How to Pick the Best Blackberries

Updated: May 18, 2023

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Eating fragrant, juicy blackberries is a rite of summertime. Here's how to pick blackberries, whether you're at the store or a U-pick farm.

When I was a kid growing up in the country, getting ready to pick wild native blackberries always meant pulling on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, regardless of how hot the day was. No matter how carefully we prepared, how delicately we maneuvered between arching canes and how gingerly we plucked the berries, those vines always seemed to reach out and scratch. But that didn’t keep us from the task, since these fragrant, intensely flavorful berries, tumbled into a Blueberry Blackberry Rustic Tart or heaped atop ice cream, were a delicious reward!

How to Pick Blackberries at a Farm

These days, a wide variety of commercially grown blackberries are thornless, making a blackberry expedition to a U-pick farm an enjoyable excursion in every sense.

Once you pick a blackberry, it doesn’t ripen or change in flavor. Because of this, it’s helpful to know what to look for. Perfectly ripe blackberries are deep purple/eggplant color or black (depending on variety). They should be plump, filled out and shiny. Pass up berries that are dull, shriveled, moldy, unripe (with red bits) or overripe (squishing when you pick them).

There’s one additional caveat: Never pick roadside blackberries: They may contain contamination from car emissions or herbicides.

How to Choose Blackberries at the Store

To buy perfectly ripe—but not overripe—blackberries at the store, look for berries that are plump, firm and shiny.

How to Store Fresh Blackberries

Blackberries are highly perishable, so only leave them on the counter if you’re planning on eating them that day. You don’t want to store the fruit at room temp for more than a few hours; it’s one of the most common berry mistakes that people make.

To refrigerate the blackberries, use a breathable container such as an empty clamshell with a paper towel on the bottom. Any shallow container will work well, though. Just be sure not to put a lid on it or seal the container with plastic wrap.

Before using, rinse the berries gently in a colander and then tip them onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan and tumble slightly to shake off some of the water.

How to Freeze Blackberries

Frozen blackberries work well in this Blackberry Crisp with a crunchy streusel topping, as well as jams, smoothies and pies. (Though if you’re using frozen berries in a pie, you’ll need to thaw them and drain the extra juice before proceeding.)

To freeze blackberries, rinse and gently dry the berries on paper towels, then roll them onto a baking sheet, taking care not to crowd them. Pop them into the freezer and let them chill for 4-6 hours before pouring the frozen berries into a labeled zip-close bag and re-freezing. They should be good for up to a year.

Love other berries as well? Then, find out how to pick blueberries that are perfectly ripe.

Blackberry Recipes Bursting with Flavor

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Blackberry Crisp

I adapted this comforting dessert from a recipe my mother-in-law gave to me. Hers fed a family with nine growing kids who were never full, so there was never any left. There aren't any leftovers when I make my downsized version, either! —Marliss Lee, Independence, Missouri Go to Recipe

Taste of Home

Blackberry Apple PieMy mother made this pie so often, she could do it with her eyes closed! We picked the berries ourselves, and the apples came from the trees in our orchard. I can still taste the delicious combination of fruits encased in Mother's flaky pie crust. —Fran Stanfield, Wilmington , Ohio