Storing the entire unwashed leeks in the fridge with the plastic bag can keep this ingredient for up to 2 weeks. Otherwise, you can freeze and preserve them for up to 3 months.
By applying this simple method mentioned above, this kind of onion family will stay fresh and impart the unmistakable flavor to different cuisines. Besides, various helpful tips are relevant to this topic indicated in the article following.
So, let’s scroll down and explore how to store leeks!
Related: List of vegetables from A to Z
Best Ways To Store Leeks
It is essential to acquire some practical methods to maintain the freshness of leeks. Otherwise, it might not bring the full flavor to your dish as expected. Therefore, keep reading this part to figure out some ideal ways to store this ingredient.
In the refrigerator
The fridge’s environment is ideal for preventing this onion family from being yellow or losing moisture. Moreover, this simple way can help you to preserve it within 2 months. Indeed, following exactly some essential steps below to make sure you store it in the refrigerator properly.
- Step 1: Don’t trim or wash these veggies before storing them.
- Step 2: Putting all these ingredients in a plastic bag.
- Step 3: Placing the bag in the fridge at around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is regarded as the ideal temperature to maintain leeks
In the freezer
If you seek a way to keep this kind of vegetable fresh for longer, freezing might be what you need to store for up to 3 months! However, bitter taste is a drawback of this method. In this case, it is important to blanch the leeks first before freezing them.
Now, it’s time to go into detail about this approach!
- Step 1: Trim and choose all their edible parts. For instance, remove the roots or dark or yellow tops.
- Step 2: Clean thoroughly to remove all the dust. Be mindful of this step because there is a lot of dust trapped inside the leeks.
- Step 3: Cut all of them into small parts according to your demand
- Step 4: Blanch them in a boiling pot within 2 minutes
- Step 5: Take these veggies out of the pot and wait until they dry
- Step 6: Transfer them to a tray or other proper container to frozen freeze completely
- Step 7: Remove all the frozen elements above into zipper bags and put them in the freezer again. Moreover, make sure there is not much air in bags before sealing to deliver the desired quality.
How To Choose Fresh Leeks
When it comes to buying this ingredient at the store, you might be wondering how to pick the ideal option. Hence, this part will put your mind at ease! Here are some crucial factors you should consider before buying them.
Firm and crisp shank
The ideal fresh leeks will have straight crips and a firm stalk. Therefore, it is not advisable to pick the soft or wilted one.
Having white stalk parts
Admittedly, the green tops and stalks are both edible parts of the leeks. However, the white stalks are more favorable to eat due to their great taste. Therefore, the selection with a white stalk and fewer green parts will be suitable to pick.
Avoid discolored or yellowing spots
These signs indicate that these vegetables are not fresh enough and tend to be wilted. So instead, opting for vibrant and light green is recommended.
The small size of the stalk
The primary reason is that the small shalk will lend a tender taste compared to the larger one. Otherwise, they are pretty tough to enjoy.
How To Know When Leeks Are Going Bad
They are not in use if you see some unusual points below.
Unpleasant smell
Generally, the fresh one will have a strong and lingering aroma. In contrast, whenever you catch a strange smell, you should throw them out immediately.
Mushy or limp shank
If the leeks no longer retain moisture, they will be softer or slimy. As a result, these veggies are not edible anymore.
Become rotten or moldy
Yellow spots or mold are some visible signs that you should take into account. Indeed, if there are only some tiny spoiled parts, trim and use the rest.
Placing too long in the refrigerator
These veggies might be harmful to your health if improperly stored in the fridge for more than 4 days, such as cooked or cut leeks. If so, it’s time to dispose of them.
Do Leeks Need To Be Refrigerated?
Yes, but it depends on the situation you intend to use with these veggies. Supposed that you will instantly add these ingredients to your dish, leaving them at room temperature is proper.
Conversely, it is preferable to preserve them in the fridge properly because they only maintain excellent quality in the short term.
How Do You Keep Leeks Fresh In The Fridge?
Obviously, putting these veggies in the refrigerator is ideal for storing them. However, don’t forget to apply the proper method to maintain freshness.
The foremost thing to remember is never leaving the cut or washed these greens in the fridge. This results in losing moisture as well as the tender taste.
Besides, if you intend to freeze them for storing longer, make sure you blanch them initially to avoid the bitter taste later.
Can Leeks Be Stored At Room Temperature?
There is no problem letting this ingredient at room temperature, given that you will use it in the next couple of days. However, if you store them outside beyond this period, they are probably not the best quality to use, especially messing up your dish flavor in the worst situation.
Can You Cut Leeks In Advance?
Supposed that you will store these veggies in the fridge, it is not recommended to cut leeks in advance. Otherwise, you might not have fresh ingredients to use as long as possible.
On the other hand, if you want to use it immediately or opt for the freezing storing method, cutting them in advance is favorable to do.
Do You Have To Soak Leeks?
These kinds of onion families might trap a lot of sediment or sand because they are grown underground. Therefore, the essential step to remove all the dirt in each layer is soaking them in around 5-10 minutes.
One tip to soak these veggies is never pouring soaking water and leek through the colander together. Otherwise, the risk of dumping dirt back might happen.