Kale has been well-known for a long time as a digestive and healthy vegetable. Today we use it as an ingredient in many dishes, and naturally, we would like to preserve kale till its longest.
Have you ever wondered how it is possible to preserve the useful features of this vegetable together with all the vitamins and elements it contains?
Then read the info below if you ever wondered how to store fresh kale at home.
Kale Shelf Life
We all like eating crispy and fresh kale, right? Hardly can a person be found who would agree to take a bite of some sluggish kale leaves that taste like paper.
That is why, to enjoy this healthy and — why not? — delicious and fresh vegetable, we shall be aware of the most significant specifics of its storage to be able to keep kale fresh.
How long does kale last? Let’s agree, this question is a huge point of concern for many prudent cooks.
As for the answer to this question, everything will depend on whether you are going to store raw or cooked vegetables and for how long you would actually like to preserve it.
- How long does kale last in the fridge?
Raw kale, when being properly refrigerated, can remain fresh and keep its useful qualities for a whole week.
- How long can I keep cooked kale?
Here everything depends on where you will be storing it. If in the fridge, then your kale will remain eatable for five days at most. But if you decide to freeze it, its expiration date will shift to one year of storage.
- Can you freeze cooked kale?
Of course, you can! This is, actually, the only possible way to extend the vegetable’s durability.
Now that we have figured this all out, let’s talk about kale storage more precisely.
Kale Go Bad?
Preserving vegetables is a tricky and unpredictable process. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our greens still turn bad and rotten! And kale is not an exception.
How do you know when kale is bad? Well, if, upon taking a look at it, you notice any signs of color changing and the vegetable is soft and mushy to the touch, discard it instantly because there is no more point in storing kale that is in such a bad condition.
Remember that using spoiled food or the food that you suspect is not good anymore may lead to different diseases and food poisoning in particular!
How to Keep Kale Fresh
Now let’s proceed to the detailed instruction about how to preserve kale at home. There is no best way to store kale as its storage specifics will depend on how long you intend to preserve the vegetable and what environment you are going to use for it.
Let’s check out the most common and usable methods of kale keeping.
- Can you freeze kale?
Kale can be frozen but you will need to blanch it first, otherwise, its leaves will dry and fade soon.
How to blanch kale for freezing? Prepare two bowls with water, one with salted water for boiling and another with cold water.
Take the kale leaves from its stem and submerge them into the water for two minutes. The leaves must get brighter, then they are ready to be taken out.
Once you see the sign, take the blanched kale leaves out and remove them to the cold water.
Dry the leaves thoroughly with towels and freeze them on a baking sheet for two hours.
Once the leaves are frozen, toss them into a plastic bag and return to freeze. When freezing kale like that, it can remain durable for eight months.
- How to store cut kale in the fridge
There is an option to keep kale refrigerated after cutting it.
Simply cut or even tear the leaves into pieces, rinse them and dry. Afterward, you will be able to keep them in a plastic zip-bag being wrapped in a paper towel for three days at most. How to wash kale in this case? Just submerge the leaves into a bowl of water and swirl or rinse them under the running water instead and remember to dry them carefully.
- Storing a whole kale refrigerated
When preserving kale whole, ensure there is no excess moisture as it will make the vegetable rot. What you have to do is to thoroughly wrap your kale with several paper towels and put in a plastic bag to refrigerate in a vegetable section.
What Dishes Can You Make With Kale?
Kale can be used not in the salads only. It has quite a thick texture so feel free to add it to the hot and savory dishes and even smoothies!
Kale will perfectly fit pizza as a topping, it is good to pair with roasted squash and potatoes, steak (or any other meat) will also taste great with some kale in a sauce.
Seafood, pasta, gratin, and soups — all of them may be perfectly accompanied by this vegetable that will add more taste and flavor. And of course, let’s don’t forget about the great variety of salads!
There are even recipes for kale being added to muffins!
How to Make Kale Less Bitter?
Sometimes people may notice that kale can taste somewhat bitter in the dishes. Does it mean it was cooked improperly? Is it the sign that the vegetable is spoiled or rotten?
No, no and no. It is a normal issue because raw kale has slightly bitter notes in its taste, however, removing that bitterness will be very useful.
To achieve this, either wash kale in the ice-cold water or blanch it. Salt and vinegar can also kill the bitter taste, as well as mixing kale with a lot of sauce.
And of course, cooked kale will lose this feature by all means.
Use these tips to avoid kale rotting and enjoy this great vegetable in a great variety of dishes!
