storing herbs in the fridge

M

Marg CDN

Well-known member
Many moons ago, someone asked how we all store herbs. It takes me a while to reply. Now, I have recently tried a new method (new for me) and am so thrilled with it. Herbs stay very fresh for well beyond a week and even dill is fresh and crisp 2 weeks later.

 
I have found that herbs keep very well in my fridge if I wash them, then spread out on a long sheet of paper towels and roll up and place into a plastic bag, unsealed, into the produce drawer.

 
Yes, that is what I had been doing but I have found this works better Judy. I bought and laundered rather thick dishcloths, moistened them, tucked the herbs in so that they were completely enclosed and wrapped them loosely and separately in flimsy plastic bags, then into the fridge. It is necessary to remoisten the cloths occasionally but just a little. I have been doing this for a few months now and find they last until I am finished with them.

 
Washed, dried and stood on end with stems in 1/2" of water, covered and stored in the refrigerator is the only way I've been able to keep cilantro for more than a few days.

See:

 
I also, put in water. I don’t have herbs right now because I grow most and snip from yard, but here I’ve done the same with asparagus.

 
This is new to me. I have always done asparagus this way and am a bit alarmed that the supermarkets don't do this as often lately. But when you say soaking celery and brussels sprouts..............If I had a big enough fridge, I could stand a bunch of celery up in it. Is that what you mean? And sprouts? Do you sit them in water?

 




Fresh cilantro or other fresh herbs not available in my garden in winter are put into an inch or so of water, then I lightly place a plastic bag over the top and put it in the fridge door. Keeps a few weeks, give fresh water now and then. Asparagus I do the same thing. It keeps well for one week or so. I buy a pot of fresh basil at Trader Joes in the Fall and put it on my kitchen counter near the sink. It gets bright light from a south-facing window. It demands a lot of water in a pot. It lasts until Spring when I usually have to replace it with another plant. This one I plant in the herb garden as soon as it is safe for Basil.

 
Anything with a core or thick stems: I slice off 1/8" and stand the item in about 1-2" of water.

Brussel sprouts: I again slice off a sliver to reopen the cell structure that may have dried shut, then put them in a container and fill the entire thing with water. I'll check on the firmness each day: in 1-2 days they will be rock hard. Then I drain and put the damp sprouts back in the same covered container.

Kale: here it comes in looses bunches of big leaves. I either fill my sink with cold water or the largest bowl and again, nip off the ends. They will refresh back to feeling crunchy. I drain those, then process about half the bunch by stripping of the thicker stems and then watching a movie, I'll strip off the smaller stems and place the small leaf pieces (now about 2") in a bowl. When I have a bunch of cleaned stemless leaves, I crunch those with my hands after dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and a bit of agave. Now I have a container of ready-to-eat kale that I can either eat as a salad or add to whatever.

 
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