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How to keep Spinach longer

Cynthia Clifton

Do you know what causes spinach to go bad? Moisture. When we purchase fresh spinach and place it in the refrigerator without placing it into an airtight container, the moisture causes the spinach to wilt and turn brown.

Let us say that we purchased more spinach than we needed. Did you know that you can freeze the spinach from 9 to 14 months? Now, when you come to take it out of the freezer, you will not be able to use the leaves for a salad, but you can use the leaves for pasta dishes, smoothies and even quiche dishes.

You can also freeze the spinach two ways:

  • Blanch - To blanch the spinach, boil a pot of water and add the fresh spinach. Leave in water for approximately two minutes, then put in ice cold water for two minutes.
  • Steam blanch – Put two to three inches of water in a pot and bring to a boil.Place a colander or steam basket inside the pot so it sits above the water line, then add the spinach.Steam for approximately two minutes, and then place the spinach in ice cold water.

Once removed, dry with a paper towel and place in an airtight freezer bag. Make sure that the leaves are thoroughly dried and there is no air left in the bag because this will cause freezer burns to the spinach leaves. If you do not have a vacuum sealer, you can use a straw to suck out the air.

6/12/2020 8:06:38 PM
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