What to do with peeled onions: how to keep them longer

Each housewife at least once after cooking had a part of the peeled vegetables, which there is nowhere to use, but I don't want to throw it away. Many people tend to use them immediately, but there is another way out. Stored peeled onions can significantly save time in future cooking.

How to preserve peeled onions so that they do not spoil? We offer several ways.

Can peeled onions be stored

It is better to store the bulbs in the husk, without damaging it in any way.... However, it happens that after cooking there are a few unused heads left. Peeled vegetables have a much shorter shelf life, but can be extended by using an airtight container or processing.

How to properly prepare peeled onions for storage

Preliminary peeled vegetables must be washed thoroughly and make sure there are no spoiled ones among them.

Note! Do not leave peeled or chopped onions at room temperature overnight. During this time, the vegetable will deteriorate and become unusable.

If you know in advance that you only need half an onion to cook, do not peel the other part. But also it should be processed before being placed in the refrigerator.

Important! Do not store bulbs next to potatoes. They will pick up moisture and deteriorate quickly.

Storage methods for peeled onions

Depending on the state of the bulb and for how long you need to keep its freshness, there are different storage methods.

In a refrigerator

The easiest and fastest ways, since after them the vegetable does not need to be defrosted or cooked:

1. Rinse peeled onions under room temperature running water. Fold into a container with cold water. Store the container in the refrigerator, replacing the water with fresh water at least once every two days. In this state, onions can be stored for up to two weeks.
2. Sprinkle salt on a flat plate and dip the onion on it, then place the bowl with the onion in the refrigerator. This way you can keep it fresh for 6-7 days.
3. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. This will extend the shelf life by another 3-4 days.
4. Chop the onion into rings and marinate... To do this, put the chopped vegetable in sterilized jars and pour boiling water for 7-10 minutes. While they are standing, prepare the marinade: mix 1 tbsp. l. salt and sugar per 0.5 kg of vegetable, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and keep on fire for 3 minutes. Add cloves or black pepper to the marinade for flavor. Pour vegetables with a hot mixture and roll up.
5. The same marinade can be used for short-term storage. Pour the marinade into the bottom of the container, place the chopped onions on top and close the lid tightly. In this state, it will be edible for another month.
6. If the onion heads are small, you can not chop them, but marinate them whole. Before rolling, pour boiling water over them first and then with cold water. Add acetic acid to the marinade.

If the jars have been sterilized, you can store the twists not only in the refrigerator, but also in the cellar or basement.

Interesting facts about onions:

What is contained in onions: what vitamins and minerals

Types of onions and their characteristics

In the freezer

Store chopped onions in the freezer:

1. Grease the cut site with vegetable oil or fat, place the vegetable in a plastic container and send it to the freezer. In this state, it is stored for up to 10 days.
2. Finely chop the onions and place them in a plastic bag so that the onion layer does not exceed 5 cm. In this case, you do not need to tie or close the bag, you should place it open in the freezer.
3. Put the peeled onion cut into rings in silicone molds and load into the freezer. With such storage, it can be eaten after heat treatment, since the composition changes significantly due to low temperatures.
4. Freeze already cooked onions. Most often, housewives fry a vegetable in a pan and put it in plastic bags, remove excess air and seal it tightly, and then place it in a freezer. You can fry it right away with carrots to always have a dressing for soup on hand.

After removing the frozen product from the freezer, you should not re-place it there, as the vegetable will lose its beneficial properties, taste and aroma. To avoid this, pack the onions in small portions.

Dried

Many people choose drying for storing peeled onions, because during the drying process the onions retain all their properties. This method is simpler than the previous ones, although the process of preparing the vegetable for storage takes longer.

The advantages of this method are that dried vegetables will not deteriorate due to a breakdown of the refrigerator or freezer and take up less space.

There are several ways to dry onions.:

1. In the oven by placing the vegetable cut into rings on a baking sheet. The rings should be thin, no more than 5 mm thick. If the onion is large, cut the rings into 2-3 pieces. Can be dried on a cooling plate.
2. In a special electric dryer. If you dry onions in it, you should set the temperature to 40-60 ° C, onions dry in such conditions for 5-7 hours. Do not exceed the drying temperature so as not to overdry the vegetable, otherwise it will darken and lose its taste.
3. In the microwave, placing chopped onions in a special dish and setting the desired mode.
4. Outdoors under the sun by placing the bulb rings on cloth or paper. If it is not possible to dry in direct sunlight, you can do it in a well-ventilated, dry place.

Remember to stir the onions regularly. Properly dried will be white or pale mauve, depending on the variety. If you want the dried vegetable to have a golden yellow hue, pre-soak it in cold salted water (40 g of salt per 1 L of water).

Important! During the drying process, onions give off a characteristic odor and vapors that can irritate the mucous membrane of the eyes, so ensure good ventilation of the room in which the vegetable will be dried.

If you want to speed up the process, soak the bulbs in hot water before cutting.

After drying, onions can be chopped and placed in cloth or paper bags, metal or ceramic jars and put in a dry place where they can be stored in this state for several years.

Read also:

The best ways to juice onions

Why do we cry when we cut onions

Shelf life of peeled onions

You can store peeled onions without film and water in a container with other vegetables for no more than 12 hours. In the refrigerator - up to two weeks, depending on the storage method and the onion itself.

It will lie in the freezer for about a year, but thermally processed onions are stored in half the time. Dried - up to three years if the room is dry, as humidity significantly reduces the shelf life of such products.

Conclusion

Keeping onions fresh is sometimes difficult, especially if they are already peeled. However, even in this case, there is a solution. Separate the storageable bulbs from the unusable ones and store them in the refrigerator or freezer, or dry them and store them for a long time.