It can be frustrating to try a new recipe and not understand how much of an ingredient to purchase at the store. Sometimes they give you a quantity of strawberries in volume (2 cups or 1 pint), sometimes as a weight (4 ounces) and still others the strawberries are given as a fruit description (1 pound of fresh large strawberries). But what are they really talking about? How many strawberries in a pound? In order to help make cooking easier we did some experiments to help tell you exactly how many strawberries you need to buy.
To answer How many strawberries in a cup we went to the local market to check out the fruit section. After surveying the options we found that a 1 pint container that holds about 12 strawberries is considered large berries. The count for medium sized strawberries is 24 and if they are small there will be about 36 berries in the 1 pint container. However, in the grocery store most 1 pint cartons have a mix of sizes. We selected 1 pound of fresh strawberries with the green leaves still attached for our how many strawberries in a pint testing samples.
Strawberries are normally trimmed of the upper section where the stem enters the berry and then are served whole, sliced or chopped. In addition, these berries are made into refreshing and tasty jellies and jams. Many basic jelly and jam recipes use 3 to 4 quarts of fresh strawberries. This would give you 3 to 4 cups of juice for jelly or 6 to 8 cups of mashed berries for making jam.
Once we hit the kitchen we started our measuring, our 1 pound strawberries yielded 3.5 to 4 cups of whole berries; these were mixed sizes but predominantly medium to large. One cup of these whole strawberries weighed 4 to 5 ounces. Next we cut our pound of strawberries into 1/4 inch thick slices and ended up with 2.7 cups or 1.3 pints. If you purchase a 1 pint plastic container of whole strawberries it will yield about 2 cups of sliced berries that weigh about 3/4 of a pound.
Did you know that technically a strawberry is not a berry, it is a member of the rose family. It is the only fruit with the seeds on the outside; each strawberry has about 200 seeds. Unlike some other fruits, they don't continue to ripen after being picked. The Le Musee de la Fraise in Belgium is a museum dedicated to strawberries.
Next time your recipe calls for a cup of strawberries you'll feel confident knowing what to purchase. You can also use our conversion tool below for any custom how many strawberries in a... measurements you need. If you are hulling a lot of fresh strawberries you should definitely consider getting a good huller. I would highly recommend the Joie Stainless Steel Strawberry Huller. Besides being very inexpensive and fast to clean, it's quick and easy to use.
A strawberry is not actually a berry, it is a fruit. More specifically, the garden strawberry consists of many tiny individual fruits and are collectively known as strawberries.
Strawberries are delicate and are mostly harvested by hand, at least every other day in order to ensure they remain on the plant until ripened. Once picked, strawberries will not continue to ripen and should not get washed until right before they are consumed.
A strawberry is technically called an aggregate accessory fruit. This means that the flesh of a strawberry is not made in the plant’s ovaries but from the part of the plant that holds the ovaries. Each seed on the fruit is not really a seed but actually one of the ovaries of the flower. The seed is inside that ovary.
If you've ever wandered in the woods, you may have stumbled upon a wild strawberry. Wild strawberries grow naturally in the wild and are rather small, growing about an average height of 2 to 3 inches tall. These wild fruits are edible and tasty, however a similar plant called the mock strawberry will produce fruit with little to no flavor.
The commercial cousin to the wild strawberry is known as the garden strawberry. These are the ones we commonly find available at our local grocery store or farmers market. The common strawberry is a hybrid of the wild strawberry and a European species. This type of strawberry is what is called for in recipes and is readily available for delicious consumption.
The most telltale sign that you’re looking at a strawberry is their bright red color covered with tiny embedded seeds. Don’t worry, the seeds do not have any flavor by themselves, rather one whole bite of a strawberry will reveal a juicy texture and sweetness.
A strawberry is picked from its stem and will often have a cluster of leaves at one end, called a cap. The cap can be removed with a small paring knife or a strawberry huller.
Some people will use this handy cap to grip while eating the fruit and discard once the fruity flesh is consumed. Some recipes, like chocolate dipped strawberries, will keep the cap intact for aesthetic purposes.
Strawberries resemble other berry fruits that are members of the Rosacea family, such as blackberries, raspberries, boysenberry and loganberry. These berries make excellent substitutes when a recipe calls for fresh or frozen strawberries.
While strawberries are somewhat hard to replace because of their unique and delicious flavor, sometimes a visual replacement is needed for decoration and color. In that case, raspberries make an excellent replacement. (However, when cooked, raspberries are way softer than strawberries so keep that in mind!)
The best cooked strawberry substitutes are kiwi, rhubarb and raspberry. If a recipe calls for the nice crunch that a seed would bring, figs will come to the rescue for texture and flavor.
Good news! Dogs can eat strawberries in moderation because they are full of fiber and vitamin C. And, as a bonus, strawberries contain an enzyme that whiten your dog's teeth. One medium-sized cut up strawberry is perfect for a small dog and up to four strawberries a day for a large size dog.
If your pet child is a cat and you catch them licking a strawberry, don't fret. A little nibble won't hurt them and is okay if eaten in moderation.
Guinea Pigs can also eat strawberries in moderation from time to time. Remember to cut them up in small bite-sized pieces.
Strawberries mostly consist of water and carbohydrates. Because they are very high in water, their total net digestible carb content is low. Consuming small amounts of strawberries should not give you gas.
However, about a quarter of the carb content of strawberries is fiber. Because high soluble fiber can cause extra gas as your gut digests the material, consuming large quantities of strawberries can give you gas.
Strawberries are a wonderful fruit that are delicious whether eaten fresh or saved for later.
If you are planning to eat strawberries immediately, you can store them at room temperature. For those times when you want to eat them fresh yet need a little extra time before consuming them, it is best to store them in the refrigerator.
Another great thing about strawberries is that they are still incredibly delicious when frozen and doing so will extend the shelf life.
Storing strawberries at room temperature is the best way to store a strawberry for maximum flavor. Just be sure you plan on eating them right away!
Since strawberries are picked as soon as they ripen, they are good to eat within two days if you are storing them on the countertop. It's best to avoid storing them where moisture is present as they prefer a cool, dry place.
If you cut strawberries and plan to store them for use later, first wash them and remove their green leafy caps. To store sliced or chopped fresh strawberries, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best eaten as soon as possible but they should last up to 1 week.
Leaving cut fresh strawberries on the countertop at room temperature is not recommended unless you are consuming them immediately.
There are many recommended ways to store strawberries in the refrigerator. If you are pressed for time, such as coming home from the grocery store and unloading, by all means you can store the strawberries in their original container. Quickly look to make sure there are not any strawberries on the verge of spoiling. If so, discard those.
Another way to store strawberries so they are cleaned and ready for consumption or for recipes is to place whole strawberries in a colander and rinse them briefly under running water. Pat them try with a paper towel or towel to remove excess moisture. Remove and discard the stem cap and then store in an airtight container or food storage bag.
More good news! Yes, strawberries can be frozen whole, sliced or even crushed. Just be sure to remove the stems.
Since strawberries have high water content, they will stick together when frozen. If you are freezing crushed strawberries, this should not be an issue for future use.
However, if you prefer to keep your frozen strawberries whole, freeze in a single layer on top of a sheet of freezer paper on a baking sheet. Once frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and then transfer the frozen strawberries to a freezer bag or freezer container.
First thing you will want to do is to remove the stem cap before cutting a strawberry.
The stem cap can be removed by hand, twisting until it pops off. Another way to remove the stem before slicing is to use a paring knife and cut the stem off while using a cutting board. There are many strawberry hulling kitchen gadgets that will make quick and easy removal of the stem a snap!
The important thing to remember about strawberries is that they act like sponges and they absorb water fast. This speeds up spoiling so it is important to not over soak them in water.
The easiest way to clean strawberries is to place them in a colander or strainer and rinse them briefly in cool water, approximately 20 seconds. Let them drain, pat them dry with a paper towel or spread them out on a clean kitchen towel, rubbing them gently to dry.
There are purists who say that the best way to clean strawberries is to fill a large bowl with 4 parts water and 1 part white vinegar, cleaning a few strawberries at a time for about 30 seconds. Remove the strawberries and rinse well under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel or spread them out on a clean kitchen towel, rubbing them gently to dry.
Yes! You can absolutely eat the skin of strawberries. In fact, strawberries are best eaten as a whole fruit or sliced.
There is no need to peel the skin of a strawberry first.
Before chopping, remove the small leafy caps and wash.
The easiest way to chop or cube a strawberry is to slice it in half and place the cut side down on the cutting board. From there, chop or cube into desired size pieces.
Before cutting any strawberries, it is best to remove the cap and quickly wash them under cool running water.
The easiest way to dice a strawberry is to slice it in half and place the cut side down on the cutting board. From there, slice it into 4 or more pieces.
To mince, follow the same instructions as dicing and then continue to rotate the diced pieces and mince into smaller pieces.
It is not our recommendation to grate or shred a strawberry due to the delicate nature of its flesh.
The easiest and fastest way to mash or puree strawberries is to remove the stem cap and then slice or chop them.
Mashing strawberries works best by mashing with a potato masher.
Pureeing strawberries work best by using a food processor or blender to get to desired consistency. Sometimes this means adding a small amount of water to get a smooth consistency.
It is not our recommendation to grate or shred a strawberry due to the delicate nature of its flesh.
If you have ever wondered why strawberry juice is not packaged next to orange juice at the grocery store, it is because fruits like strawberries have way too much natural fructose sugar for juice.
Good news, you can make your own strawberry juice by adding chopped strawberries to a blender and pureeing to desired consistency.
Yes, strawberries do have seeds, however the little specks that seem like seeds on the flesh of strawberries are not the actual seed itself. Each of these are actually one of the ovaries of the flower. The seed is inside that ovary.
These seeds are edible and there is no need whatsoever to remove them.
The cluster of leaves at the top of a strawberry is called a cap and they are safe to eat. In fact, the cap is full of flavor and healthy, too! Some people will pop a whole strawberry in their mouths, cap and all.
However, stay away from consuming the stems themselves because those are inedible.
Strawberries are highly perishable and delicate. Choose brightly colored, plump berries that still have their green caps attached and are uniform in size.
Strawberries do not ripen after they have been harvested, so choose strawberries that have been picked fully ripened. They should be plump and fragrant with a bright red color, natural shine and fresh looking green tops.
Before storing, sort through the strawberries and separate the soft ones from the firm, fully ripe berries; discard any mushy or spoiled berries. With the green caps still on, store the fresh strawberries in a colander in the refrigerator; this allows the cold air to circulate around them - do not cover them. Use fresh strawberries within 2 to 3 days for best quality.
Strawberries can be frozen whole, sliced or crushed, depending on their future use. For a better quality product, freeze strawberries in a sugar or syrup pack; unsweetened packs do not hold up as well. Strawberries can be stored in the freezer at 0°F (-17.8°C) for 8 to 12 months.
Sweeter varieties of strawberries with a full red color and firm texture are the best to use for dried fruit.
One of the biggest hassles when cooking and working in the kitchen is when a recipe calls for "the juice of 1 lime" or a similar measurement. Often times when cooking people use bottled juices, pre-sliced vegetables and other convenient cooking time savers. Produce Converter will help you convert the "juice of 1 lime" and other similar recipe instructions into tablespoons, cups and other concrete measurements.
Produce Converter can also be used to figure out how many vegetables to buy when you need, for instance, "A cup of diced onion." You can use our easy conversion tool to figure out exactly how many onions you need to buy at the store in order to end up with the amount you need for your cooking.
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