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If you Google hull it has SO many meanings. There’s hull of a ship, a slew of cities named Hull, various math terms involve Hull, and there’s even a University of Hull. For some reason though hull also makes me think of hauling a truck but that has more to do with how certain people pronounce the word.
Recently, I came across a recipe that required me to hull a strawberry. Hulling a strawberry might also come in handy with my Fruit Pizza Recipe. The first thought that came to my mind was that it has to mean to take off the stem. That’s the obvious guess, right? Nobody eats the stems and leaves unless you’re my bunny Thumper.
In order to hull a strawberry I would first suggest that you rinse off your strawberries in a strainer. You never know what is on them and who has been handling them.
I then remove the leafy part of the strawberry with my fingers. I find it easier to remove the leaves first rather than trying to cut the whole part out (this allows me to see the stem area better).
Next take a knife and angle it inward toward the strawberry’s center. Gentle cut the stem area at an inward angle while turning the strawberry to complete a circle. At the end you should have a cone shaped piece of strawberry that you can remove. And that is hulling a strawberry! What fruits do you skin? Do you use a corer for things like an apple?
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
I have an apple corer thingy-do that you just push the apple down on and it makes nice little slices with no core. Don’t think it would work on a strawberry! 🙂
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Oops, I forgot to mention this is an extra entry for the Cook’n Recipe Software contest
I used to have an apple corer but it broke 🙁
the easiest way i found to hull a strawberry is with a small spoon. leaves and stems all at the same time. if you have a grapefruit spoon even better
I like the idea of the grapefruit spoon! Thanks!!
I am hoping to be hulling quite a few strawberries to make freezer jam pretty soon, if I can find a good deal on some strawberries.
When canning and drying apples and pears. I use a melon baller to remove the core and the blossom end of the apple and pear after cutting it in half. Seems to work really well when I am doing a lot of them, saves me some time.
I’d love to try to make a jam. Is it hard? And does it last a while? I don’t eat a lot of it.
If you want to make strawberry freezer jam, I would suggest buying a box of sure jell pectin at the store find it with the canning items. The freezer jam recipe inside has always turned out well for me. If you want a lower sugar jam purchase the sure jell in the pink box low sugar type. Then to make the jam just follow the directions. Measure sugar and prepare berries(cut berries and crush with a potato masher) mix sugar with berries and let sit. Mix Sure Jell with water boil a minute, mix Sure Jell with the berries stir 3 minutes pour into freezer containers. Let sit for 24 hours on counter then place in freezer. Will keep about a year in the freezer if they last that long. I will be making some soon. I just canned some rhubarb jam last night.
Thank you so much!! Wow. A year. That’s a good long time. I will def have to try it sometime!!
My guess for hulling a strawberry was correct, but I’ve never heard that term. Sometimes I wish recipes didn’t require I have a dictionary nearby. I do like the idea of removing the leaves with my fingers instead of cutting the whole back off. It’s an extra step and a bit more work to hull, but I think that you get the most of the strawberry this way. I will hull my strawberries from now on! Thanks for this!
Visiting from SITS! Thanks for commenting on my feature!
~ Ferly
I know what you mean. Some of the terms are out there unless you are a chef by profession.
Did you know they have a tool that does this for you! I’ve seen it at William Sonoma and Crate and Barrel. It really works too. Have a great weekend – Just stopped by from sits.
Hmm. No, I didn’t know that. That would be helpful!! Thanks!!
It’s funny. Most people don’t consider the pith or hull. It can make a difference in some recipes if not removed. :), Susan Cooper
I removed it for the strawberry icecream I made. Yum!
Now I didn’t know that I usually just remove the leaves and slice it in half and cover in chocolate and eat……………….Little Leo just bites down to the base and eats the top part and tosses the rest in the bin…………………he doesn’t know about covering them in chocolate and we do not plan to tell him…………..lol
MMM. I love chocolate covered strawberries!! Yum!!
This made me laugh! I’m always asked if my last name is haul,hall,hill,hell.You name it I’ve heard it.Lol! I always tell people u know the hull of a ship or to hull a strawberry. They just roll their eyes and I’m like you’re the idiot who can’t say or spell my last name.Lol!
I’m going over to your FB to say hi and check it out.
Have A Great Wkend!
Hehe. I’m always get my first and last names mispronounced. My first name they usually say Krystie because they think the L is an I. My mom got my spelling from Dynasty I believe. And my last name sometimes they think I’m saying Kirk instead of Cook. I feel you lol.
Hi Krystle thanks for going into detail with that for me. I must say I sort of had an idea of hulling but not completely, and enjoyed the anticipation of finding out as I scrolled down the screen. I can’t imagine having to remove the hull off of smaller strawberries, that may be a bit time consuming, don’t you think?
You are welcome. Usually I just cut off the ends with a knife but for the strawberry icecream I made hulling was necessary. I could see hulling being a little harder on a smaller strawberry too.
They way we hull a strawberry in our house is using a stiff straw. Push the straw through the pointed end of the berry and push through the stem. The white portion of the strawberry will pop out and all you have left to do is wash the fruit!
That’s a great idea! I will have to try that sometime.