In addition to being famous for its deliciousness and the richness of nutrients it contains, broccoli is also known as a vegetable that is difficult to keep fresh when stored. If you store broccoli improperly, its freshness and crunch will disappear in just one to two days. However, if you know how to store it properly, you can store broccoli and keep it fresh for 5 to 7 days (even longer if you freeze it). This article will tell you some of the ways you can save and keep broccoli fresh.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Storing Broccoli for a Short Period
Step 1. Put the broccoli together in a bouquet
You can store and maintain the freshness of broccoli by storing it as you would when you store a bunch of beautiful flowers, namely by forming a bouquet. This method may rarely be known by people, but this method is very effective for maintaining the freshness of broccoli when you store it. Flatten the stems of broccoli, then place the broccoli into a bowl filled with water as high as 1-2 cm. The broccoli head should be facing up and out of the bowl. After that, put the broccoli bowl in the refrigerator. Storing broccoli in this way can keep it fresh for 5-7 days.
To keep the broccoli fresh, cover the broccoli heads with a plastic bag (only loosely) and punch holes in the bag to allow the broccoli to get the air it needs. Change the water in the bowl every day
Step 2. Wrap the broccoli in a damp paper towel/paper
There are other ways you can do to maintain the freshness of broccoli so that it still looks attractive and tempting. Fill a spray bottle with cold water (don't use bottles used for harmful chemicals or bottles used for cleaning products), then spray cold water on the broccoli heads. Next, wrap the broccoli head using a tissue / kitchen paper with not too tight. That way, the paper towels will absorb some of the moisture in the broccoli. Store broccoli in the refrigerator. This method can keep broccoli fresh for about 3 days.
Don't wrap broccoli too tightly and don't store it in tightly closed containers. Broccoli needs airflow to stay fresh
Step 3. Store broccoli in a slit bag
If you don't have the time and patience to do the steps above, you can store and maintain broccoli freshness in a very easy way, by simply storing it in a plastic bag. Place the broccoli in the bag and close the bag, then make a few small holes in the part of the bag closest to the broccoli head to allow the broccoli to get the airflow it needs. Put the broccoli in the refrigerator. This way, the broccoli should be able to retain its freshness for several days.
Step 4. Don't wash the broccoli you buy
A little moisture is needed to keep broccoli fresh, but if the broccoli is too moist, things may not happen. Humidity that is too high will cause broccoli to mold in just a few days, making fresh broccoli inedible. For this reason, avoid washing store-bought broccoli, as broccoli has been pre-washed and dried, so it doesn't require further washing. However, if you use broccoli that you grow yourself, you will need to wash it to clean it of small insects and dust. After washing, make sure you dry it to prevent mold.
You can wash the broccoli that you pick with warm water mixed with white vinegar in a large bowl. Soak broccoli for about 15 minutes to get rid of small insects and clean broccoli from stains and dust that sticks to hard-to-reach areas. After that, remove the broccoli from the marinade, rinse it under cold water, and dry it thoroughly before placing it in the refrigerator
Step 5. Put the broccoli in the refrigerator as soon as possible
One thing you should definitely do after you buy broccoli is to store it in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Some sources suggest that even if the broccoli you buy is very fresh, you should still store it in the refrigerator within 30 minutes of purchase. The sooner the broccoli is stored in the refrigerator, the more likely you are to preserve the freshness and perfection of the broccoli's crunchy texture.
Method 2 of 3: Freezing Broccoli for a Long Time
Step 1. Prepare boiling hot water and ice water
The steps mentioned above are great for preserving the freshness of broccoli, but if you don't plan to use the broccoli you've purchased in the near future, it is recommended that you freeze it. Frozen broccoli can last up to a year. That way, you can store broccoli for a long period of time and use it whenever you need it without worrying about the broccoli not being fresh. But freezing broccoli doesn't mean you just put it in the freezer and leave it alone; first of all, broccoli must go through a “bleaching” process. To do this, prepare 2 pots of similar size, one filled with boiling water and the other filled with iced water. For the ice water container, you can also replace it with a basin that is the same size as the pan you are using.
Step 2. Cut the broccoli head into small pieces
While you wait for the water to boil, take your time to cut the broccoli heads into small pieces using a kitchen knife or kitchen shears. The length and width of the broccoli should not exceed 2.5 cm, as well as the length of the broccoli stem. It's important to cut the broccoli heads into small pieces -- if you don't, the "bleaching" process won't spread all the way to the inside of the broccoli.
Alternatively, you can divide the broccoli into small pieces with your bare hands. Grab the heads of broccoli and break them off, that way, you'll get a bunch of broccoli heads with short stems. If the broken head of broccoli is still too long or wide, break it again until it is the ideal size
Step 3. Boil the broccoli pieces for three minutes
Once you've separated the broccoli into small pieces, put the broccoli into the boiling water for a "bleaching" process. You don't need to boil them in hot water for too long -- about three minutes should suffice. Stir evenly in the boiling process so that the ripeness of the broccoli in the "bleaching" process can be evenly distributed.
The purpose of this "bleaching" process is to make broccoli last longer when frozen. All vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria that cause the color, texture and taste of vegetables to become less delicious after freezing. The "bleaching" process kills bacteria and stops enzymes from working, so the broccoli will still taste great even after being frozen
Step 4. Let the broccoli sit for three minutes
After boiling for three minutes, drain broccoli. Once drained, immediately put the broccoli into the ice water that you have prepared. Let the broccoli soak in the ice water for about three minutes, stirring thoroughly so that the whole broccoli gets the effect the ice water gives.
Ice water will stop the broccoli ripening process by giving the broccoli a drastic change. Your purpose in boiling broccoli is to go through the "bleaching" process, not to cook it -- if you don't submerge the broccoli in ice water, it will become mushy and not tasty. If you put "bleached" broccoli directly into the freezer, the effect of temperature changes that occur will not be as drastic as when you put it in ice water, because in ice water, broccoli makes direct contact with ice water, so the temperature change will occur with drastic
Step 5. Drain to dry
After the broccoli has soaked for about 3 minutes (the broccoli should be ice-cold when you touch it), drain the broccoli using a strainer and let it sit for a while. While waiting, you can shake the drain to reduce the moisture on the inside of the broccoli. After one to two minutes, use a paper towel/kitchen paper to wipe the water over the surface of the broccoli to remove any moisture.
Step 6. Place the broccoli in a bag and seal the bag, then place it in the freezer
Transfer the broccoli pieces to an airtight bag, and attach a label that says today's date. Remove the air from the bag by squeezing it and sealing the bag, then placing the bag in the freezer. With that, your work is done. If the bagged broccoli has frozen, it should last up to a year.
- For maximum results, use a low temperature “deep freezer”, not a zero-frost freezer, because in the periodic cycle that runs in a zero-frost freezer, there is a stage where the ice inside will melt, then freeze again at a later stage, and continue repeatedly like that, this can reduce the shelf life of broccoli when stored.
- Special airtight bag sealers (such as the FoodSaver) are great for freezing vegetables. This tool will help you to remove all the air that is in the container/bag where the broccoli is stored, so that broccoli stored in the freezer will last much longer and be fresher than broccoli stored in the freezer with the usual method. However, the tool is sold at a price of more than 1.2 million rupiah.
- For some dishes (especially baked goods), you don't need to thaw the vegetables you've frozen. Immediately use frozen vegetables in your cooking process, because the moisture contained by these vegetables will be lost in the process of making the dish. However, if you want to cook that requires you to use unfrozen broccoli, you will need to soak the broccoli in room temperature water for a few minutes to allow the broccoli to melt first.
Method 3 of 3: Choosing Fresh Broccoli
Step 1. Choose dark green broccoli
If you want to freeze broccoli that is fresh, crunchy, and delicious, of course you should use broccoli that is very fresh. When you buy broccoli at the local supermarket or pick it straight from your garden, it is better to know the characteristics of fresh and healthy broccoli, so that you can choose only the best broccoli. You can determine whether broccoli is fresh or not by looking at the head of the broccoli. Fresh broccoli heads should be dark green.
Don't go for broccoli with a yellowish head – this is a sign that the broccoli has passed its freshness period and is about to flower. Broccoli with this condition usually has a rather hard texture
Step 2. Don't pick broccoli florets as big as match heads
Another thing you should pay attention to when you choose broccoli is to pay attention to the size of the broccoli florets -- are the broccoli florets small and blending in with each other, or are they large and separate? For an ideal broccoli, the florets should look small and even, and the unit size of the florets that are slightly smaller than the head of a matchstick indicates that the broccoli is at its freshest and best.
But that does not mean that you are not advised to choose broccoli that has very small buds. Small flower broccoli also tastes great -- in real life, most frozen broccoli sold in supermarkets don't have large buds
Step 3. Choose broccoli with firm heads
The texture of the broccoli you choose is very important to note. The best broccoli is broccoli with a crunchy texture when you bite it, and the worst broccoli is broccoli that is chewy and soft. Check the texture of the broccoli with your hands, either by squeezing it or turning it gently. Good broccoli should be slightly firm and firm, but not really tough.
Step 4. For broccoli that you grow yourself, pick broccoli in the morning and refrigerate immediately
When you buy broccoli at the market, the broccoli provided has been picked and washed for you, so you don't have to do that again. However, if you grow your own broccoli at home, you will determine the "how" and "when" you will harvest the broccoli, so take this opportunity to get the maximum freshness out of your broccoli. In general, for broccoli at its freshest, it is recommended that you harvest it at the coldest temperature of the day (usually in the morning). Harvest broccoli by cutting it on the stem and immediately placing it in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
