How to ferment fresh strawberries into a lightly cultured chunky puree as a natural preservation method and to significantly enhance probiotics and enzymes. Makes a tasty topping for ice cream, pancakes, toast, and waffles. Also delicious to stir into oatmeal, yogurt, or kefir.
We are nearing the end of strawberry season here in Central Florida.
I’ve been meaning to experiment with fermenting strawberries for years as a means of preservation.
This season, I finally accomplished this goal!
I was particularly motivated this year to figure this out because my local vegetable farm had some amazing strawberries on offer that were grown in rich soil.
Most strawberries…even organic…are hydroponic these days, with little to no taste.
You’ve no doubt noticed that hydroponic berries are also very fast to rot in your produce bin!
With such low-quality berries (no taste + fast to rot = low nutrition), fermentation is not going to accomplish much, in my opinion.
Years ago, I had a source for organic, u-pick, in-soil strawberries that were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, but this farm went out of business after a particularly heavy rainy season as I recall. If you live in Tampa Bay, perhaps you remember them…Jordan Farms in Plant City.
So, it’s been some time since I had a good source for quality, soil-grown strawberries with peak taste and nutrition…berries worthy of fermentation!
This recipe worked so well that I got another several pounds of strawberries at my in-soil local farmer yesterday to make more!!
As you can see from the photo above, I used nearly half a batch before I was even able to get a picture. 😋
Culturing is a good alternative to freezing strawberries which unfortunately turns them into mush when they are thawed.
I plan to use these fermented strawberries in a new healthy dessert recipe that I am excited to share in the weeks ahead!
How to Ferment Strawberries
How to ferment fresh strawberries into a lightly cultured jam as a natural preservation method and to significantly enhance probiotics and enzymes. Makes a tasty topping for pancakes, toast, and waffles. Also delicious to stir into oatmeal, yogurt, or kefir.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pints fresh organic strawberries *grown in soil (not hydroponic)
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1/4 cup liquid whey *raw kefir whey is best
Instructions
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Rinse the fresh strawberries in filtered water after removing the green tops,
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Cut the whole strawberries into eighths and place them in a quart-sized jar. Be sure to leave at least 1" space for the ferment to breathe.
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Gently mash the strawberries in the mason jar to release the juices. Mash lightly for a chunkier consistency and more firmly for a puree-like consistency.
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Stir in the raw honey and whey.
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Screw on the lid tightly and leave on the counter for 1-3 days. Gently stir the mixture twice each day until bubbles appear and you detect a fizzy smell when you remove the lid. Taste and continue fermentation until your desired balance between sweet/tangy is achieved.
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Refrigerate and serve as desired. Stir into yogurt, kefir, or oatmeal. Makes a great topping for ice cream, toast, pancakes, or waffles too.
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This strawberry ferment will last for weeks (if not months) and gradually grow tangier with time.
Hey Sarah! Thank you for this easy and fun recipe. I have a lot of strawberries, so I am on my second batch. I like the flavor best after 24 hours. I like it with yogurt or kefir.
So many ways to use it!