How to store cilantro - conditions and rules

Choosing a storage location

My dears, if you know how to properly store cilantro at home, you can preserve its beneficial properties for a long time. The product will not lose its taste and will not differ from what was just purchased at the market or in the supermarket. I usually use:

• freezer or refrigerator;
• cellar;
• cool room.

The main enemy of greenery is ultraviolet radiation and elevated air temperatures. Under the influence of the sun's rays for 3-4 hours, vitamin C will evaporate in cilantro, and the plant will begin to rot.

I save fresh spice only where the air temperature does not rise above +6 degrees, in tightly closed containers.

When choosing a suitable place, I take into account that if the plant is not stored in a closed container, it will absorb extraneous unpleasant odors. Therefore, I never store it next to products that have a pronounced aroma, such as perishable types of sausage or herring.

Storage requirements

I store fragrant herbs only in a cool place with high air humidity. The spice will not be stored for a long time in a warm and dry room. Since cilantro has very delicate foliage, at air temperatures above +16 degrees its vegetative part evaporates the liquid very quickly. After this, vitamins and minerals disappear.

If there is no opportunity or desire to preserve the herb, find out how to grow cilantro at home and eat greens all winter.

In a refrigerator

From my own experience I know that it is best to keep the plant in a refrigerator on the bottom shelf.

Before adding the coriander, I prepare it like this:

1. I pick off yellowed leaves;
2. I clear the lower part of the earth;
3. I carefully collect the branches into a bundle and wrap them in a damp napkin.

Dear housewives! Always try to adhere to the optimal temperature for preserving cilantro in the refrigerator - +1 -+3 degrees. In such conditions, the grass will last 3-4 weeks.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

I do not recommend keeping the spice for longer than the specified period, as it will lose all its beneficial properties.

At room temperature

Heat negatively affects the preservation of the beneficial qualities of cilantro. At room temperature, it can only be preserved for a few hours, then it will wither and the vitamins will evaporate.

To extend the freshness of coriander by two to three days, I wrap the herb in parchment or a disposable towel. Then I put it in the darkest and coolest place in the room.

Long-term storage

Comrades, long-term preservation of Chinese parsley without a freezer or refrigerator is also possible. To do this, I place it in a container with water and an aspirin tablet diluted in it.

In order to replenish the body with vitamins all winter, I sow seeds of other herbs in winter. I told you how to plant dill at home. This plant is very easy to care for.

In the freezer

Frozen cilantro will retain its nutritional quality, aroma and appearance as much as possible for up to 15 months. After defrosting, all vitamins and minerals will remain in it. For this method of saving herbs, I use plastic containers, bags and ice cube trays. Before freezing, be sure to wash the coriander and dry it on a towel.

Do you freeze cilantro?

Not really

In the vegetable compartment

Friends, the easiest way to preserve cilantro is to pack the greens in a spacious vacuum container and place them in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment.

If you don't have a container, you can take a dry, clean glass jar, place the herbs in it and cover with a clean plastic lid.

Storage methods

Spicy roots, which include coriander, are prepared for the winter in the same way as root vegetables, in order to use them fresh. You can also store greens by choosing one of the convenient methods.

• The most common is drying. Usually the spice is crushed and dried for several days in a ventilated area or an oven is used for this purpose.
• Cilantro pickled in water with vinegar and salt will last a long time. It is good to keep jars of herbs in the cellar, pantry or refrigerator.
• It’s also worth storing salted cilantro there. Fresh grass is compacted into glass jars, sprinkled with salt, and sent closer to the freezer.
• You can keep the herbs fresh if you freeze the spice. When you have a convenient camera, this storage method will be the best.

Modern drying

Coriander greens, even fresh in summer, quickly wither, so when preparing for the winter, many are interested in how to properly store cilantro so that it does not lose its spicy smell. This is especially true for the drying process.

• To wash off insects, dirt and sand from cilantro branches, rinse it in bunches first in a basin of water, then under a running stream.
• Place the washed spice in a colander and allow the water to drain.
• Then the greens are chopped, trying not to make them too small, because... it will eventually dry out.
• Cover trays, trays or flat dishes with newspapers and place a thin layer of cilantro on them.
• Dry in shaded but well-ventilated places. In a private house this can be attics or verandas, in an apartment - on the balcony or kitchen away from the sun. Sometimes an oven is used for drying, keeping it at a minimum temperature (about 40°C).

During drying, the greens should be stirred periodically so that the process proceeds more evenly. If you do not do this, mold may form in places and the entire workpiece will have to be thrown away. When the cilantro is completely dry, it is packaged in glass jars, covered with lids and stored in the pantry or on a kitchen cabinet shelf.

Ancient drying method

You can store dried spices the old fashioned way - with whole branches. They are collected in small bundles, tied, wrapped in canvas or paper and hung on the beam of an attic or barn. Here the cilantro can be stored for the whole winter. Residents of apartments can use loggias or closed balconies.

Pickling

Those who have been harvesting for a long time know how to preserve greens throughout the winter. One of the convenient methods is marinating, which can be described by the following algorithm:

• After boiling water, pour vinegar into it and add salt. For 300 g of liquid you should take 1 tbsp. vinegar (9%) and a pinch of salt.
• By this point, small jars of chopped cilantro should already be prepared. The spice is compacted down to the shoulders of the jar.
• The greens are poured with marinade so that they are completely covered with it.
• When the jars have cooled a little, pour another 1 tbsp on top. sunflower oil.

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After waiting for the marinade to cool completely, seal the jars with lids. The best storage place is considered to be the refrigerator, but you can also use a cool cellar.

Freezing

To keep cilantro fresh, it is recommended to freeze it. Whether it will last until next season will depend on how the housewife plans to store the cilantro for the winter. This method has its own technology, which is not difficult to master:

• The cilantro branches are sorted out, discarding spoiled ones, then washed under running water to wash away any remaining soil or sand.
• To dry, clean grass sprigs are placed in 1 layer on paper towels, which should be changed when wet.
• The prepared bunches are entirely packaged in plastic bags, wrapped in cling film or placed in special plastic trays. You can cut the greens and then pack them. Subsequently, the cilantro stored in the freezer is removed in portions as needed.

Spicy cubes

The original storage method is a frozen spice cube. It is very convenient to use when preparing soups and sauces.

• Leaves are cut from washed cilantro branches and placed in ice trays.
• The spice should be poured with boiled, cooled water.

You can store portioned cubes with cilantro in the freezer directly in the mold, or after hardening, transfer them to containers (or jars) and keep them in the refrigerator.

How to preserve cilantro for the winter

Depending on the storage location chosen, coriander can be saved for one week or a whole year. Preparing cilantro for the winter involves keeping it in the freezer for a long time.

If the purpose of the spice is to use it in the coming days, freezing is not required. A spicy bunch will “feel good” in a cool place with an air temperature of +1 to +7 degrees.

Frozen coriander cubes preserve all microelements

Freezing

Before putting it in the freezer, I place the cilantro tightly in a container or polyethylene, releasing excess air. The less oxygen left, the better the grass will look after thawing. To prevent odors from other products from being absorbed into the spice, I pack it hermetically.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

Remember that coriander cannot be re-frozen. The thawed product is used or disposed of.

Watch a video on how to preserve cilantro with dill:

In packages

I want to tell you about an inexpensive and effective method for saving Chinese parsley. Polyethylene will prevent drying out and retain moisture.

So that the grass can “breathe”, I make several holes. When using the package, cilantro will retain its qualities:

• indoors 3-6 days;
• in the refrigerator 5-15 days;
• in the freezer up to 18 months.

In oil

The fatty substance, which is found in every kitchen, will help keep coriander fresh until spring. To apply the method, I wash the cilantro, dry it, chop it, and place it in clean glass jars. After this, I pour the spice with sunflower, corn or olive oil. Mix the resulting mixture well so that the cilantro is completely covered with oil. I close the containers tightly and store them in a cool place for up to eight months.

If you want to improve your level, surprise your friends and neighbors, look at how to grow bay leaves at home. And you won't need to buy it in the store anymore.

Drying

To use cilantro year-round, try drying the plant. Dried spice can be added to first and second courses to enhance taste. If desired, you can prepare a concentrated spice. To do this, I grind Chinese parsley in a blender or coffee grinder. To add a refined taste and aroma, it will be enough to add this seasoning just at the tip of a knife.

Are you preparing dried cilantro for the winter?

Not really

When dried, cilantro retains all its nutrients.

The table shows the main vitamins and microelements that the dried spice contains.

Dear friends, look at how to harvest cilantro straight from the garden:

Fresh

To store fresh cilantro, I place a bunch of cilantro in a container with cold water, adding a crushed tablet of activated carbon to the liquid. Every morning I add a piece of ice to the water, after three or four days I change the liquid, adding coal again.

After covering the bunch with a bag, the tops of the cilantro will not wither

In the package

A food bag will help keep the contents safe for a long time. You can use it to cover cilantro standing in water to prevent moisture from evaporating. If you put coriander in a bag to save it, be sure to sprinkle it with water, then close it tightly. This method helps me preserve the plant out of the refrigerator for up to 8 days.

Author's note

Natalia Papanova

Blog author

To properly rinse cilantro in plenty of water, do not drain the water after washing the greens. In order for the earth and sand to remain at the bottom of the container, you need to let the grass stand in the water for a while, and then carefully pull it out.

In a jar of water

If I want to preserve cilantro without refrigeration, I place the plant in a glass jar with ice water. At the same time, I maintain constant humidity near the plant by spraying it twice a day with a spray bottle.

If you want to eat greens with a different taste in addition to cilantro, read how to plant green onions on the windowsill. It's perfect for salads!

What is the best way to process and properly store it at home?

In order for frozen sorrel prepared for the winter to be stored for a sufficiently long time, you must first sort it out and select whole leaves. It is advisable to use recently harvested greens so that they retain as many vitamins as possible. It is better to get rid of yellowed and damaged parts, because they can adversely affect the harvesting process.

Cultivated sorrel is more suitable than any other for freezing, due to its large size and softness. But other types are also acceptable for this.

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Greens should be collected before arrows appear on the leaves.

Before freezing sorrel, you need to rinse it well with clean water, or soak it in some deep plate in cold water. After some time, all the dirt will appear on the surface of the water. After washing, the vegetable must be dried. If this is not done, the excess liquid will freeze along with it. The leaves can be spread on a towel until the moisture disappears.

Once they are dry enough, you can start chopping them. Some people are not entirely clear whether to freeze the stems along with the leaves? If they are not very rough, then you can add them. It is not recommended to use coarse ones because they will impart a bitter taste.

After the preparation is completed, you need to choose a method for freezing the plant.

Conventional freezing of fresh plants in bags

This method is easy to perform and does not require special skills. No additional costs are needed.

The disadvantage is that you cannot refreeze previously thawed greens, because the beneficial properties will be lost. Therefore, you should always keep the temperature low.

Ingredients:

• a large pile of young sorrel;
• packaging bags for products.

Cooking method:

1. Finely chopped sorrel is packaged in bags so that each contains a portion for 1-2 dishes.
2. Wrap the bags tightly and release all the air from them.
3. Leave in the freezer until winter.

In the cold season, you can add sorrel to soups and pies.

We invite you to watch a video with step-by-step instructions for freezing sorrel in bags:

Storage in briquettes

This is a good alternative to traditional freezing. Briquettes take up little space in the freezer and look beautiful.

Ingredients:

• sorrel in a ratio of 2/3;
• nettle in a ratio of 1/3;
• silicone molds.

Only sorrel can be used.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the nettles with cool water.
2. Place chopped sorrel and nettles in deep plates.
3. Pour boiling water over both dishes for about 20 minutes.
4. Squeeze them thoroughly so that there is no excess water.
5. Grind the nettles and mix together with the sorrel in one bowl.
6. Pour the resulting mixture into molds and compact.
7. Place in the freezer for 12 hours.
8. Remove the frozen briquettes from the molds, place them in packaging bags, and close them well.

From the resulting briquettes you can prepare soups and green borscht in winter.

Blanching method

This method allows you to bypass the bad consequences, as well as preserve the color and beneficial properties of greenery as much as possible. This is explained by the fact that during such processing the functions of enzymes slow down, and under the influence of high temperature they are completely destroyed.

Cooking method No. 1:

1. Place finely chopped sorrel in a colander.
2. Place it in a pan of boiling water for 60 seconds.
3. Remove from the water and wait until all the liquid has drained.
4. Place blanched sorrel in ramekins.
5. Place in the freezer for several hours.
6. Remove and place in containers or bags.

Cooking method No. 2:

1. Place the chopped sorrel in a saucepan and place on low heat.
2. 5 minutes after boiling, remove the greens.
3. Let it cool and pour into molds.
4. Place in the freezer for several hours.
5. Place frozen sorrel in bags and seal well.

In winter, you can add it to any dish.

Preparation in ice cubes

Is it possible to freeze sorrel in ice cubes and how to do it? It can be done very simply and quickly. This method is convenient in cases where you need to add a small amount of greens to a dish.

All you need is sorrel and ice cube trays. They can be either plastic or silicone.

Cooking method:

1. Place finely chopped sorrel in each cell.
2. Fill with water (about 1 tablespoon of water per cell).
3. Place in the freezer for several hours.
4. Place the frozen cubes into a bag.

These cubes may be needed to make sorrel sauce or delicious pies.

You can freeze greens using any of the following methods. It can be stored until next season. When used in cooking, no pre-thawing is required. You just need to add frozen sorrel to the dish.