~ Vegetable Storage ~ ~ Vegetarian ~ Wisconsin Recipes ~ Kathy Martin's blog "Skippy's Vegetable Garden" ~ ~ Root Cellars ~
Inspired by Kathy Martin's blog Skippy's Vegetable Garden I post information on how to correctly store vegetables. In my research, I decided that a root cellar is not practical for a suburbanite. Good ideas which I am going to try are: using cold spaces in attic or enclosed porch and using the cellar. So, winter of 2008 will be the big experiment.
Storage | Degrees | Humidity | Vegetables |
Refrigerator | 40° | 30-40% | Carrots, celeriac, beets, apples, pears, kale, bok choi, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga |
Unheated entrance, attic or spare room | 40-50° | 10-30% | Winter squashes (butternut, delicata, acorn squash) onions, garlic |
Cellar, cool damp corner | 33-50° | 30-50% | Potatoes, sweet potatoes |
Vegetable | Storage in Refrigerator |
Beets | Cut the tops off. If the tops are in good shape wash them and cook them. Yum. Don’t wash the beets. Store them in a plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator. The tops where you cut off the greens might be a little rotty. Not to worry. When you peel them the insides will be great. Inside that plastic bag beets in the back of the fridge will keep for months. |
Brussels Sprouts | Cut the little sprouts off the stem and store them in a plastic bag in the back of the fridge like the carrots. They will keep for at least a couple of months. They will usually keep for up to six weeks. |
Carrots, Celeriac, Turnip | Store in a plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator. Carrots will keep for months this way. After being stored a long time there may be a white root substance on the carrot. Not to worry. Just peal it off. As long as the carrots are bright orange underneath they will taste wonderful. Organic carrots actually gain sweetness when stored. |
Cabbage | Store cabbage in a plastic bag. When you take it out some of the outside leaves may look mildewed but not to worry. Simply strip off the outside leaves and the inside is as good as new. Cabbage will keep this way in the back of the fridge often for three months. |
Celeriac | Tops will probably be off. Store like carrots. If any part is a bit rotty when you take it out merely cut it off. Chances are the rest is just fine. |
Collard Greens, Kale | These are not long keepers. Best to eat them within two or three weeks of the delivery. Immerse in cold water, wrap in a cloth dish towel, and place in your fridge. |
Turnips, Rutabaga | Store like carrots |
Recommended optimum storage conditions for pumpkins and winter squashes
Type Squash |
Humidity |
Temperature | Time |
Remarks |
Pumpkins |
50 to 75% |
50 to 55oF |
2 to 3 months |
Fruit should be mature. Don't store with apples. |
Hubbards |
70 to 75% |
50 to 55oF |
5 to 6 months |
Stores well. |
Acorn |
50 to 75% |
50oF |
5 to 8 weeks |
At temperatures >55oF, surface becomes yellow and flesh becomes stringy. |
Butternut or Buttercups |
50 to 75% |
50oF |
2 to 3 months |
Degree of maturity not as important as for other types. |
When winter squash are removed from storage, they should be marketed or consumed immediately, as rot can develop quickly. Black rot, dry rot, and bacterial soft rot are the principal causes of spoilage in stored winter squash.
North Carolina University Storing Winter Squash and Pumpkins http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-24-c.html
The length of time that onions will store is highly dependent on the variety – the onions in the multi-farm winter share are storage onions and should last several months, especially if stored in a dark, cool area. When onions start to sprout they gradually become unusable. If you see an onion sprouting use it as soon as possible. If onions become soft they are rotten and should be removed from storage.
Cellar in a cool damp corner
Source: excerpted and adapted from Skippy's Vegetable Garden http://carletongarden.blogspot.com/
Comment posted 1/8/08 by Gretta Anderson
Storage Tips for Winter Vegetables adapted from How to Store Vegetables in a Typical Suburban Home by Richard Harrison
http://belmontcsa.blogspot.com/2008/01/storage-tips-for-winter-vegetables.html
Vegetables |
How
to Store |
Refrigerator |
Room Temperature 70°F (21°C) |
Freezer |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asparagus | Do not wash before storing. Keep in crisper, plastic bags, or plastic containers. | 1-2 days | 8 months | |
Beans Dried | Keep in crisper or moisture proof wrap. | 1-2 days | 12 months | 8 months |
Green or Waxed | 3-5 days | 8 months | ||
Lima (unshelled) | 8 months | |||
Beets | Remove leafy tops. Keep in crisper. | 1-2 weeks | ||
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and summer squash | Store in crisper in plastic bags or plastic containers | 3-5 days | ||
Cabbage | 1-2 weeks | Does NOT freeze. | ||
Carrots | Remove tops. Store in plastic bags or plastic containers. | 1-2 weeks | 8 months | |
Celery | Keep in crisper or moisture proof wrap. | 1-2 weeks | Do not store here. | |
Corn | 1-2 days in husk | 8 months | ||
Lettuce Head (unwashed) | Store away from other vegetables. | 5-7 days | ||
Head (washed and drained) | 3-5 days | |||
Bib | 1-2 days | |||
Mushrooms | Do not wash before storing. | 1-2 days | ||
Onions | Keep dry and away from sun | 2 weeks | ||
Peas Dried | Store in cool dry place in airtight container. | 3-5 days | 12 months | 8 months |
Unshelled | ||||
Potatoes fresh, white | Keep dry and away from sun. For longer storage keep about 50F. Don't refrigerate potatoes. Keep in airtight package. | Do NOT refrigerate. | 2 weeks | |
Sweet Potatoes | 2-3 weeks | |||
Radishes and Parsnips | Remove tops. Store in refrigerator in plastic bags or in plastic containers. | 1-2 weeks | ||
Spinach, kale, collard, chard, beet turnip and mustard greens | Wash thoroughly in cold water. Lift out of water as grit settles to the bottom of pan. Drain well. Store in plastic bags. | 3-5 days | 8 months | |
Tomatoes | Flavor of tomatoes best at room temperature. Keep unripe tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight until they ripen. | Do NOT refrigerate. | 1-2 days | Do NOT freeze. |
Cauliflower, eggplants, snap beans | Store in refrigerator in crisper on plastic bags or plastic containers. | 1 week | ||
Rhubarb | Refrigerate stalks. Throw away the leaves, they are POISONOUS. | 3-5 days | ||
Peppers and cucumbers | Wash and dry, store in crisper or in plastic bags. | 1 week |
Source: Arizona Department of Health http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/fses/sfstt_dt10.htm
Fresh Vegetable | Fridge Time | Freezer Time | Storage Tips |
Asparagus | 2 - 3 days | 8 - 12 months | Don't wash before refrigerating. Store in crisper. |
Brussels Sprouts & Broccoli | 3-5 days | 8 - 12 months | Wrap odorous foods & refrigerate in crisper. |
Celery | 1-2 weeks | Not Recommended | Refrigerate in crisper. |
Cauliflower & Snap Beans | 1 week | 8 - 12 months | Wrap odorous foods & refrigerate in crisper. |
Carrots, Parsnips, Beets, Radishes & Turnips | 2 weeks | 8 - 12 months | Remove tops. Wrap odorous foods & refrigerate in crisper. |
Green Peas/Lima Beans | 3-5 days | 8 - 12 months | Leave in pods & refrigerate. |
Lettuce/Other Salad Greens | 1 week | Not Recommended | Wash. Drain well. Wrap & refrigerate in crisper. |
Mushrooms | 3-5 days | Not Recommended | Store in paper bag in crisper. |
Onions, Green | 3-5 days | 8 - 12 months | Wrap odorous foods & refrigerate in crisper. |
Peppers & Cucumbers | 1 week | 8 - 12 months | Wrap odorous foods & refrigerate in crisper. |
Guidelines
|
Source: Mid-America Appliance Center http://www.midamericaparts.com/faqrefrigans1.htm accessed Oct. 3, 2008