Whether it’s the pungent bite of a red onion or the mellow presence of sautéed yellow onions, onions are essential in cooking. From soups to stews to homemade sauces, as well as in salads and sandwiches, they star in a variety of dishes. For this reason—and because onions can stay fresh for months at a time—it’s practical to have some stashed in your kitchen ready to be used at a moment’s notice. But how they’re stored can dictate how long you’re able to preserve the vegetable’s flavor.
Keep onions fresh for a long time in the black bag.
If you have some onions in the fridge or basket and you want to preserve them so you can use them for a long time , this is what you should do:
– When buying onions, check that the skin is intact and not rotted;
– Remove any outer layer that seems dirty to you;
– Place onions in a black bag;
– Take 2 tablespoons of salt and put them on a paper towel;
– Cut 4 or 5 slices of ginger and place them on top of the salt;
– Make a square with the napkin and wrap it around itself;
– Attach two rubber bands to the ends.
Now put the napkin as you rolled it inside the black bag, let the air out of the bag and tie a knot. Once you have carefully tied the bag, store it in a dry place.
The spicy flavor of ginger has the power to kill bacteria and thus prevents bacterial attacks on onions. Salt is a strong absorbent ingredient and therefore absorbs moisture that can cause onions to mold. The black bag blocks light from entering and therefore prevents the onions from growing.
Alternative method: transparent bag
Another way to keep them fresh for a long time is to store them in the transparent bag , here’s how:
– Take them and put them in a transparent bag;
– Put two cigarettes inside the bag;
– Close the bag and store in the refrigerator below 5 degrees.
Oddly enough, nicotine acts as an absorbent and keeps the onions dry.
Fresh onions with baking soda and tea leaves
Still using the clear bag , here is another method to keep onions fresh for a long time:
– Put them in a transparent bag;
– Take a paper towel and spread some baking soda;
– Add baking soda to loose leaf tea;
– Close the bag and store it in a ventilated and dry place.
Baking soda has excellent absorbent action and does not allow them to absorb excess water. The tea leaves also absorb water and odors, keeping the onions dry and odor-free. In addition, they contain polyphenols that make it difficult for onions to sprout.
Rice
Another foolproof method to keep onions fresh for a long time is to use rice . Take a plate, pour some rice and put them on it.
Cover with rice and you will see that bacteria will not be produced due to the strong smell . Because rice is practically dry, it stays dry and fresh for a long time. When you eat them, they will still be firm and intact, and full of flavor too !
Store onions in jars
The jar method is also foolproof for keeping them fresh for a long time. This is how you do it:
– Take a glass jar with a stopper;
– Place the onions inside, being careful not to leave any space between them;
– Close the jar and store it in a dry place.
They will be very close together and will remain intact and perfect for a long time. Again you have to put them in a dry place.
As you see, you can choose your favorite foolproof method to preserve them and always enjoy them as when you bought them, beautiful fresh!
