6 Essential Kitchen Tips To Store Cauliflower And Keep It Fresh

Cauliflower adapts effortlessly to any dish - roast it up for a savoury side, purée it into a creamy mash, or rice it for a low-carb base. Mix it into salads for added crunch or blend it into soups for a velvety texture. No matter how you prepare it, cauliflower always brings its signature sweetness to the table. Give it a chance to showcase its hidden talents - you'll discover depths of flavour you never knew existed. Cauliflower deserves a spot in the spotlight. 

Cauliflower wants to be dry. Give it air! If you bought a whole head, keep it loose or in a bag with holes. Put the stem up so water doesn't get on the florets. That makes it go bad faster. Sometimes cauliflower comes wrapped up tight. That keeps water out. If it's tied, untie it. Keep it loose. If yours is pre-cut in a bag, poke some small holes with a knife. The main thing is keeping cauliflower dry! Don't wash it until you use it. That helps it last longer. 

How To Store Cauliflower So That It Does Not Go Bad 

Buy Fresh Cauliflower 

Cauliflower is best when fresh. White heads with green leaves are what to look for. No brown spots! Shop at the farmers’ market or grocery store. Pick heavy cauliflower with no bruises. Creamy colour is good. Stay away from yucky brown or wilted leaves. Choose the freshest, whitest cauliflower you can find for your meal. Fresh and firm is what we want. Avoid any icky spots or mushy parts. Enjoy tasty cauliflower! 

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Washing The Cauliflower 

Do not immediately wash cauliflower. Rinsing veggies is important. But with cauliflower, hold off on washing until you want to cook it. If storing it in the fridge or freezer, keep that head of cauliflower dry. Only wash it when you're ready to use it. Whether you're making cauliflower soup, cauliflower rice, or roasted cauliflower, wait to wash it. Your cauliflower will stay fresher that way. So, skip the wash when putting it away. Save that for later, right before cooking your cauliflower. 

Storing Cauliflower In Fridge 

Storing cauliflower is easy! Put the whole head in a loose plastic bag in the fridge. Don't seal the bag - cauliflower needs air. Keep the stem end up so water doesn't collect on the head. Water causes rotting. Don't wash it before storing. Wash right before eating. Store for 3-5 days max. Following these simple steps keeps cauliflower fresh! Enjoy this tasty veggie!  

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Storing The Cauliflower In Freezer 

Just follow the simple steps. First, bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove. Make sure the pot is big enough to fit the cauliflower. Next, add a pinch or two of salt to the boiling water. The salt helps the cauliflower keep its crunch. Then, put the cauliflower florets into the boiling salty water. Let them cook for a few minutes until they are bright green. Finally, use a slotted spoon to take the cauliflower out of the water. Rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking. The perfectly blanched cauliflower will still have a nice crisp bite to it. The salt in the water kept it from getting mushy. 

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Temperature And Humidity 

Cauliflower loves the cold! Keeping it fresh means storing it at just the right temperature and humidity. What's the magic number? For the fridge, cauliflower likes 32°F to 40°F. This keeps it chilled without freezing. Humidity matters too. Cauliflower needs some moisture in the air. Around 90-95% humidity is perfect. This stops it from drying out or getting moldy. With the ideal temp and humidity, your cauliflower stays crisp and tasty!  

Also read: Cauliflower Health Benefits: Is Cauliflower a Superfood?

The Crisp Drawer In The Refrigerator 

Use the drawer at the bottom of the fridge. This is called the crisper. It controls humidity. More humidity keeps veggies from drying out. For cauliflower, turn the humidity up high. Check now and then. If water drops form on the sides, lower it a bit. 

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If the cauliflower gets dry and shriveled, turn up the humidity. Keep whole heads of cauliflower in the crisper alone. Put cut florets in a container in the crisper. Keeping cauliflower in the crisper with the right humidity will help it last.