We’re firm believers that one of the best ways to enjoy strawberries is to eat them in their perfectly fresh, natural state. And while we don’t mind nibbling the berries right up to the stem or coring a few with a paring knife, neither option works well if you’re serving a crowd.
When you’ve got a fresh, local strawberry haul to share and guests are on the way—for your Fourth of July barbecue and beyond—there’s just one tool you need: a plastic, metal, or bamboo drinking straw. Rinse it clean, then follow these three simple steps:
1. Grasp the strawberry in one hand, with the bottom pointing to the side.
2. Press the straw into the bottom of the strawberry, and continue pushing straight up until the straw comes out the top, taking the stem and core with it.
3. Repeat with the other strawberries. To clean the strawberry cores out of the straw, use a barbecue skewer, pipe cleaner, or pipe brush.
De-stemming your strawberries makes them easy to use in a variety of recipes, from smoothies to salads and sauces for savory entrees. Because removing the cores will affect the structure of the strawberries, core them shortly before you plan to use the berries.