Turnips are a great overwintering crop that can be stored in the ground if you provide adequate protection against freezing conditions. They are also delicious and easy to prepare in various ways, so if you have a lot of turnips to store, learn how to do it well and make the most of them!
How to Store Turnips?
Turnips can be frozen for eight to ten months or kept in the refrigerator for two weeks. Keep turnips away from raw meat and meat juices to avoid infection. Before and after touching fresh vegetables, wash your hands. No more than your family can consume in a year should be preserved for the best quality and nutritional value.
Turnips Storage Tips
Turnips should be stored in a cool, dark place. You can store them in a root cellar, an insulated outbuilding, a cool corner of your garage or basement, or a sand clamp.
You can also dry them for long-term storage. This is a simple process that will preserve them while keeping them fresh.
You can wrap them in moist paper towels or cloth to dry turnips. You can then store them in a plastic bag for long-term storage in the refrigerator.
Another way to store turnips is to freeze them. This is a simple process that will keep them fresh for up to 1 year. To store turnips in the freezer, you need to rinse them thoroughly and blanch them for a few minutes before freezing them. This will help them retain their color and prevent enzymes from destroying them.
Turnip Preparation Guidelines
The first step in preparing turnips for cooking is to clean them. Wash them with cool water and rinse thoroughly to remove dirt. Trim the top and bottom of each turnip, and peel if necessary.
Then, cook them for a few minutes. They’ll be tender and delicious!
After they’re cooked, freeze them in small zip-lock bags. Then, they’ll keep for a few months in the freezer.
For most vegetables, it’s a good idea to cook them partially before freezing, which helps to kill the bacteria and other organisms that can cause the vegetable to rot or lose its flavor.
Blanching is a simple way to do this. You can do this by immersing the roots in boiling water and letting them sit for about 2-3 minutes.
Cooking Instructions
Turnips are an excellent addition to a variety of stews and casseroles. They have purplish skin and a sweet and nutty flavor. They are also popular in mashed potatoes and soups.
To ensure that your turnips stay fresh, clean them properly. Keeping them clean helps keep them from developing mold and mildew.
One of the simplest ways to do this is using a saltwater solution. You place your turnip greens in a water-filled tub, add two tablespoons of salt and mix it until the salt dissolves.
Let the greens soak in this saline solution for five minutes to kill germs and bacteria, then rinse them under the water. This keeps the greens fresh and safe for up to two weeks in your fridge.
Additional Tips
- Turnips can be stored for a long time when they are properly prepared. The best way to keep them is in a cool dark place that isn’t too humid or warm.
- They can also be frozen to extend their shelf life and taste. They must be blanched in boiling water before freezing, which will help preserve their flavor and texture.
- Freeze-dried turnips can be kept in resealable containers for up to a year. However, they need to be stored in a dry environment and not exposed to the moisture of air or freezer space for too long, or they will rot.
- To prepare turnips for cooking, first cut them into small cubes. This will make them easy to blend into soups and stews.
How Long can Turnips be Stored for?
Turnips stored in any way can stay in good condition for about five to six months, especially if you act quickly to remove any rotten ones that might endanger the others. Turnips are traditionally stored in sand, which may seem strange, but preserving them is the best way.
If you can, separate the turnips because they are more likely to rot when grouped. The turnips should keep well for months with plenty of room and a cold, wet atmosphere. Simply dig them up, give them a good wash, and utilize them when ready.
Greens from turnips won’t last nearly as long. Even with proper preservation, they might only survive a few days, depending on how fresh they are. Use the greens as soon as you remove them from the plant if you intend to use them.
How to Tell if Turnips are Bad?
Turnips stored in any way can stay in good condition for about five to six months, especially if you act quickly to remove any rotten ones that might endanger the others. Turnips are traditionally stored in sand, which may seem strange, but it is the best way to preserve them.
If you can, separate the turnips because they are more likely to rot when grouped. The turnips should keep well for months with plenty of room and a cold, wet atmosphere. Simply dig them up, give them a good wash, and utilize them when ready.
Greens from turnips won’t last nearly as long. Even with proper preservation, they might only survive a few days, depending on how fresh they are. Use the greens as soon as you remove them from the plant if you intend to use them.
Avoid these Mistakes When Storing Turnips
- Turnips should not be washed before being stored because this increases the risk of rot.
- We are preserving turnips in a sunny area or at room temperature.
- Keeping turnips in the same space as other turnips or fruits that produce a lot of ethylene gas, such as apples and bananas (will speed up the ripening process).
- Turnips should not be cut open or damaged before storage because doing so may hasten decay. Turnips carved should be put in the refrigerator and eaten immediately.
Keep your Turnips Fresh Longer
If stored properly, turnips can last for long lengths of time, so you don’t need to stock your refrigerator with them constantly.
If you buy any turnips, store them in the refrigerator, but if you cultivate your own, use the old-fashioned method of burying them in insulating material and storing them in a cool place.
When is the Best Time to Harvest Turnips?
For the greatest results, you’ll need to understand how to properly store turnips and how and when to harvest the crops.
The optimal time to harvest a turnip root depends on the particular type and your growing conditions, according to Rachel Morgan, a horticultural at You garden (opens in new tab).
According to Rachel, “Plants that grow in less-than-ideal conditions will take longer to mature.” Turnip greens can be harvested, although doing so slows down the growth of the roots, making them take longer to gather.
You can pick turnip greens and vegetables separately or together. Rachel suggests gathering a bunch of the former that still has its leaves and stems whole. When these turnips reach about two inches in diameter, they are ready to be eaten.
The alternative is to harvest turnips that have already been “topped,” meaning the greens have been taken out. Turnips would be picked and gathered for this when they were slightly larger, approximately three inches in diameter.
It’s important to remember that turnips that are picked at a smaller size typically taste sweeter.
What Happens if you Eat Bad Turnips?
Let’s imagine your poor storage practices caused the turnips you purchased to get fuzzy. Can you still safely eat them or salvage them? You probably shouldn’t. Since mold is a common issue in most turnips when they begin to rot, you will likely experience a severe reaction if you have a mold allergy. This may result in rashes, vomiting, stomach pain, and other symptoms.
The flavor could be a significant additional issue for you. A rotten turnip will taste dreadful, and no amount of seasoning or cooking will make it better. Toss the terrible turnip aside and buy some fresh ones if you want to enjoy the sweetness of a fresh turnip.
Are Turnips Safe to Reheat?
Contrary to popular opinion, once turnips have been cooked, they should not be reheated. This is because they have significant nitrate contents, and reheating them could make them somewhat hazardous.
Consuming too many nitrates may cause methemoglobinemia or “blue baby syndrome,” making it challenging for patients to carry oxygen in their blood cells. It may occasionally also complicate matters for expectant mothers. Additionally, several research cites nitrate as a possible cancer-causing agent.
Conclusion
Turnips must be carefully stored if you want to enjoy the benefit of eating them for longer. The question of how to store turnips was addressed in the blog post above, allowing you to do so without encountering any issues. The advice given above will make it a lot simpler and more effective for you to store turnips.
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