OMG! The BEST WAY TO STORE PARSLEY Ever With Tips!

You add parsley to a salad for taste and most likely don’t even suspect how many valuable properties it has. What are the 14 medicinal properties of parsley?

Why should you beware of salads with parsley? The answers to all these questions are here.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE PARSLEY?

If you have your garden and you grow parsley there, you are just a lucky guy. Collect any tender herbs from the garden in the morning when there is no more dew. It has the most vivid aroma at this time, and at noon, when the sun is hot, it’s not so good.

If you buy it at the market or in a grocery store, pay attention to the color. A bright ochre shade and a fresh aroma are signs that the parsley is recently collected. You will be able to store it well.

” alt=”stay fresh” />

SEVERAL IDEAS TO SAVE FRESH HERBS:

  1. a jar or glass of water Put the greens in a container, so that the leaves are not immersed in water. Then cover it with a plastic wrap with holes in it and place it in the refrigerator. For this storage method your herbs will stay fresh for 3 days or more.
  2. container filled with water Pour water in a saucepan or bowl, about half the amount. Place the herbs loosely in the water like you would a bouquet of fresh flowers. Store fresh herbs in a cool, dark place or a fridge. With this method of storage, the tender herbs will remain fresh for a week.
  3. a mason jar or plastic container Place herbs in a dry liter jar with the roots up (it will be more convenient to get it out) and close with a lid. You can also use a plastic container with a cover. Put a jar or container with herbs in the fridge. You can store fresh herbs this way for two to three weeks.
  4. a plastic bag Shake off all excess moisture, wrap in paper towel and seal in a in a resealable bag together with a small onion (pre-cleaned and cut into 2 parts). Place the plastic bag in the fridge slightly ajar. So your herb bouquet will retain freshness for up to 2 weeks. It is better to replace the onion every 5 days.

IS IT BETTER TO DRY OR FREEZE HERBS?

With one-time proper freezing, plant cells practically do not change, and all vitamins, minerals, and taste qualities are preserved in their original form.

Dried herbs also retains all the valuable substances, but the concentration of organic acids in it decreases. However, you can store fresh herbs longer than frozen, and it is more convenient to use it (no need to wait until it melts).

HOW DO YOU DRY AND STORE PARSLEY?

  • thoroughly wash fresh herbs before drying
  • lay out a small layer of herbs carefully on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. It is not necessary to allow the greens to be directly on the metal sheet, as it will darken.
  • dry it for several days in a dry shaded place that is well ventilated. During drying, avoid direct sunlight.

You can accelerate the process by drying herbs in the oven. You need to adhere to a temperature not exceeding +60°C. Leave the oven door ajar for air circulation. Constantly mix parsley for uniform drying.

In the oven, the drying process will last up to 6 hours. Then, place it in a glass container. Store parsley in a dark, dry place.

” alt=”how to store parcley” />

HOW LONG DOES DRIED PARSLEY LAST?

Drying herbs is an excellent option because it will last the longest than 4 weeks. You can use it even after 2-3 years, but it will not be so helpful anymore.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO FREEZE PARSLEY?

Frozen parsley is a summer vitamin “hi” for winter soups and salads. It does not differ in taste and benefits from a fresh one.

To store parsley properly, you need a sharp knife or food processor, a cutting board, a few paper towels, plastic bags, or containers.

” alt=”storing hers” />

WASHING

Wash the entire bunch in cold water, remove all dirt and dust. Never wash parsley with hot water – after such treatment, all the vitamins and minerals will be destroyed.

DRYING

Don’t skip this stage. Otherwise, an ice crust will appears . It is necessary to allow the water to drain from the twigs. When the main water drains, put the crop in a thin layer on the paper towels and leave for 2 hours.

SLICING

You need to finely chop the parsley, so it will be very convenient to use it in the future. After slicing, spread it out once again in a thin layer on the paper towels for 2 hours. Attention: if you skip this step, the parsley will stick together in the freezer!

COOLING

Spread the spice on a cutting board or tray and put it in the freezer for 4-5 hours. After cooling, the chopped greens will become crumbly.

FREEZING

Pack the cooled parsley in small airtight containers or packages. The smaller the container, the less frozen greens will contact warm air every time you open it. Experienced housewives advise to store parsley in the portion bags and put in each of them as much as you usually use for one-time cooking. The optimal temperature in the freezer is -18°C.

The main thing is to freeze and store parsley accurately.

” alt=”fresh herbs” />

Another method of freezing allows you to store parsley in ice cube trays:

  • Before freezing, wash the greens well and chop. It is better to do this without the help of a blender so that the greens do not turn into a homogeneous mass.
  • After that, put the herb in ice cube trays, pour water, and place it in the freezer. Note: instead of water, you can add oil (sunflower or olive) to the crushed parsley. It will be even better to preserve the aroma and flavor of fresh herb. Such cubes are excellent for sauces.

You can store parsley for up to 9 months and 6 months if you decide to make ice cubes. Don’t re-freeze any tender herbs in any case. This will weaken the cell membranes, they will burst, and the herbs will lose all the valuable substances.

” alt=”basil” />

IS PARSLEY HEALTHIER THAN CILANTRO?

Сilantro and parsley are not the same things, although it’s really easy to confuse them. A convenient table will help you never confuse them:

It’s hard to say which of these fresh herbs is healthier. They both, but they serve different purposes.

Cilantro improves appetite, eliminates vitamin deficiency. It reduces fermentation and flatulence processes in the intestines. Coriander seeds are more fragrant and more affluent in oils, and moderate use increases the fortification of dishes. Parsley excels many fruits and herbs(basil, chives, mint) in the content of vitamin C. It is helpful to eat it to prevent diseases of vision and gums due to the large amount of vitamin A.

” alt=”vitamins” />

CAN YOU EAT TOO MUCH FRESH PARSLEY? OVERDOSE AND OTHER TROUBLES

Excessive consumption of a spicy plant will lead to an overabundance of myristicin – the active element of the essential oil. An overdose of this compound causes nausea, dizziness, hallucinations.

Parsley has a negative effect on the condition of patients with kidney pathology. Its compounds irritatingly affect the sensitive cells of this organ. Contraindications for the use of parsley are also nephritis, acute cystitis, gout, hypocalcemia. As well as urolithiasis, if the size of the stones exceeds 5-6 mm since parsley can cause the movement of kidney stones.

” alt=”other vegetables” />

It is also better not to eat parsley during pregnancy since it significantly increases the tone of the uterine muscles and can provoke premature birth or miscarriage.

It turned out that if you fill salads and other dishes with traditional mayonnaise, sour cream, or butter, then parsley turns into poison because it begins to secrete nitrates.

Chopped parsley adds a wonderful freshness to a simple salad dressing . So if you want you can treat parsley as a salad green. Add it only at the very end of cooking, just before serving the dish.

” alt=”great” />

HOW MUCH IS A BUNCH OF PARSLEY?

Some recipes contain the phrase “add a bunch of parsley”. It’s not always clear what they mean by this. The average bunch of parsley has 12 stems and weighs 55 grams. If you chop the leaves from 2 sprigs of parsley, you will get 1 tablespoon.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRESH PARSLEY AND DRIED PARSLEY?

A surprise for you: dried parsley does not lose its useful properties. On the contrary, it only gets better during its transformation.

” alt=”food and salad” />

” alt=”benefits” />

CAN YOU EAT THE STEMS OF PARSLEY?

Many varieties of herbs have long stems. At the same time, they are also hard, so most housewives don’t add them to the dishes. Yes, you can eat them, but it’s not very tasty. Wait a minute, and don’t rush with throwing it.

  • Fry stems in hot oil.  You can add them when frying other vegetables. Risotto with shrimp, baked pepper soup. Thick sauces are not a complete list where they can be added as a garnish.
  • Prepare an alternative pesto sauce. Blanch the stems separately from the washed and dried leaves. Then, together with spices, nuts, olive oil, herbs, put them in a blender and stir until smooth.
  • Dry them. The stiffness of the soft stems will disappear after drying and grinding. They will become a good seasoning.

” alt=”cooking recipe” />

SUMMING UP

Parsley has so many valuable properties which many have not even heard of. It is beneficial both for health and for cosmetic procedures.

There is no universal way to store parsley because different methods are suitable for various purposes. Now you know them all, so prepare more parsley for the winter to remember warm days and get a regular portion of vitamins.