How to keep green onions fresh in the refrigerator for a long time: storage methods so that the greens remain juicy for as long as possible

Fresh green onions make a wonderful addition to many mouth-watering dishes. It is fragrant, pleasant to the taste, and most importantly, it is good for the body. This valuable product is consumed from early spring to mid-autumn.

If you picked them from the garden and for some reason did not use them completely, then you can use our tips to keep your green onions fresh for as long as possible. You can store plants yourself at home using different methods. In any case, it is important to follow the technology for preparing greens for storage.

Preparation for storage

Before you send your greens for storage, they need to be properly prepared .

Sort through the stems, removing all damaged elements.
Rinse the onion in warm water. Even if it looks clean on the outside, this does not mean that it is free of dust, soil and pathogens.
It is convenient to use a large saucepan or bowl for washing. Water is taken into it and the entire feathers are immersed.
It is not recommended to wash them under the tap, as under the powerful pressure of water they can be injured.
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Dry the greens on a paper towel.
If the onion will be stored whole, then you can not wash it, but simply wipe it with a damp cloth to remove particles of soil and dust. A natural waxy coating protects the product from premature deterioration, so it is not recommended to remove it.

For storage you need to choose bright and juicy feathers, light green in color. There should be no damage, creases, or signs of damage.

If the ends of the onion begin to wither and turn yellow, it should not be stored, but used first.

Factors that reduce shelf life

Unfavorable factors when storing fresh greens are:

High ambient temperature.
Violation of the integrity of onion feathers (does not apply to processed storage methods)
Direct sunlight, which activates the process of plant wilting.
Moisture on the walls of the container or on the onion feathers, provoking the process of rotting.

How to store so that the greens remain juicy as long as possible?

There are several ways to store onions in the refrigerator. For this use:

plastic bags,
containers,
paper,
glass jars.

Depending on the container chosen, the shelf life of the product will differ. If you want to learn how to preserve green onions for the winter, read this post.

In packages

In polyethylene (in a bag or in cling film), onions remain fresh for about 30 days, but you need to make sure that moisture does not accumulate in it. To evaporate condensation, several holes are made in the film using a toothpick.

Before wrapping the onion in film, you need to keep it in the refrigerator. The bag itself is placed there for cooling. If they are at the same temperature, much less condensation will form.

There is no need to wash or cut the stems . They are placed entirely in cellophane. The filled bags are tied and placed in a vegetable drawer.

In containers

It is convenient to store onions in containers. They seal tightly and do not take up much space in the refrigerator. Evacuation of the vacuum helps extend the shelf life of the product by several weeks. In this form, the greens remain fresh for a month.

Preference should be given to polypropylene containers that do not contain substances harmful to the body.

Procedure:

rinse the container from the inside, wipe with a paper towel and dry;
chop the greens and fill the container 2/3 full; if it is large, then the onions can be laid in whole feathers in a circle, making sure that no creases form on it;
close the container with a lid and pump out the air;
put the container in the refrigerator.

Housewives store greens not only in vacuum containers, but also in ordinary containers. However, the shelf life of the product in this case is reduced to 15 days.

In paper

This method allows the greens to remain fresh for up to 1.5-2 months. You must act strictly according to the instructions:

Rehydrate the stems by placing their lower ends in cool, clean water. If the onion was recently removed from the garden, then 10 minutes is enough for it to “get drunk”. In other cases, it is left in water for an hour.
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Separately, soak gauze or cotton cloth with water and wring it out. It should be moist, not wet.
Place the shoots with the bottom part on gauze and wrap it in several layers.
The paper is laid out on the table. The bundle is placed in it and wrapped so that it does not open. As a result, you get 2 layers. One will retain moisture, preventing the onion from drying out, and the second will be responsible for ventilation of the feathers.
To prevent the paper from slipping, it can be secured with thread. In this form, the onions are put in the refrigerator.

In glass

Another convenient way to store onions is in a glass jar. Whole feathers are placed in it, covered with a nylon lid and put in the refrigerator. In this form, the greens remain fresh for a month.

The only drawback of this method is that only small shoots fit into the jar. You cannot bend them, otherwise the top will wither.

Not only whole feathers, but also cut feathers are stored in glass. To prevent the product from spoiling, proceed as follows:

wash, dry and cut onions;
the jar is sterilized or doused with boiling water;
put chopped greens in it, sprinkle the layers with salt;
1 kg of onion will require 250 g of salt;
Close the jar with a nylon lid and put it in the refrigerator.

Salted onions can be stored in a jar for up to 6 months. In this form it is convenient to use for preparing salads and hot dishes.

Optimal conditions and terms

Fresh green onions should not be kept in the refrigerator without packaging, but they should not be tightly packed either. In the first case, the stems dry out, in the second, they deteriorate from excess moisture.

A refrigerator is suitable for ideal preservation of vegetables in urban environments. The optimal storage temperature for fresh feathers for a month is 2-7 °C. When cooled to 0 °C, the period can be extended by 2 times.

Make sure that no moisture comes into contact with the product during this time. That’s why the bags are cooled before packaging, only then filled with herbs. Before this, it is washed and dried.

The container and type of product play an important role during storage. Onions in oil and salted are kept cool, without access to light, at a temperature of 5-10 ° C. It is recommended to pour dried feathers into small canvas bags.

Consumer deadlines directly depend on the procurement method:

ice cream – about a year;
dried – 16-24 months;
fermented - up to six months;
freshly harvested – 3-4 months.

In the freezer

In the freezer, the shelf life of onions increases to a year. At the same time, the greens practically do not lose their beneficial properties, but their taste characteristics slightly deteriorate .

It becomes less flavorful and less crunchy after defrosting. Onions can be stored in the freezer either as whole feathers or in chopped form.

In plastic bags

You can store whole greens in the bag. Proceed as follows:

Soak the feathers in warm water for 3 minutes, then rinse gently.
They cut off their roots, if any.
Shake the stems to remove excess moisture.
Spread the onions in a single layer on a paper towel. Leave until completely dry.
Wrap the plant in cling film or a bag so that you get a long roll.
Store in the freezer.

If desired, the onion can be chopped and poured into a bag. At the same time, it must be laid out in an even, thin layer. From such a plate it is convenient to break off pieces of the required size without defrosting the main mass. Do not store herbs in the same compartment as fish and meat.

In ice trays

For the purpose of subsequent heat treatment, onions are prepared in ice trays:

wash and chop the greens;
put it in ice trays;
pour water over the greens, add very little liquid, there should be less of it than onions;
put the molds in the freezer for several hours;
take out the frozen onion cubes, put them in bags and send them for permanent storage.

Instead of water, you can pour olive oil over the greens. These cubes are great for seasoning borscht or other first courses.

Modern recipes for preserving green onions

Pickling will help maintain the fresh taste and aroma of onions.

There are several cooking options, but the most common are:

classical;
with the addition of honey;
with wild garlic.

Pickling

This is a standard recipe for pickled green onions, which is often used by housewives for winter preparations.

Read more ► How to keep Jerusalem artichoke fresh all winter at home

Pickled green onions

Required grocery set:

green feather – 2.5 kg;
dill and parsley – 180 g;
vinegar – 70-100 ml;
granulated sugar – 1 tsp.
salt, allspice - to taste.

Wash the stems with heads and allow time for the moisture to drain completely. Make a brine: 100 g of salt, 1 liter of water. Pour it over chopped onions and leave to soak for two days.

Prepare the marinade mixture by mixing sugar, salt, and vinegar. The greens are placed in sterilized jars, poured with marinade and closed. Put away in the cold.

Method with honey

For honey onions you will need:

vinegar – 200-210 ml;
filtered water – 1 glass;
natural honey – 45 g;
table salt – 3-4 g.

Finely chop the stems, place them in a clean and dry glass container, and pour in the marinade dressing. For the dressing, mix all the ingredients from the list and boil for a minute.

Then sterilize in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Cool on the kitchen table, wrapped in a towel. Store in a cool, dark place.

Method with wild garlic

Green onions with wild garlic are prepared in the same way as the classic one. Only wild garlic preparations are additionally used.

You will need:

wild garlic, fresh onions – 1-2 kg;
filtered water – 1 liter;
table vinegar – 180 ml;
black peppercorns – 20 g;
granulated sugar, salt - 1.5 tbsp. l.

First, the greens are washed, dried and coarsely chopped. Transfer to a saucepan and add pepper. In the meantime, make the marinade: add vinegar and sugar to the water, bring to a boil, keep it warm for 2 minutes and turn it off.

Pour it into the onion slices and mix. After cooling, they are packaged into containers and covered with nylon lids.

How long does it last?

Greens keep well in the refrigerator. At a temperature of +3...+4 degrees it remains fresh for 2-3 weeks.

At a temperature of about 0 degrees, its shelf life increases to 1-2 months. If you chop the product and sprinkle it with salt, you can store it for up to six months .

Onions keep for a long time in the freezer. It remains edible for a year. If the greens have been chopped and soaked in water or olive oil, they should be used within 6 months.

Containers suitable for this purpose

To keep onions fresh for as long as possible, use suitable containers. These can be glass jars, plastic bags, paper or foil.

Glass containers

You can keep the greens fresh in a glass jar on the refrigerator shelf for a week. The main condition is to put in the container only those feathers that fit entirely into it. If the stem breaks or becomes dented, it will begin to rot.

Polyethylene

You can keep green onions in plastic bags for 1 month. The main condition for such storage is the absence of condensation. To avoid this, make holes in each bag with a needle and keep the plastic container in the refrigerator for a while before sorting the greens.

Paper

Paper wrapping is suitable for storing onions at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Wrap the stems in a layer of craft paper or a thick napkin and secure with thread. Wet the surface and maintain proper humidity during storage. Use only thick paper, as thin paper will tear.

Foil

The onions will keep in foil on the refrigerator shelf for 7–10 days. For the procedure you will need a sheet of foil and a needle. Wrap the prepared stems loosely in foil, sealing all holes. Make 5-10 punctures in the package for ventilation. For convenience, divide the product into portions and wrap each portion in a separate sheet of foil.

Helpful information

The following tips will help maintain the freshness of the product:

The less time passes from the moment the onions are picked from the garden until they are sent to the refrigerator, the better. This will allow you to retain maximum vitamins in it.
Feathers should not be crushed or broken. It is better to remove all damaged parts immediately.
Stems with roots that were not cut, but torn out of the ground, are stored longer.
You can't keep the bow open. In the fresh air, it quickly gives off moisture and deteriorates.
The small bulbs at the ends of the feathers do not need to be trimmed. When stored in the refrigerator, they are simply wrapped in a damp cloth and secured with thread.

You should not eat spoiled food. The main signs indicating that onions need to be thrown away are the appearance of an unpleasant odor and the formation of mold.

A lot of useful information about storing onions can be found here.

How can you tell if a product has gone bad?

Regardless of how you store onions, periodically check their freshness and quality. Even slight damage to the stems and minimal rotting over time leads to damage to the entire volume of the product. Onions should be thrown into the trash if:

an unpleasant odor appeared;
there is mold in the container;
the stems are rotten;
After preservation, the lid on the container swelled.

Green onions will retain maximum beneficial properties and will last longer than usual if you pay utmost attention to preparing the product and follow simple storage rules. Storage methods are very easy and do not require any special skills or knowledge from you.

The best recipe for pickling onions in jars

This cooking option is very fast and does not require much energy. Yes, and you only need any food here. But the pickling turns out very tasty and beautiful! Suitable both as a snack and for decorating dishes.

Ingredients:

2 medium red onions;
3 tsp vinegar 30%;
400 ml water;
2 tsp salt;
2 tsp Sahara;
4 bay leaves;
8 black peppercorns.

How to cook:

1. Peel the onion heads and cut them into rings.

2. Place 2 bay leaves and 4 peppercorns on the bottom of the jar. Place the chopped onion on top, followed by the remaining pepper and bay leaves.

3. Boil water. Add salt, sugar and vinegar to it. Stir the marinade thoroughly. To get 30% vinegar, dilute 1 part 70% vinegar essence in 1.5 parts water.

4. Fill the workpiece with liquid, close the lid and place in a warm place.

You can enjoy the finished preserves in just 4 hours. Bon appetit!

Which bow is suitable

For storage for the winter, only fresh feathers of a bright green color are taken, without damage or damage from insects or diseases.

Before harvesting for the winter, the greens are inspected and damaged specimens are removed. If the tips of the feathers are dry, they are cut off. The onion is thoroughly washed in running water and dried by blotting with a towel. Then cut into medium or small pieces.

Reference! The size of the cut depends on where the workpiece is added. Medium pieces are suitable for main courses; smaller pieces are suitable for sauces.

How to dry onions for the winter

An alternative to freezing is drying. Dried greens will retain their beneficial properties. Plus, it can be used in dishes all year round.

You can dry onions in three ways:

natural air drying;
in a convection oven;
in the oven.

In the first method, the greens need to be laid out on some surface, for example, on a tray, baking sheet, sieve, etc. Cover the onions with paper or gauze.

After drying, distribute everything into containers and place in a dark and dry place.

In the oven, onions can be dried in just 2-3 hours. Set the oven temperature to 40-50 degrees.

In an air fryer, the product will cook in just half an hour. It is necessary to set the temperature to 70 degrees.

Dried onions take up 10 times less space than fresh ones. If you pour hot water over it, it restores its beneficial properties. It is good to put the preparation in the first and second courses.

Adviсe

The freshness and shelf life of a product depend on its dryness: wet, undried feathers deteriorate faster.

If there is no refrigerator, feathers are kept in the basement. To do this, they are wrapped in thick paper and placed vertically, used within 7 days.

When frozen in the first weeks, the vegetable will emit a strong smell, so the container is placed on top of other products or away from them.

To prevent dried onions from losing their taste and smell, they should not be mixed with other types of greens.

By the way! Frozen and dried feathers are used only for hot dishes. They are not suitable for salads.

To prevent the sharp onion from being bitter after pickling, first pour boiling water over it or place it in water with vinegar and bring to a boil.

How to keep fresh onions green: preparing the greens

Onions need to be prepared for storage while they are being harvested. When harvesting, be careful: creases in the feathers lead to juice leakage, rotting, and the appearance of dark spots.

How to prepare onions for storage: What to store dried herbs for tea

Sort through all the feathers, discard any yellowed or wilted ones. Some of what has been sorted out should be consumed as quickly as possible. Only the freshest and whole feathers should be stored.
Do not remove the onion heads. The maximum you can do is cut off the dirty roots, clean off the top layer.
Rinse the greens in a deep container. Never use it under a tap, as this will damage the feathers.