Onions are an indispensable ingredient in cooking and keep fresh for a long time. They are available all year round, but if you grow them in your garden or on the balcony you can permanently delete them from your shopping list. Here's how to pick and store onions so they retain flavor and nutrients for months.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Choosing the Onions to Store
Step 1. Those at the end of the season are best suited to be stored for a long time
Onions harvested in spring and summer aren't tough enough to resist, so it's best to eat them within a few weeks. Plan to store onions that have been harvested in the fall, as they are best suited to persist in the winter.
- If you grow onions in your garden, be prepared to store the ones you sowed during the spring.
- The onions are ready to be harvested and stored from late summer until early autumn when the top of the plant begins to dry out and bend towards the ground.
Step 2. Keep the onions stronger and more pungent
Unlike the sweeter ones, they have sulfur components that make you cry when you affect them, but those same substances make them last longer during the winter. Onions with a more delicate taste do not have this self-preservation system, so they should be eaten within a few weeks of harvesting. Onions of the following varieties are suitable for storage for several months:
- Golden (or blond) onions: they have a very high sulfur content which makes them suitable for storage; the most common is the golden onion of Parma.
- White onions: in general it is best to eat them fresh, only those with a thin stem are suitable for storage.
- Red onions: they can be intertwined and preserved for a long time, a famous example is the Tropea onions.
Part 2 of 4: Preparing the Onions for Storage
Step 1. Dry the onion skin
After picking or buying them, scatter them on a flat surface in a ventilated area to allow the skin to dry. Do not peel off the leaves. Let the onions dry for 2 to 4 weeks.
- Choose a place where the onions are out of direct sunlight and moisture. Sunlight could alter their flavor, making them bitter. Protect them with a curtain or tarp. It is equally important that the air is dry, dry and does not stagnate.
- When the stalk of the onions is no longer green, it means that they are dry and ready to be stored. The peel must be well adherent to the pulp and wrinkled around the base of the stem.
Step 2. Remove the stems from the onions
When they are completely dry, peel them off the onions using a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.
- If some stalks have remained green despite a few weeks having passed, it means that those onions are not suitable for storage. Also check that there are no rotten onions or with damaged skin; in that case throw them away.
- Leave the last 2-3 cm of the stem intact. If you prefer, you can leave it attached to the onion and combine it with the others to create a braid.
Part 3 of 4: Storing the Onions
Step 1. Find a dark, cool place to store the onions
The temperature must remain constantly between 4 and 10 ° C. You can consider storing them in the cellar or in a basement space. Keep in mind that if the temperature is too high, the onions will begin to sprout, while if it is too low they will spoil.
Step 2. Keep them dry
Onions absorb moisture easily, so if the environment is humid they could go bad. Where you store onions, the humidity level should be around 65-70%.
Step 3. In addition to being dark, cool and dry, the space must be well ventilated
It is necessary for the air to circulate freely to prevent the onions from molding or rotting.
- The ideal is to keep them hanging inside a metal basket, a mesh bag or a pair of tights.
- If you decide to use tights to ensure proper ventilation for onions without having to buy a special container, tie a knot between one onion and another. In this way, when you are ready to use them, you can extract them one at a time, as needed, without having to change the position of the others. If you prefer, you can use twine or rubber bands to keep them apart.
Step 4. If you have decided to use tights, do the following
Make a knot in the toe of the socks, insert an onion and slide it down, then tie another knot to lock it in place. Slip another onion into the pantyhose, tie a third knot and continue like this by inserting as many onions as possible. Finally hang up the tights.
Onions stored in this way are free to breathe. Any moisture will evaporate quickly, so they will stay cool longer
Part 4 of 4: Using Onions
Step 1. Use the thick-stemmed onions first
The large diameter of the stem indicates that the onion is old and, consequently, cannot last as long as the smaller and younger ones.
Step 2. Check onions regularly
From time to time observe them closely and touch them to make sure they are not rotting.
- If the onions sprout you can eat them anyway; just remove the green part with the knife before using them in the kitchen.
- If an onion becomes slimy or faded, it's best to throw it away.
- Store onions you don't eat to plant them in your garden in the spring.
Step 3. Place the onions in the freezer after peeling them
Chop and distribute them in a pan without overlapping them. Place them in the freezer and then transfer them to a bag or food container when frozen. The downside of storing them this way is limited space.
Step 4. After using the onion in the kitchen, wrap the leftover parts in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator
It may happen that some leftovers remain after using them to prepare the sauté or salad. The best way to store them for later use is to wrap them in cling film and place them in the refrigerator in the vegetable drawer.
