How to store potatoes in the refrigerator and is it possible to do so
Sometimes, when cooking, housewives notice that the potatoes have a bitter or sweetish aftertaste. The quality and taste of a vegetable largely depends on the storage method. And this is important not only in warehouse conditions or a store, but also after purchase - at home. If there is no dedicated storage space, the inevitable question arises: can potatoes be stored in the refrigerator?
The content of the article
Features of storing potatoes
To prevent tubers from rotting and sprouting, store them in a cool, well-ventilated, dark place. The optimum temperature is 3-6 ° С, the air humidity is 85-95%.
At home the best place for storage will be the cellar... In the apartment, potatoes are stored in the corridor, closet, staircase or balcony. If there are few potatoes, they are stored in the refrigerator.
Can potatoes be stored in the refrigerator
Storing potatoes in the refrigerator compartment is fine if you purchase them in small quantities., 2-5 kg, and eat in 5-10 days. If you need to store a large amount of potatoes for a long time, then this method will not work.
Besides raw tubers, both peeled and boiled potatoes are stored in the refrigerator.
Storing peeled potatoes
It is better to peel potatoes before cooking. it for food, as the peeled vegetable begins to darken. This is due to the oxidation of the enzymes it contains.
But if you still have peeled vegetables, do not rush to throw them away. Rinse them thoroughly under running water and place in a container. Then pour cold, clean water into it so that it completely covers all the potatoes. So it will remain at room temperature for no more than 4 hours. By placing the container in the refrigerator, you will save the peeled potatoes for 24 hours. If you throw 2-3 slices of lemon into the container and change the water to fresh once a day, then the potatoes will remain fresh for 3-4 days.
Reference. Instead of lemon, some housewives recommend adding an aspirin tablet to the water, which keeps the potatoes fresh for three days.
Peeled tuber can be stored without water... To do this, it is thoroughly washed and dried with a towel. Then they are placed in a plastic bag and tied so as to exclude the ingress of air. Store in the refrigerator. And if vegetables are greased with vegetable oil, they will lie in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Storing boiled potatoes
How long do boiled potatoes keep in the refrigerator? Boiled tuber is stored for 4 to 5 days... But it is better not to eat potatoes that are stored for no more than two days. If it develops an unpleasant odor or becomes slippery, discard it to avoid poisoning.
Mashed potatoes with the addition of butter and milk are stored for no more than two days... Puree without additives is stored for a day longer.
It can be useful:
Why can't potatoes be kept in the refrigerator for a long time?
A refrigerator is not suitable for storing potatoes in large quantities and for a long time.... The vegetable compartments contain a maximum of 10-12 kg, the vegetable cannot be placed on other shelves. Storage for more than 5 days at temperatures below 2 ° C will cause the starch in the potatoes to start converting to glucose. The tubers will become sweet, and when cooked, carcinogenic substances will be released.
Also with long-term storage of a large amount of product, tubers may begin to damp and germinate, and a musty smell will appear in the refrigerator, like in a vegetable warehouse.
How to properly store potatoes in the refrigerator
If you do decide that you will store raw potatoes in the refrigerator, what is the best way to do it? In this case the tubers are stored in the lower vegetable compartments, in which the temperature is maintained at 3-6 ° C.
Tubers for storage must be dry, free from soil, free from signs of spoilage and rot, without damage. It is not recommended to wash them. It is better to store potatoes in paper bags, or by covering the sides and bottom of the compartment with paper. The material will absorb excess moisture, and in a plastic bag it will quickly begin to damp and rot.
Where is the best place to store potatoes in an apartment
It is best to store potatoes in a cellar. But if not, you can find an alternative.
A storage box is installed on an insulated loggia or balcony, which you can buy or do it yourself. Its design must maintain a positive temperature and air circulation. The walls and bottom of the box are made double, and the space between them is filled with sawdust or foam.
The space between the walls should be at least 10 cm. The box is made of plywood or lining. To make it more moisture resistant, the outer walls are painted or upholstered with plastic or pieces of linoleum. Cover with a lid on top. It can also be double.
If the balcony is not insulated, then you can heat vegetables and maintain the temperature in the box using a lamp that is installed inside the box. When a thermal relay is installed, the lamps will automatically turn on and off when the air temperature fluctuates.
To prevent the potatoes from turning green from the light of the lamps, they are covered with a dark cloth on top. Before laying vegetables in the box, a wooden lattice made of slats, the thickness of which is 20-30 cm, is placed on the bottom. Two air vents are installed on the sides. This allows warm air to circulate inside the drawer.
If potatoes are stored in a pantry, then it is scattered over cardboard boxes, in the walls of which holes are made for ventilation. To protect vegetables from light, cover them with a dark cloth or cardboard. In the same way, the tubers are stored in the corridor or other cooler place in the apartment.
The optimal storage space for the temperature regime may be a corridor in the entrance. There they set up large wooden boxes, which are screwed to the walls and floor, and they hang locks.
Interesting facts about potatoes:
Recommendations
Potatoes prepared for storage are thoroughly dried and sorted... Tubers should be whole, without signs of rot and sprouting. Do not store very small specimens.
With a properly selected temperature regime, the tubers are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. But if they were washed before storage, then it is advisable to eat them within two weeks.
In no case do not store potatoes in the light: it will produce a poisonous substance - solanine, which can cause poisoning of the body.
Older refrigerators store tubers worse, since it is more difficult to maintain the temperature in them.
Do not store potatoes and carrots together... Carrots wilt quickly and are best kept in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. To prevent decay and the appearance of shoots, potatoes are stored with beets, which absorb excess moisture.
Advice... To prevent sprouting of potatoes in the refrigerator, you can put a few apples or dried mint leaves between the tubers. So that the potatoes do not rot during storage, rowan leaves or wormwood are placed in boxes (2 kg per 100 kg of potatoes). If potatoes are lined with fern leaves anywhere in storage, this will increase their safety.
Do not eat tubers with rotwithered and shriveled. Green peel must be carefully cut, and completely green potatoes must be discarded.
If you have a summer house with a cellar, it is better to bring potatoes home in small batches so that they do not have time to spoil.
Conclusion
The quality and taste of potatoes depend largely on how they are stored. A cellar is the best place to store a vegetable. But for storing a small amount, a refrigerator is suitable, in which the optimal temperature and humidity are maintained.