In most cases, the best place to store clementines is in the refrigerator drawer. However, sometimes it is preferable to leave the fruit at room temperature or freeze it and, in this case, there are specific steps to follow that allow you to do this safely, whether you choose one method or the other.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Ambient Temperature
Step 1. Place the clementines in an open container
A basket or mesh bag is ideal, but any container without a lid is fine. Wooden crates with side slots are also a great choice.
Do not use airtight containers. If you inhibit air circulation, fruit ripens faster and may rot. You can reduce this risk by storing clementines in a container that favors exposure to air
Step 2. Keep them out of direct sunlight
Place the clementines on a table or kitchen counter as long as it is not flooded with sunlight. They keep better in a cool and not very humid environment.
Sunlight, heat and humidity are factors that favor the ripening of clementines, with the risk of them rotting
Step 3. Keep them for 2-7 days
Kept at room temperature, they typically last for 2-3 days. If they are in an excellent state of conservation and the environmental conditions are ideal, they can be kept for a whole week.
Method 2 of 3: Refrigerator
Step 1. Place the clementines in a netting bag
If you can, put them in a plastic netting bag. Twist the opening to close it and prevent them from escaping.
- Although it says that clementines should be stored in plastic bags or in airtight containers, in reality there is a risk that the fruit will soften quickly in this way. The netted bags, on the other hand, by circulating the air, hinder the formation of mold.
- Technically, if you put fruit in the dedicated area of the refrigerator, you don't have to keep it in netted bags. The latter serve more than anything else to keep it in order, preventing any dents or other damage, but it is not a problem if they are missing.
Step 2. Place the fruit in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator
Regardless of the use of netted bags, clementines must be kept in the drawer dedicated to fruit and vegetables inside the refrigerator.
The percentage of humidity inside this compartment differs from that of the rest of the refrigerator. Generally it is not possible to control it, but if there is a knob that allows you to adjust the internal humidity, choose the lowest level to prevent the fruit from becoming moldy
Step 3. Check the clementines periodically
Examine them every other day and remove any that seem overripe.
- If the fruit begins to soften, you should consume it the same day. You should throw it away, however, if it becomes too tender or starts to rot.
- Furthermore, if it is too ripe, it should be separated from the fresh one because in these conditions it produces a gas that accelerates the ripening of the nearest fruit. Consequently, if you keep an almost rotten clementine along with the others, you risk ruining them all.
Step 4. Keep them for a week or two
Stored this way, they will keep fresh for about a couple of weeks. If the conditions are ideal and the quality of the fruit is good, they may last even longer, but that doesn't happen often. Be careful when consuming clementines you have bought for more than two weeks.
Method 3 of 3: Freezer
Step 1. Peel and separate the fruit into wedges
Remove the peel and separate the wedges. Also remove the white parts and seeds, if any.
- Before peeling them, rinse them under cold water and gently pat them dry with paper towels. Even if you don't have to freeze the peel and pulp together, the dirt on the surface could transfer to your hands and contaminate them from there when you touch them.
- Keep in mind that this is the only method for freezing clementines. In fact, if you put them in the freezer without peeling them, you ruin the flavor and texture.
Step 2. Arrange the wedges in special freezer containers
Place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Do not fill more than three quarters of it.
Step 3. Make a syrup
In a large saucepan pour about 700 g of sugar and 1 liter of water. Heat everything on a medium-high heat stove, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and forms a clear mixture. Bring the syrup to a boil and turn off the heat.
After making the syrup, let the mixture rest and cool. Continue with the other steps only once the syrup is slightly warmer than room temperature. The ideal would be to get it to room temperature
Step 4. Pour the syrup over the clementines
Once cooled, distribute it on the wedges arranged inside the freezer containers. Pour in sufficient quantity to carefully coat each wedge, leaving at least 2-3 cm of space in height.
- You need to leave some space at the top as fruit tends to swell as it freezes. If the container is too full, the contents could spill, damaging the tray that collects it and creating a mess in the freezer.
- Close the containers or bags tightly by pressing them so that there is little air inside.
Step 5. You can keep them frozen for 10-12 months
Place the container, with the peeled clementines inside, on the bottom of the freezer. This way they will keep for almost a year.
- To thaw them, transfer it to the refrigerator so that the temperature drops gradually over a few hours.
- If stored at -18 ° C, you can safely eat them even after a long time. However, after 1 or 2 months, they risk losing most of their nutrients and the texture and flavor can change.
