Washing strawberries is more complicated than it seems. We’ll tell you why.
You see, strawberries are eerily like sponges: they tend to absorb all the water they come into contact with. The main rule about washing strawberries is simple: wash them when, and only when, you’re ready to eat, cook, or freeze them.
Washing strawberries prematurely introduces moisture that wasn’t there before and will cause them to spoil much faster. If you have strawberries that aren’t ready to eat, store them properly.
Wash them before eating
As I’ve already mentioned, only when you’re ready to eat or use them, put them in a colander and rinse them quickly with cold water. This is enough to remove the dust.
Next, spread the strawberries in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel, or several layers of paper towels, and dry them as quickly as possible. Now they are ready to use, slice, or serve.
How to disinfect strawberries at home?
As much as they love to absorb water, strawberries are also adept at absorbing other things, such as pesticides. You may want to make sure you buy strawberries that haven’t been sprayed with toxins.
- You can always look for certified organic strawberries, which have not been exposed to synthetic pesticides.
- If it has rained recently and the strawberries you bought or picked are really dirty, do the following:
- Fill a sink or large bowl with cold water and stir the strawberries in the bowl until they are clean.
- Remove the strawberries from the water and place them in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels. Dry them and continue with your strawberry recipe or eat them.
Delicious ways to use freshly washed strawberries
Remember, strawberries aren’t just sweet. Well, they are sweet, but they have a touch of tartness that makes them worth using in other recipes.
Strawberries are fantastic ingredients for fruit salads or for a spectacular strawberry smoothie.
Another great way is to use strawberries as the base for a sauce (chop a few strawberries, add a chili or two, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste). That works wonderfully with grilled chicken or fish.