What in the name of guacamole am I doing wrong with fresh cilantro??

M

marilynfl

Moderator
It dies. Horribly. Not matter what I do.

I'm tried the cut stuff from the grocers....it lasts a few days. I just bought fresh at the farmer's market from the actual growers---still had ROOTS on it...and it shriveled up and died on me in two days.

I've tried leaving it loose on the counter, leaving it on the counter in a glass of water, leaving it in the frig au natural, leaving it in the frig with the stems encased in a damp cloth, leaving it in the frig loose in a plastic bag.........

And. They. All. DIE.

I can't keep doing this...it's too emotionally draining. I've tried dried & freeze-dried cilantro, but my heart craves the unique taste of fresh. And that concept works for..oh, maybe 4 hours once it hits The Dead Zone (ie. my kitchen.) After that, it's a Stephen King horror herb-fest around here.

If my hearing were better, I'd hear those little leaves screaming.

 
Marilyn, it just doesn't last that long. You're not doing anything wrong, but try this:

Stand it in a glass in water, IN the refrigerator, covered loosely with a plastic bag. It might keep for 4 days instead of 2.

 
Joe, I have to admit that the first time I read this...

I thought you wanted Mar to stand in her fridge, in water and cover with a bag. smileys/smile.gif

So much for me trying to catch up on posts and listen to the news at the same time!!

Regards,
Barb

 
I recut the stems, put in a glass of water, loosely drape the plastic bag back over glass and

rubberband it around bottom part of glass (I make a loose tent) pop in the fridge when I get it home. It lasts AT LEAST a week this way.

 
I do the same as Joe and Melissa, no rubber band, and it keeps quite well, especially

if it has roots. I wash it first, but let the leaves get dry before refrigerating. With roots on, it really lasts a long time. I'm wondering if when you buy it from the supermarket, you're getting it from one of those counters that merrily plays "Singing in the Rain" while spraying the produce liberally. When I bought it from a store where it had been sprayed a few times, it didn't keep well, I think it got water logged.

 
I cut the stems off and wash it from the top down to get rid of all the sand. Then

wash it again really thoroughly. I let it sit hanging over the edge of the sink until it dries a bit.

Then I wrap it loosely in paper towel, exactly 1.5 turns, and put it in a perforated veg baggie. I then put it in an open box in my frig, a box reserved for herbs only.

I have worked at this over and over and I too, felt the same frustration. This works perfectly for me and all the herbs last at least a week. I check in on them partway through to see that they have a little bit of moisture.

 
Mar, I keep it for at least a week.....rinse and leave to drip dry somewhat, wrap

in a double piece of paper towel and slip into a zip-lock bag. Keeps anywhere in the fridge. BUT it goes yellow and sometimes needs to be picked over before using after about 3-4 days if it is not ultimately fresh from the store in the first place.

 
My cilantro lasts a long time in the fridge in a glass of water, covered loosely with a plastic bag.

If it has the roots on it, lasts even longer.

 
Wrap it in a damp cloth...

You know those disposable blue and white cloths that are used in the kitchen? wrap your cilantro (or whatever other herb), dampen it and then wrap in plastic and refrigerate...

It should last for many days this way - if you have a lot of little damp herb rolls, put them in a plastic container and then cover the container with plastic and fridge -

Make sure they stay damp -

 
should add that's when it's purchased at optimum...sometime's it's a little spent and doesn't last

as long no matter how long you choose to treat/store it, in my opinion.

 
We keep it the same way here...it just doesn't last long...

and it doesn't last a whole lot longer by growing it from seed. This plant bolts like crazy in heat, and the flavor changes as soon as those little whispy fronds come out.

 
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