Good blueberries are plump with a deep, dark blue coloring. As you wash the berries, you may find more that feel soft to the touch. Take them out as you go.
Pick out any stems you see loose in the strainer.
To avoid crushing any of your blueberries, you can also wash them by dipping the strainer in a bowl filled with cold water.
It’s important to avoid leaving your blueberries in water for a long time, since this leads to mushy berries that are unpleasant to eat. Remove them from the strainer and place them on paper towel to dry.
Take out any soft, mushy berries, but don’t worry if you miss some. You have another chance when you’re washing them.
For example, if you poured 3 cups (710 mL) of water into the bowl earlier, add 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar. Instead of vinegar, you can purchase and use a commercial fruit wash from the supermarket.
You can soak the blueberries for up to 10 minutes to ensure they get cleaned. However, this may cause some of them to go mushy.
Avoid letting the blueberries sit in the water for very long. Begin drying them immediately.
Make sure you use a gentle stream of water to avoid crushing the berries.
If you do not have a baking sheet, you can leave the berries in a bowl or strainer. Simply pat them dry with paper towels.
If some blueberries are still left in a bowl or strainer, you may find rolling them around in the paper towel to be easier. Make sure all the moisture is removed so the berries are less likely to soften.
