Can onions be kept in the refrigerator or freezer?

Onions are a tasty and healthy plant. Every housewife uses it in the kitchen every day. Therefore, many are interested in whether it is possible to store onions in the refrigerator and how long they retain their qualities.

Content:

• Types of onions
• The healing properties of onions
• How to choose a bow
• Onion storage
• Storing onions in the refrigerator
• Storing onions in the freezer
• Storing dried onions
• Salting and pickling

Types of onions

Several types of onions are used in cooking. Basic:

• Bulb onions
• Shallot
• Leek
• Batun
• Schnitt
• Slime

From these species, onions and shallots form bulbs that are eaten. Shallot has popular names kuschevka (Ukraine), family (Russia, Moldova). Therefore, they have similar properties. Shallots are stored longer without germinating. It can withstand lower temperatures more easily.

In other species, leaves (feathers) are more often used. They grow into bushes. Schnitt and slug are often used as ornamental plants. Many gardeners do not even know that the leaves of these flowers can be eaten.

Leeks look more like garlic in appearance, with large, flat leaves folded along a vein.

The onion contains vitamins of group B, C, E. minerals sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, fluorine, manganese. 100 g of onion contains 88 g of water, 11 g of carbohydrates, proteins, pectins, folic acid, antioxidants. Caloric content of 100 g of onions is 43 kcal.

Raw onions are used as a seasoning for vegetables, added to the first and second courses. Onions do not lose their taste and energy values ​​during heat treatment. Therefore, it is fried along with other vegetables, meat, fish, mushrooms.

The healing properties of onions

Onions are a medicine that cures many diseases:

• The high percentage of iron in the onion makes it possible to use it for the treatment of anemia; mineral salts regulate the water-salt balance. Eating a small amount of onions increases appetite and strengthens the immune system.
• It is used as a protective or remedy for colds. Essential substances that make up onions fight germs, viruses and bacteria. Sulfur relaxes the muscles in the airways, preventing phlegm and asthma attacks.
• Onion juice mixed with warm water relieves swelling in the throat, fights coughs. It disinfects the oral cavity, preventing tooth decay and gum disease.
• Onion lowers blood cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, and prevents heart attacks. It prevents blood clots, which is why it is used to treat thrombophlebitis. It is used as a diuretic.
• Fructo-oligosaccharides, which are found in onions, help reduce the risk of cancer in the rectum.
• Use onion juice to treat ear diseases. But you need to be careful not to damage the delicate tissues of the middle ear. Dilute the juice with warm water.
• Chopped onions remove warts and calluses. Dermatitis can disappear if you lubricate them with onion juice.
• Onions are used to treat diabetes.Chromium and its antioxidants help lower sugar levels and increase insulin production. Onions are used in various weight loss diets. Include it in the composition of dishes, do not use it separately. The juice acts aggressively on the stomach.
• Folic acid can help relieve depression. Its use causes the production of serotonin, which is called the hormone of happiness.

You can not eat onions raw in large quantities for people with stomach ulcers and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys.

Onions are used in cosmetology. Its juice treats baldness and seborrhea, hair loss. For treatment, rub the onion juice into the hair roots. The face mask removes wrinkles, age spots and freckles.

How to choose a bow?

It is necessary to remove onions and shallots from the garden after its feather turns yellow and lies on the ground. Shallot ripens first. This happens around mid-July - early August and depends on climatic conditions. If you are late with the terms of harvesting, the roots of the bulbs can grow back another time, which will ruin the presentation and taste.

Do not harvest onions immediately after rain or when the soil in the garden is wet. I dry it in a garden bed or in a room that is well ventilated. When the bulbs are dry, the dried feathers and roots are torn off or pruned. Do not prune wet bulbs because they can rot.

When choosing onion bulbs for storage, look at the integrity of their skins.

It should be dry and shiny, and the bulb dry and firm. Do not take onions that have sprouted (the presence of green leaves is noticeable), or squeezed under pressure. Leeks are prized for their lower stems. It does not form bulbs. The softer and more juicy part is closer to the roots. It should be white and not damaged. The batun onion is prized for its green feather. It should be fresh, not damaged or withered. The lower part of the white color (bulb buds) is also used.

Onion storage

Features, methods and rules of storage:

• Onions are stored at room temperature. The humidity in the room should not be high so that it does not rot. In very low humidity conditions, it can dry out. Onions can be stored in a room for several months, but at high temperatures they will begin to sprout by spring. Therefore, it is better to transfer it to a cool room for the winter.
• Often the bow is braided into braids and such wreaths are hung in a convenient place. They can even serve as a decoration for a room.
• Do not store onions next to potatoes. Its tubers release ethylene gas and moisture, which are absorbed into the bulbs and shorten their shelf life.
• For the same reason, do not store it in a damp cellar. There it will quickly sprout, rot, and become infected with fungal diseases.
• Do not store onions in plastic containers in the room. Without fresh air, it will rot.
• Leeks and batuns will dry out when stored in a room with a temperature of 20 degrees. Therefore, they hide it in the basement, sprinkling the lower part with wet sand.

Batun onions are grown as an annual plant or perennial. An annual is dug up in the fall with roots. The perennial is cut 2 times in the spring, 2 times in the fall, when the feather reaches a length of 20 cm, a width of 1.5-2 cm. The chives are cut on a feather after its seed pods begin to crack.

From the video you can learn how to properly store onions:

Storing onions in the refrigerator

It is not recommended to keep onions in the refrigerator for a long time. It should be wrapped in a plastic bag or use plastic containers.

Most often, chopped onions are stored in the refrigerator when, after cooking, part of the onion remains unused. It must be hidden in plastic, otherwise all products that are in the refrigerator will smell of onions. You can store peeled onions in perforated paper bags by placing them in the vegetable compartment.

Shelf life is several weeks.

You can keep chopped or onions in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.Otherwise, it will rot, wither or dry out.

Storing onions in the freezer

Some housewives freeze onions in freezers, and in winter they add finely chopped pieces to their food. With this method of storage, some of the nutrients are lost in the product. But the green color, aroma and taste remain.

Storage methods:

• Freeze whole onions. To do this, they are thoroughly washed and dried. Chop finely. They are placed in bags for freezing or ordinary ones, but the latter do not retain their shape well, it is difficult to open them in a frozen state, and when installed open, pieces of onion will scatter around the chamber. The thickness of the onion layer is 5 cm.
• Chopped onions can be stored by pre-frying. In this case, when preparing food, you just need to remove it from the bag and defrost it. You can fry the onions with the carrots for a hot dressing. Saute vegetables over low heat for about 7 minutes, cool and put in bags.
• The onions, cut into rings, are placed in silicone molds. Place them in the freezer.

Storing dried onions

If there is no space to store the onion, it can be dried (in this form, it will take up much less space):

• The bulbs are washed and allowed to dry. Cut into rings no more than 5 mm thick. If the pieces are thicker, it will be difficult to dry them completely. Dried using electrical appliances: dryer, microwave, oven. Before stacking, drain the juice that escaped from the product after cutting.
• Place the onion rings on baking sheets, incubate at 50 degrees until they dry. When drying in the oven, do not completely close the door, otherwise the onion will not dry out, but will cook. It is necessary to provide air movement and access to the bow.
• If the weather is sunny, you can dry the onions in the fresh air. It is laid out in a thin layer on clean paper, covered with gauze. Provides heat and ventilation or fresh air passage. If properly dried, onions will have a creamy or pink color. The dark pieces are thrown away.

Dried onion rings are placed in glass jars. It can be stored for up to two years. They do not lose their useful qualities. Before use, the dried onion is poured with cold water mixed with salt. Take a tablespoon of it per liter of water.

Salting and pickling

Onions can be salted to preserve for a long time:

1. Place the onions washed and cut into large rings in sterilized jars.
2. Sprinkle with thin layers of salt, close with a plastic lid and store in the refrigerator.

Pickled onions, cut into rings:

1. First, pour the onion pieces with boiling water, and stand for up to 10 minutes.
2. Pour marinade made from 0.5 kg of onion, 1 tablespoon each of salt and sugar. Spices are added to taste.
3. Boil for 3 minutes.
4. Pour hot marinade into jars of onions.
5. Roll up with iron lids.

Small bulbs should not be thrown away. They are pickled whole. Before pouring the marinade, pour over boiling water, then cold water. Add vinegar, salt and sugar to the marinade. Store in the refrigerator. If the jars are pasteurized, they can be stored in the cellar.

You can learn more about where and how to store onions correctly from the video: