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In order for cauliflower to remain tasty and healthy for as long as possible, you need to know how to properly store it in the cellar and apartment.

There are several ways to help extend the life of cut heads. The main thing is to properly prepare the vegetable for storage and create the necessary conditions for increasing keeping quality.

We will tell you in the article about whether it is possible to store cauliflower in an apartment, in a cellar, how to properly organize storage at home for the winter.

How to prepare for storage?

It is important to choose the right time for harvesting. Yellowed inflorescences are a sign of overripe cabbage. Such a vegetable loses its taste and keeping quality.

The following heads of cabbage are allowed for storage:

• with a clean surface of white or pale yellow color, the color must be uniform;
• tight, juicy, with whole inflorescences;
• not less than 10-13 cm in diameter, weighing about 0, -1.5 kg (depending on the variety).

Only late-ripening varieties are suitable for long-term storage. After collecting (buying) the crop, you need to quickly hide it from direct sunlight, otherwise it will wither and turn yellow.

Cabbage should be placed in a cool, well-ventilated area for 3-4 hours, after which:

• divide the heads into parts;
• cut off leaves and roots;
• Rinse;
• dry thoroughly.

In this form, the ripened forks are ready for laying in the refrigerator, preservation, and drying.

The necessary conditions

The most optimal for the safety of cauliflower are the following conditions:

1. Temperature - from 0 to + 3⁰С. At lower values, the inflorescences will quickly freeze, and at higher values, they will begin to actively germinate.
2. Humidity - 90-95%. With an increase, decay of inflorescences is possible.
3. Lighting. Forks are kept in the dark.
4. Ventilation. The room must be dry and well ventilated.

How to store properly at home?

There are several storage methods with their pros and cons.

Fresh in the refrigerator

Before sending a vegetable to the refrigerator, you need to:

1. Clean the head of cabbage from leaves and roots, if any.
2. Rinse the cabbage thoroughly under cool water (there may be cobwebs, aphids, dirt between the inflorescences).
3. Dry and put each head in its own plastic bag. You can wrap each vegetable tightly with cling film in two layers.

Unfortunately, the refrigerator will not solve the problem of winter storage - the shelf life of this fresh product is too short (1-2 weeks depending on the density of the head).

Cauliflower in boiled form, store in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hoursespecially if it is used to feed babies.

How to store cauliflower in the refrigerator, read here.

In the freezer

The best option for storing cauliflower is a freezer. Here she can lie from 6 months to a year.

Before putting the vegetable into the freezer, you should:

1. Put the head of cauliflower in cold salted water so that insects and larvae come out.
2. Dip the head of cabbage for 2-3 minutes in boiling water with citric acid or juice.
3. After blanching, place the cabbage in a pot of clean, cold water. This will preserve the beneficial properties, color and juiciness of the product.
4. Dry the head of cabbage, cut off leaves and spoiled areas.
5. Divide the forks into inflorescences and divide into portions, place in airtight bags.

The bottom compartment of the refrigerator is best for defrosting. Re-freezing the cauliflower will look more like a runny gruel and will be unusable.

He will tell you about freezing cauliflower for the winter this article.

Is it possible at room temperature in the apartment?

Healthy, undamaged forks are stored at room temperature for 12-20 days... At home, cabbage is stored in a dark place, for example, in a pantry.

On the balcony

An insulated loggia with a temperature of at least 0⁰ is suitable for storing cauliflower. The heads can be hung, as in the basement, if the windows are closed with dark film, paper or blinds.

In the cellar

Cellar or basement - ideal for storing large crops... The main thing is that the optimal temperature and humidity are maintained there.

You will have to check the condition of the vegetables periodically. In the event of mold and rot, spoiled heads are subject to immediate removal.

Preserve the freshness of cauliflower the following methods will help:

1. Hang it upside down by the stump at a distance of 6 cm from each other. So they hang for 1-1.5 months.
2. Bury the roots in clean sand and moisturize as it dries. The shelf life is 5-6 months.
3. Place in boxes on shelves. Remove the top leaves and roots. Unfold so that the heads do not touch each other.

   Then cover the boxes with cardboard or opaque foil. You can simply wrap each head of cabbage in a plastic bag and put it on the shelves. The shelf life is 2-3 months.

Regardless of how you store it, cauliflower should be checked every week for rot.

Which way will help the vegetable stay fresh for as long as possible?

Frozen cauliflower retains its consumer properties for 12 months. This is the maximum shelf life.

This sign indicates that the vegetable has begun to rot. Pathogenic microflora penetrates deep inside, infecting the product completely.

Alternative harvesting options for the winter

If there is no cellar or free space in the refrigerator, cauliflower stored dried or canned.

Drying

In the process of drying, the inflorescences will decrease by 7 times, such a semi-finished product will not take up much space. The shelf life is 7-10 months.

To dry cabbage, you need:

• divide the head into inflorescences;
• dry in the oven for 3-5 hours at 60⁰С;
• distribute in glass jars or containers, cover with parchment paper;
• store in a dry, preferably cool place.

Before using dried inflorescences, it is enough to pour water and allow to be saturated with moisture.

When drying in the oven, open the door slightly to allow steam to escape.this will prevent stewing and frying vegetables.

Conservation

Canned cauliflower can be stored for 1-2 years. If you want, you can use the following recipe:

Ingredients:

• cauliflower - 10 kg;
• water - 6 l;
• coarse salt - 400 gr.;
• vinegar 6% - 400 ml.

Recipe:

1. Sterilize banks.
2. Bring water to a boil, add salt and vinegar.
3. Divide the head into inflorescences, rinse and blanch in salted water for 2-3 minutes.
4. Arrange the inflorescences in banks, pour in cooled brine.
5. Add spices to taste (2 bay leaves, 5-6 pieces of black and allspice, garlic).
6. Roll up the jars with lids, turn over and cover with a warm blanket.
7. The cooled preservation should be stored in the cellar or closet.

Canned food with swollen lids should not be eaten.

How much is stored, how to increase the term?

The shelf life of cauliflower varies greatly. Depends on the quality of the crop and the chosen method:

• in a cellar or basement - 2-3 months;
• in the refrigerator - up to 1 month;
• in the freezer - up to 1 year;
• on the balcony - up to 1 month, provided that the balcony is sufficiently insulated.

What cannot be done?

Cauliflower will quickly deteriorate if:

1. Close the drawers with a tight, air-tight lid.
2. Grow under artificial light.
3. For a long time, do not check vegetables for spoilage and rot.
4. Transfer from cold to warm and vice versa (re-freeze).
5. Tie and hang in bundles.
6. Put dry inflorescences in the refrigerator and freezer.
7. Wrap the forks in the newspaper. Printing ink is very harmful to health. It is best to choose paper towels or parchment for storage.

You should not try to keep sluggish heads, and also put them in several pieces in deep boxes to save space on the balcony or in the basement. Cabbage will actively release ethylene gas, which will accelerate wilting and lead to rapid damage to the crop.

Advice

A properly grown and harvested crop lasts longer. The following rules will help increase keeping quality cauliflower:

• do not abuse nitrogen fertilizers;
• collect the product in dry weather:
• cut off the heads along with several leaves;
• before conservation, soak fresh heads of cabbage from the garden in salt water for 10 minutes to release insects and larvae hidden inside;
• blanch in salted water to avoid bitterness;
• freeze once;
• store in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment (bottom shelf);
• to store the forks in the basement or cellar, the cabbage should not be cut, but twisted;
• before laying the crop in the cellar, you should check it for mold and rodents (even a subtle fungus on the walls or ceiling can ruin all the cabbage).

Conclusion

There are plenty of ways to save cauliflower:

• in the cellar,
• on the balcony,
• to freeze,
• make pickles

or choose another option - everyone decides for himself.

Remember that non-observance of temperature and humidity conditions will lead to rapid damage to inflorescences... To avoid this, you should adhere to the above tips and recommendations.