It is great for stir-fry and making hot pot ingredients. It is versatile because of its flavor and color. It is high in nutritional value and should be consumed regularly. You may have ever had spinach that was so bad you couldn’t use the leaves properly or it became wrinkly. You want it to last as long as possible, even if you are having a lot of problems. How to keep your spinach fresh for a long time?
Here are some tips for how to store spinach properly and how to preserve it for a long period of time.
How to store fresh spinach for a long time
- Identify fresh spinach
- Temperature in the room
- Keep spinach in the fridge
- Frozen
- Boil and Save
- Use as a bookmark
1. Identify fresh spinach
It doesn’t make any sense to purchase spinach that has lost its freshness, no matter how well you preserve it.
I would like to have fresh, crispy and delicious spinach whenever possible.
How do you determine the freshness of spinach. These are the points.
Leaf
If the leaf’s back is dark green, it’s okay. Although the color of the leaf on the back is yellowish-green, I prefer the one with a more dark color.
Make sure the leaf tips remain crisp and clean. The leaves must be thick enough. Even better, the leaves should be dense and voluminous.
stem
The best stem is one with moderate thickness. It should not be too thin as it will lack umami. However, if it is too thick it can grow too fast and produce strong lye.
roots
Good spinach is brightly colored. Pick one with a lovely pink color and freshness. The thicker the root cuts, the better the growth. So choose the one with a thicker cut.
Be sure to review the following points before you purchase spinach from a supermarket or greengrocer.
2. Temperature in the room
There is actually a way to keep spinach fresher even at room temperature.
In hot weather it is impossible, but in colder seasons, you can wrap it in a paper or plastic bag with the roots facing down and store it with its roots facing up.
You can also soak the roots in water for a few minutes. After removing any water, wipe the roots dry with a towel. Wrap the roots in moistened kitchen papers and place them in a bag.
The roots need moisture, but it is important to be cautious as they can be easily damaged by water.
3. Keep spinach in the fridge
How can fresh spinach be kept in the fridge? There are several ways to keep fresh spinach fresh for between 10 and 12 days.
For refrigeration
1 Take out any yellow discolored leaves.
2 Wrap the spinach in moistened kitchen papers.
3. Place it in a baggie or plastic bag.
4 Place the leaves on the upside and place in the vegetable section of the refrigerator.
The leaves can be damaged by storing spinach in a container. It is best to keep it upright. It is easy to place it in a PET container or large glass.
Before storing them in the fridge, make sure you have removed any damaged leaves. Place it in the plastic bag or packaging that you received at the time of purchase and then store it upright in a PET container that has been cut in half, with the leaf tips facing upwards.
Save in an upright position
Spinach that is kept sideways can easily be damaged and crushed. Make sure you keep it upright in your refrigerator
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Steps to Follow
Step 1 Cut the spinach leaves where they begin. This trick will allow you to keep your spinach longer. Don’t be alarmed if there are still leaves in the lower part of the plant. You can also cut them.
Step 2 Wash the spinach leaves in tap water. Let them sit for a while in your kitchen sink. Next, dry the leaves on a kitchen towel or paper.
Step 3 Wrap the spinach in tissue or paper towels, squeeze some air out, and then place the “wrapped” spinach in a Tupperware tightly sealed so it doesn’t come in contact with any air.
Step 4 That’s all! When fresh spinach is desired for any meal, simply open the Tupperware and take out the leaves. Keep it in the refrigerator.
Spinach can be kept for between 10-12 days, and its properties will remain intact.
4. Frozen
Spinach can be frozen raw or boiled.
After freezing from raw
Wipe the spinach clean, then cut it into lengths of 3-4 cm. Place it in a freezer bag. It becomes fragile when it freezes so be gentle when handling it.
You can freeze it for cooking. You can use it right away by heating it in hot water, or heating it in the microwave oven. After the lye has been removed, squeeze the water out of the bottle.
After boiling , freeze
Boil the spinach until it is soft. Drain the water and then cut into bite-sized pieces. Each portion should be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag.
It can be used to make soy sauce, pasta and spicy sauce. However, it is soft enough that it can be used as baby food.
5. Boil and Save
For refrigeration
Boil it and store it. Then, boil it again and let it sit for a while before exposing it to water. Then, squeeze the water out with your hand. Divide it into small pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap.
It is vital to drain water as soon as possible.
It can be used as-is, added to miso soup or as a pasta or rice ingredient.
It is convenient because it is ready for use. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
6. Use as a bookmark
Although it takes some time, it is possible to turn boiled spinach into a paste that can be stored in the freezer.
It can be used as a soup base, but it is also suitable for making baby food.
Boil the spinach until it is about 5 cm long and then grind it in a food processor.
Then, wrap it in a freezer bag. It can be kept for approximately a month.
How long can spinach be stored?
Winter is the best season to eat spinach. Because spinach is only available in winter, it is best to keep it at 0 to 5 degrees Celsius. If there are other items in your refrigerator, the temperature could rise. It is important to place it in a safe and secure location.
Untreated, nutritional value can be reduced and you may not get the nutrients you need. I want to know how the food was stored and for how long.
According to some sources, the following is the guideline for storage.
At normal temperatures
1 day in summer, 2 days in winter
Refrigerate
It takes approximately 3 days. It takes approximately 1 week to 10 business days for the processing.
frozen
Raw for up to 2 weeks, boiled for approximately 1 month
Proper processing will extend the storage period. Let’s look at the storage process and storage period.