How to preserve dried onions so they don’t sprout for a long time
The simple tips below will help you preserve dried onions for many months without sprouting, rotting, or spoiling.
Dried onions are a spice that is always present in Vietnamese kitchens, helping to create a delicious flavor for many dishes. Because onions are used frequently, when going to the market and encountering delicious, quality dried onions, many housewives buy a lot to use gradually.
How to preserve dried onions so they don’t sprout for a long time
Preserving dried onions often gives women a headache because onions kept for a long time often sprout, dry out, rot, become moldy, etc. Is there a way to preserve dried onions for a long time without sprouting or rotting? Please apply the tips below.
Choose to buy quality dried onions
To preserve onions for a long time, you need to buy quality onions that meet the following criteria:
- Onions must be firm, fat, with mature skin and evenly spaced. The outer layer is dry and flaky and can then be easily peeled off later.
- When picked up, the onion is not wet, has no soft spots or hollows in the stem.
- Do not buy sprouted onions because they cannot stay fresh for a long time.
- Do not choose onions that have a strong smell because this shows that they are dark or rotten underneath the skin.
Store dried onions in mesh bags or baskets
Storing dried onions in the refrigerator for a long time is not a good idea because of the high humidity in the refrigerator. In addition, onions will make your refrigerator smell, and other foods will also be affected.
If you want to preserve dried onions so they don’t sprout for a long time, you should store them in a mesh bag, basket or wire basket to create airy spaces. Creating air holes helps the onion “breathe” easily, preventing it from rotting or becoming mushy due to humidity.
If you don’t have a mesh bag, you can use a long string, tie it tightly to the bunch of dried onions you bought and hang it in a well-ventilated place.
Place the basket or bag containing the onions in a cool, dark place
The location of storing onions also needs attention to preserve them longer. The basket or bag containing onions should be placed in a dark, cool, dry and well-ventilated place in the kitchen. Absolutely do not leave onions in places where the temperature is too low (below 10 degrees) or too high.
High humidity makes onions susceptible to rotting. Meanwhile, direct sunlight and high temperatures can easily cause onions to dry out.
Even if stored carefully, you still need to regularly check the bag of onions to remove onions that show signs of rot, softening or changing color. Avoid mold and moisture spreading to other tubers in the bag, causing widespread damage.
Note: Do not use plastic bags or sealed containers to store onions because they will prevent air circulation, causing the onions to quickly rot, mold, and sprout.
Avoid placing onions with potatoes
Do not place dried onions with potatoes because the steam rising from the potatoes can easily cause the onions to become damp and rot faster. At the same time, potatoes also easily “catch the smell” of onions, causing the dish to have a different flavor after processing.
Tips for preserving peeled dried onions
Peeled or chopped dried onions should be kept refrigerated to stay fresh longer. If you only need to use a small portion of the peeled or sliced onions for cooking, you can save the leftovers by covering them with cling film or a zip-top plastic bag and placing them in the refrigerator. This way, you can keep the freshness of the onions for 2 to 3 days.
However, the best way to preserve peeled dried onions is to use a box or jar with a tight lid and put the excess onions in; The onion smell will not affect other foods in the refrigerator.
If you want to preserve it longer, you can freeze pre-sliced onions. After peeling dried onions, you should wash them, drain them completely, chop them finely or leave them whole, put them in a zip bag or box, close the lid and put them in the freezer. Purple onions stored in the freezer can be used within 1 – 3 months. Do not store for too long because it will cause the dried onions to lose their characteristic flavor.
