Raspberries - Keepin' em Longer & Fresher?

I recently bought a small quantity of raspberries for $5 (which isn't a lot by NYC standards). Got home washed+separated the really mushy ones from the 'good, firm ones' and hoped to make a sauce out of 'em for a dessert later in the week. Lo & behold a few days later, the fruit went bad and got all moldy and I had no choice but to throw it away. Kinda upset and annoyed (at myself mostly for not using it up right away) for little a small, expensive quantity go to waste like that. Any suggestions on keeping them alive longer?

(I guess this a fruit that you need to use right away. Lesson learned.)

Lost_in_NYC
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7 Comments

mainecook61
mainecook61 August 9, 2012
The length of time they will keep is also a function of the variety. Lathams, commonly grown by home gardeners, are delicious but rather soft. Killarneys, another sort, are a bit firmer. Those are the kinds I have. And so-called everbearing raspberries (grown for late summer and fall in the Northeast) seem to be the firmest of all. Commercial varieties are probably a type bred for shipping.
 
HinOh
HinOh August 9, 2012
One of my friends swears that washing berries in vinegar is the way to go. I haven't tried it so I can't vouch for it myself but she says it has worked for her. "When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! "
> Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two
> weeks without getting moldy and soft.
 
petitbleu
petitbleu August 9, 2012
I agree with mainecook61 that if you're going to use fruit for a coulis, just buy frozen. Fresh raspberries are so insanely delicious that I recommend eating them out of hand or using them, whole, in something where they will maintain their shape and heavenly flavor.
I've had similar experiences with raspberries. I do find that taking them out of their original container and putting them in a single layer on a paper towel in a larger container helps keep them for a while longer. However, farmer's market raspberries do seem to be especially fragile. I would just use them as soon as possible, washing them just before using.
 
mainecook61
mainecook61 August 9, 2012
If you were separating good from mushy raspberries as soon as you brought them home------well, someone sold you some poor produce. Freshly picked raspberries, if not washed (never! never!), will keep for several days in the refrigerator. They do have a tendency to settle in the box, so I have been known (it sounds dumb, I know) to give the box a little shake if I think of it. Also, if you plan to cook the raspberries for a sauce, why not freeze them (spread out on a cookie sheet)? And while I'm on that subject, why buy fresh raspberries at all for a cooked sauce? Frozen IQF ones are generally of high quality.
 
Lost_in_NYC
Lost_in_NYC August 9, 2012
@Mainecook61 - you are correct about the fresh vs frozen for a sauce. I didn't think of it at the time when I thought of the idea for the dessert and got caught up in the moment when I saw the raspberries at the store (impulse purchase). Wallet is a little less heavy and lesson learned! Appreciate your feedback! :-)
 
Maedl
Maedl August 8, 2012
I gently wash them as soon as I get home. I drain the water off and let them sit for a few minutes then roll them around in the bowl to make sure the water drains out of the interiors. I line a bowl with a paper towel and add the berries. I store in the refrigerator covered with another paper towel. I store all berries this way and they keep quite well. I bought a container of raspberries at the market last Thursday and used the last ones this morning. They were in perfect shape.
 

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Nozlee S.
Nozlee S. August 8, 2012
Unfortunately washing raspberries actually makes them go bad faster -- wet raspberries are more likely to mold. I would keep them in their packaging (you can gently remove and store the mushier ones separately) and use them up quickly.
 
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