Strawberries in the Thermomix®

When are strawberries in season?

May to mid July, with European outdoor strawberries in season from May to July..

• Jan–
• Feb–
• Mar–
• Apr–
• MayOutdoor crop
• JunOutdoor crop
• JulOutdoor crop
• Aug–
• Sep–
• Oct–
• Nov–
• Dec–

Outdoor crop: fresh European harvest. Protected crop: greenhouse or covered cultivation. Stored: European harvest kept in storage.

Buying and storing strawberries

Fully ripe strawberries are an even red right down to the tip, with no white or greenish patches. The little green caps should look crisp and fresh, not wilted or brownish. Strawberries do not ripen further after harvest. Pale or partly white fruit stays unripe and will not get any sweeter. In the shops, look out for regional varieties, which are usually smaller but far more aromatic than large imported ones bred to survive transport. A glance at the bottom of the punnet often reveals mould early.

Keep strawberries unwashed and not stacked in the fridge, ideally on a plate with a little space between them. Stored like this they keep for one to two days. To freeze: remove the stems, rinse the fruit briefly, drain it well, freeze the berries side by side on a tray, then transfer them to bags. Frozen, they keep for up to twelve months.

Preparing strawberries in the Thermomix®

For Strawberry Ice Cream and other fruit ice creams we put frozen strawberry pieces into the mixing bowl and first chop them for 5 seconds on speed 8, then keep blending until creamy. We process fresh strawberries for Strawberry Sauce, Strawberry Quark and a Daiquiri on speed 8 to 10, depending on the consistency you want. For jam and Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam we cook the fruit with preserving sugar in the mixing bowl at 100°C on speed 1 and then blend briefly on speed 5. Never leave strawberries in the mixing bowl too long, as they quickly turn watery.

The most common mistakes with strawberries

• Washing strawberries before storing them. Washed strawberries go mouldy much faster, because moisture soaks into the porous surface. Always wash them only right before eating, and remove the stems afterwards.
• Buying unripe, white fruit. Strawberries are not a climacteric fruit and do not ripen further after harvest. White or greenish patches stay put and the aroma stays flat. Only buy fully red fruit.
• Freezing strawberries without pre-freezing. If you throw strawberries straight into a freezer bag, they stick together in one block. Better to freeze them individually on a tray first, then transfer them to portions.

Goes well with strawberries

These seasonal ingredients are in season at the same time, ideal for combining:

KohlrabiRadishesTomatoesCarrotsPotatoesPeas

Strawberries in the monthly calendar: