🫐 A Gift of Blueberries: Three Ways to Preserve Summer’s Treasure

🫐 A Generous Gift of Blueberries

My neighbor kindly gave me a generous gift—1.5 kilograms of fresh blueberries!

That’s 500 grams × 3 bags. So many berries!

First things first: I washed them thoroughly and let them dry completely.
Of course, I couldn’t resist sneaking a few while rinsing… and then a few more… until I suddenly remembered something important.

⚠️ A Gentle Reminder: My Blueberry Allergy

Last year, I received a similar batch of blueberries and ended up snacking on them non-stop.
The result? A scratchy, fluttery throat and a raspy voice that lasted for days.
This time, I caught myself before going overboard—just a slight tickle in my throat, but I stopped in time.
Apparently, I have a mild allergy to raw blueberries. Cooked or dried, they’re fine.

So, I put the snacking aside and got down to business: preserving them in three different ways.

🍯 Method 1: Blueberry Jam

Ingredients

• 500g blueberries
• 200g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

I sprinkled the sugar over the blueberries and let them sit until they started releasing juice.

Then I added the lemon juice and simmered everything down.

Once thickened, I poured the jam into sterilized jars. Done!

🌬️ Method 2: Semi-Dried Blueberries

I lined a baking tray with kitchen paper and spread the berries out evenly.
Then I dried them in the middle rack of the oven at 100°C (212°F) for 150 minutes.

To finish, I used a circulator fan to remove any remaining moisture.

(Sorry for the very “lived-in” photo—real life in action! 💦)

After drying, I packed them with a desiccant into a ziplock bag and popped them in the freezer.
I’m thinking of using them later in barley muffins with blueberries.

❄️ Method 3: Frozen Blueberries

I placed the berries on a tray lined with kitchen paper and froze them for 6 hours.
Then I transferred them to a ziplock bag and returned them to the freezer.

I plan to use them in smoothies, or maybe even try making blueberry vinegar.

🍽️ What Comes Next?

Whether jammed, dried, or frozen, these blueberries are now ready to be transformed into all kinds of delicious creations.
Now the fun part begins: what should I make next?