Recent asparagus is an early spring vegetable that may be ready in quite a lot of alternative ways. It’s solely round for a couple of months, February by June with April being the height month. I’ll present you find out how to retailer asparagus so it stays contemporary and crisp for at the very least every week.
You’ll be taught asparagus suggestions for getting the freshest, tastiest seasonal vegetable doable and recipes for find out how to eat asparagus on this final information.
Right here at Reside Merely, I often share the best tips for storing fresh produce.
My aim is that can assist you eat extra seasonal, contemporary meals. For those who’re going to carry these meals into your own home, you could know find out how to retailer them correctly so that they don’t find yourself within the rubbish on the finish of the week.
Previously, we’ve talked about find out how to retailer some difficult produce gadgets. Just a few of my favorites:
LEARN MORE: 6 favorite produce storage hacks
In the present day, I wish to assist your loved ones develop into asparagus lovers. You’ll discover ways to retailer this vegetable correctly and find out how to eat this spring delicacy.
The Very Greatest Option to Retailer Asparagus
If saved improperly, asparagus will dry out inside a few days, leaving a slimy texture and unsightly taste. A contemporary bunch of asparagus ought to be vibrant, darkish inexperienced, white (for white asparagus), or purple (for purple asparagus) with a crisp “snap” to the stems.
With this storage methodology, you’ll prolong the lifetime of your asparagus. It would final every week (or longer). I’ve even had it go a few weeks within the fridge.
Instruments you’ll want
This kitchen tip teats the asparagus like a bouquet of flowers, permitting the underside of the stems to “drink” water, conserving the asparagus nicely hydrated with a just-picked taste. The identical trick is used to retailer different difficult produce gadgets, like cilantro, other fresh herbs, and green onions.
Listed here are the easy steps for the simplest solution to retailer uncooked asparagus.
Step 1: Trim the Ends
Asparagus has a pure “breaking level” on the woody a part of the stem. You’ll be able to both trim the ends by breaking the asparagus together with your arms at this breaking level, or trim off the white ends of the asparagus with a knife. Discard the white ends.
Step 2: Place Asparagus in a Jar
I like to recommend utilizing a wide-mouth glass jar (like a Mason jar or Weck jar), significantly if the asparagus has thick stems. Place the trimmed asparagus within the jar, in an upright place.
Step 3: Add Water
Fill the jar with about 1 inch of chilly water, simply sufficient for the underside of the stalks to relaxation within the water and drink it up. And it’ll drink up that water. So each few days I like to recommend checking on the water degree and refilling as wanted.
Step 4: Refrigerate
Place the asparagus towards the entrance of the fridge (the door works nicely, when you’ve got room). Storing the asparagus in the proper place within the fridge is crucial.
Keep away from inserting the asparagus close to the ice maker (if that’s inside your fridge) or the again, as these are the coldest spots and can trigger the asparagus to freeze.
Some of us prefer to cowl the asparagus with a plastic bag, securing it across the high of the jar with a rubber band (similar to we did with cilantro, other fresh herbs, and green onions).
I haven’t discovered a necessity to do that with asparagus. Doing so can construct up moisture within the bag and trigger the tricks to rot quicker because of a scarcity of air circulation.
Shelf Life: 7-14 Days
Anticipate a shelf lifetime of at the very least every week, or as much as 2 weeks from my expertise, with this storage methodology.Simply be sure that there’s at all times about an inch of water on the backside of the jar.
Ought to contemporary asparagus be refrigerated?
Sure, asparagus is a vegetable that ought to at all times be saved within the fridge. It won’t final at room temperature for longer than a day.
How one can Retailer Asparagus Printable Information
- 1 wide-mouth glass jar like a mason jar or Weck jar
- water
- 1 lb contemporary asparagus
There’s no want to clean asparagus earlier than storing. Earlier than use, rinse the asparagus beneath chilly water to take away any grime or particles.
What to search for when shopping for asparagus?
Regardless of the way you retailer asparagus, a foul bunch of asparagus is simply that. No methodology will delay the inevitable if the asparagus has already gone unhealthy. Right here’s what to search for on the grocery retailer or farmer’s market:
- Agency, Unwilted Ideas: The ideas have probably the most taste, so it’s essential that they’re in probably the most pristine situation. They shouldn’t look dried out, frayed, or slimy. They need to look like tightly closed.
- Scent: The freshest asparagus shouldn’t have a robust odor. Rotting asparagus could have a robust, “off” odor.
- Crisp Stalks: Asparagus stalks ought to be crisp; not flimsy and limp. Limp asparagus isn’t only a texture concern; it would have taste loss as nicely.
- Vibrant Colour: Asparagus could also be white, purple, or inexperienced. The colour ought to be vibrant; by no means boring or pale.
- Storage: A grocery retailer, the place asparagus is sitting on the shelf for a couple of days, ought to retailer asparagus upright in both ice or water. That is essential as you recognize it’s been correctly saved and cared for earlier than buying. A farmer’s market is completely different, as most produce is picked simply earlier than the market.
Asparagus might be present in each skinny spears and thicker spears. Many individuals discover the skinny spears to have extra of a young chunk, however both possibility is scrumptious.
When is the very best time to purchase asparagus?
The easiest time to purchase asparagus in throughout its rising season. In North America, that is between the months of February by June, with the height in April. You’ll get the freshest asparagus throughout these months.
How can I inform if asparagus is unhealthy?
The inform story indicators of unhealthy asparagus are:
- Slimy, frayed, or dried suggestions
- A powerful, “off” odor, significantly on the suggestions
- Uninteresting or pale discoloration
- Limp stems
- Taste loss
- Fuzzy mildew progress on the ideas
Can I freeze contemporary asparagus?
If you wish to retailer asparagus for an prolonged interval, freezing is the best choice. An alternative choice is to ferment asparagus.
Identical to with freezing fresh radishes, you’ll have to blanch the asparagus first. To do that, prepare dinner trimmed asparagus in a big pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes.
Take away with a slotted spoon and switch to a big bowl of ice water (an ice bathtub) to cease the cooking course of. Freeze on a sheet pan, then switch to a freezer bag.
Frozen asparagus will final for 2-3 months within the freezer. As soon as frozen, it’s greatest utilized in cooked recipes, like a casserole or quiche; not a salad. Be taught how to freeze asparagus.
How one can Eat: 11 Greatest Recipes & Cooking Concepts
Top-of-the-line issues about asparagus is what number of alternative ways there are to eat this wholesome vegetable. Asparagus is usually a predominant meal (a soup or quiche) or a facet dish. And you’ll eat each uncooked or cooked asparagus.
Listed here are a couple of of my favourite cooking strategies and recipes.
Steamed: There’s a scrumptious tenderness to steamed asparagus. Add an inch of water to a skillet and convey to a boil. As soon as boiling, add rinsed asparagus, in a steamer basket, to the water. Cowl and prepare dinner for 3-5 minutes, then take away and high with salt and butter.
Sautéed: Minimize asparagus into 1-2 inch items. Soften 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high warmth. Add the asparagus and prepare dinner till tender, then add 2 cloves of garlic minced, salt, pepper, and any chopped contemporary herbs (dill or parsley are beautiful).
Grilled: Preheat a grill to 400F. Place entire asparagus stalks in a shallow bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Then toss with salt and pepper. Place the stalks on the grill and prepare dinner for 6-10 minutes, till tender.
Mini Asparagus Quiche: A good way to prep breakfast upfront. Make mini crust-less quiche with leeks, asparagus, and bacon. Take pleasure in for breakfast all week.
Frittata: Make a frittata on the weekend with asparagus, eggs, and cheese. An excellent spring brunch recipe or make this on Sunday to take pleasure in on busy weekday mornings.
Cream of Asparagus Soup: A spring traditional that’s far simpler to make than it sounds. Simply cream, broth, seasoning, and the star of the present (asparagus). Serve with bread, biscuits, grilled cheese, or quesadillas on the facet.
Shaved Asparagus Salad: Arugula, shaved asparagus, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and nuts make this salad a present stopper!
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus: Wrap asparagus in prosciutto and bake at 400F till tender. A good way to serve asparagus as a facet dish for Mom’s Day, Easter, a Child Bathe, or only a enjoyable facet dish with a spring salad or protein.
Toss with Pasta and Pesto: Grill or saute asparagus, then lower into 1-2 inch items. Toss with cooked pasta and homemade pesto. Add grilled rooster breasts for protein, or serve on the facet with crispy chicken thighs.
Add to Stir Fry: I make this orange-ginger chicken stir fry virtually weekly. It’s an amazing meal to vary up primarily based on what’s in season. As a substitute of snap peas, add 1-2 inch items of asparagus in the course of the spring season.
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts: One in every of my favourite dinner meals. Wrap rooster breasts round asparagus spears and bake. Serve with the easiest baked sweet potatoes, Instant Pot mashed potatoes, Instant Pot rice, or your favourite facet.
