberries.


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