Freeze Drying Strawberries

Whether stocking up for recipes, emergency preparedness, or just craving a crunchy, sweet snack, freeze-dried strawberries are a kid (and adult) favorite! They never seem to last long in my house, unless I hide them! Freeze dried food retains more nutrients than other methods of preservation. These colorful, crunchy treats are a great addition to your prepper pantry.

Supplies Used:

• Freeze dryer (I have a medium-sized Harvest Right)
• Pre-frozen strawberries (Mine are bulk from Azure Standard)
• Sharp knife & cutting board
• Freeze-dryer trays
• Jars 
• Oxygen absorbers & Mylar Bags (I get mine from PackFreshUSA)

First, you start with prepping your freeze dryer. For me, this means turning on my freeze dryer and setting it to the “Pre-Frozen” setting. This cools the chamber down before loading.

While the machine is getting itself ready, I prep my strawberries. I always start with pre-frozen fruit because it speeds up the drying process. (In fact, everything that goes into my freeze dryer is pre-frozen.)

Even though they’re already frozen, I like to cut larger strawberries in half or quarters. The more surface area you expose, the faster they dry. If your strawberries are already small, you can leave them whole. Halving or quartering your strawberries allows for a more uniform drying process. Larger strawberries take longer to dry.

Then I get the trays loaded up, I spread the strawberries out in a single layer on the trays. No need for parchment paper unless you’re working with something extra sticky.

Once your freeze dryer is ready, it’s time to get those trays in! Make sure the door is sealed tightly, and let the machine do its thing. For me, this took a bit over 25 hours.

When it’s time to check that they are done, I like to take a couple of larger pieces and break them in half. If there’s any moisture in the center, they need more time. If they’re completely dry and crisp, they’re good to go! Be mindful of the seeds, as seeds can sometimes retain moisture. 

Once your strawberries are completely dry, storing them properly is important. If you plan on using them soon, glass jars with airtight lids and oxygen absorbers work well. For long-term storage, Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers are the best option.

Find the video here: Freeze Drying Strawberries, where I walk you through everything from prepping the strawberries to the final storage steps. Whether you're new to freeze drying or looking for efficiency tips, this video has you covered