Rinse your strawberries gently under cool water and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Remove the green tops and slice the berries into smaller pieces. Place them in a large bowl and mash them thoroughly with a potato masher or fork until you have a chunky puree with some texture remaining. You want about two cups of mashed berries—this usually requires around one pound of fresh strawberries.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your mashed strawberries with the whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. If you're using food coloring, add those drops now. Whisk everything together vigorously for about two minutes, making sure the sugar dissolves completely. You should see no granules remaining, and the mixture should look uniform and slightly thickened.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the strawberry mixture for at least thirty minutes, or up to four hours if you have time. This chilling step is crucial—it allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and ensures your ice cream freezes faster and more evenly once it goes into the machine.

Pour your chilled strawberry mixture into your ice cream maker's pre-frozen bowl. Follow your manufacturer's specific instructions, but generally, you'll churn for about twenty to thirty minutes. The ice cream is ready when it reaches a soft-serve consistency and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be thick, creamy, and hold its shape on a spoon.

Transfer your freshly churned ice cream to an airtight freezer-safe container. Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Seal the container tightly and freeze for at least four hours, or ideally overnight, until the ice cream is completely firm and scoopable.