How to Store Asparagus
If you have a large harvest and can’t consume your asparagus immediately, you can try several storage methods. The flavor and quality of freshly picked asparagus are at their peak when consumed up to three days after picking.
Jump Ahead
- Selecting the Best Asparagus for Storage
- Preparing Fresh Picked Asparagus for Storage
- Refrigerating Fresh Asparagus
- Freezing Fresh Asparagus
- How Long Will Asparagus Last?
- Resources
Selecting the Best Asparagus for Storage
Barbara A. Brahm, Family and Consumer Sciences educator at Ohio State University Extension, shares tips for selecting the freshest asparagus. First, choose spears that are straight, firm, and 7-12 inches in length. The tips should be compacted and pointed. She advises avoiding stalks that are flat, wilted, limp, or angular. [1]
Preparing Fresh Asparagus for Storage
Penn State Extension’s Kathryn DiGuiseppe and Norma Jeanne Young, authors of Pennsylvania Produce: A Guide to Produce Grown in Pennsylvania, recommend keeping fresh asparagus “clean, cold, and covered.” The authors advise first trimming the stems 1/4 of an inch to prepare for storage. Next, wash the stalks in cool water and pat dry. [2]
Refrigerating Fresh Asparagus
Once the stalks are completely dry, stand the asparagus upright in a container filled with two inches of cold water and cover the tops with a plastic bag. DiGuiseppe and Young recommend consuming it for the best quality within two to three days. [3]
The University of Minnesota Extension folks suggest wrapping your washed and prepared asparagus bunch in a moist paper towel. Place in a plastic storage bag and store in the refrigerator. [4]
Lisa Treiber of the Michigan State University Extensions cautions that refrigerated asparagus should be stored away from raw meats, meat juice, poultry, and seafood products to avoid cross-contamination. [5]
Freezing Fresh Asparagus
According to the experts at the Penn State University Extension, blanching is a necessary step in the process of freezing vegetables. Blanching helps to lock in flavor and helps to maintain color and texture by slowing the action of enzymes. It also helps to slow vitamin loss. [6] They recommend blanching in the following manner:
- Bring one gallon of water to a boil.
- Add one pound of asparagus to the pot. Cover and return to a boil.
- Blanch for several minutes, depending on the size of the spears. Blanch small spears for two minutes and large spears for four minutes. Start timing after the water returns to a boil.
- Immerse in three to four gallons of cold water immediately to stop the cooking process. Chill as long as the asparagus is blanched.
- Drain, package, and freeze.
You can store your asparagus in any freezer-safe container as long as it is moisture-proof and will not allow freezer odors to penetrate.
How Long Will Asparagus Last?
How long your asparagus lasts depends on how you store it.
Refrigerated Asparagus: Refrigerated asparagus can last up to five days, as prepared above. [7]
Frozen Asparagus: If asparagus is frozen properly, it can last three to four months. [8]
Asparagus will let you know when its quality begins to degrade. The tips are usually the first to go. Do not use asparagus if the tips are slimy, yellow, soft, or rotten. [9]
Resources
- [1] Barbara A. Brahm – Ohio State University Extension – “Selecting, Storing, and Serving Ohio Asparagus.“
- [2] [3] DiGuiseppe, Kathryn; Young, Norma Jeanne – Penn State Extension – “Pennsylvania Produce: A Guide to Produce Grown in Pennsylvania.”
- [4] The University of Minnesota Extension – “Asparagus.“
- [5] Trieber, Lisa – Michigan State University Extension – “Michigan Fresh: Using, Storing, and Preserving Asparagus (HNI28).”
- [6] Zepp, Martha; Hirneisen, Andy; LaBorde, Luke – Penn State University Extension – “Let’s Preserve: Freezing Vegetables.”
- [7] [8] [9] Purdue University Extension: “Asparagus – FoodLink.”
