Parsley storage
I am trying to store parsley safely at room temperature using the following method:
- I snip off a little from the stem part and put parsley in a jar filled with around an inch of water
- I loosely cover parsley with a plastic bag to preserve humidity.
While this method helped me keep the parsley leaves from getting brownish and dry, I am experiencing another problem:
The part of the stem that was exposed to water is wilting for some reason.
Does anyone have a scientific explanation to why this is happening? Am I using too much water? or too little? Too hot? Too cold?
Thanks in advance :)
P.S. I'm thinking of doing the same thing but just without water in the jar. Would it work better?
Best Answer
The scientific reason? Not without seeing your specimen. (wink, wink)
Seriously, unlike cut flowers and other herbs like sage or rosemary, parsley is simply not happy in water for more than a couple of days, especially towards the end of the growing season and/or if it had been harvested some time ago. Nothing to do with the water, although that should be cold and changed daily for the best results.
Your parsley simply stopped taking up water and started to shut down cells, starting at the bottom of the stem. They are drying out and shrinking, so can no longer support the stem and appear to be wilting. This will continue up the stem once the water stored in the cells starts to evaporate. Conserving water already present is the most you can do. The plastic bag, which is slowing down transpiration, helps. You are lucky it is not starting to rot or develop moulds in the humid atmosphere inside an unventilated bag at room temperature.
If you have no fridge, try hanging a bunch of parsley upside down in a plastic bag in the coldest place you can find and out of direct sunshine. To save wastage, chop and freeze is the only way to go for long-term storage, or buy potted parsley instead of bunches, if you have no garden or balcony for growing it yourself. Some stores and farmers markets sell parsley with roots or parts thereof still intact. They will keep in a jar of water far more successfully.
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Quick Answer about "Parsley storage"
Keeping your parsley wrapped in a damp paper or kitchen towel in the refrigerator will keep it fresh for a few days. Treating the parsley much like a bunch of flowers will keep it fresh longer. Trim the stems slightly, and without washing place the bundle in a container filled with about 1 inch of water.Do you need to store parsley in fridge?
Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. According to Harold McGee, basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold. Change the water as needed: Change the water after several days if the water starts to discolor.Can fresh parsley be frozen for later use?
If you need to keep your parsley longer than 3\u20135 days, freezing it is your best option. The herbs won't be sprightly enough to work as a garnish, but they'll definitely work when stirred into an herb sauce, a pan of scrambled eggs, or a pot of beans.How long does parsley last unrefrigerated?
If cut parsley is left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, throw it away.Where should parsley be stored?
Refrigerate: Trim the parsley stems, place them in a glass jar or container of water, and store in the refrigerator. Rinse and dry the parsley before use. Dry: Pick the leaves off the herbs and arrange them on a paper towel-covered plate.HOW TO STORE PARSLEY FOR LONG TIME ( 2 options)
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Answer 2
I would keep cut parsley in the refrigerator, either in a little water in a jar or in a plastic bag, similar to cut flowers that are preserved by refrigeration.
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