Does asparagus go bad?

Introduction

Asparagus is known as an expensive veggie but the nutrition values it contains are worth the price. The reason why you should fill your plate with more of this vegetable is asparagus is a plentiful source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are really good for your health.  

As a main chef for your family, you might wonder about a lot of things related to this ingredient such as its shelf life, the way to store and prepare it. In this article, we will provide you with the best knowledge and help you figure out the solutions for all these concerns.

How long does asparagus last?

The shelf life of asparagus will vary depending on how fresh it is and the way you store it. For further details, just take a look at the table below:

How to tell if asparagus goes bad?

It’s quite easy to identify when asparagus goes bad. It will suddenly turn soft or mushy that opposes to the firm texture when being fresh.  In a worse case, you can realize black spots all over the stalks or it becomes slimy, it’s time to throw it away. 

However, if there are only some trivial bad parts, you can discard spoiled portions and keep the rest parts of asparagus, it won’t affect your health anyway.  But if the bad parts are more than good parts, or if your asparagus smells rotten, you better say goodbye to it. 

How to store asparagus?

There are several ways to store this veggie and each way will result in different shelf life as mentioned before. Just remember one tip to secure asparagus during storage is not removing the rubber band around the bunch. 

For example, if you want to keep your asparagus in the fridge, you can just pop a bag of asparagus into your fridge as it is, wrap it with a damp paper towel or in a jar of water. Since asparagus likes moisture so keep your bag or jar unsealed or covered loosely. 

You can freeze asparagus in the freezer as the best way to extend the shelf life of this ingredient as long as possible. Whenever you need it to prepare for meals, just thaw, reheat and cook it per your own recipe.

Can you freeze asparagus?

Yes, you can freeze asparagus to make it last up to 18 months. Good news is this veggie can freeze well and still even keep the best quality and taste during that long period of time. 

You can choose to keep freezing it after 18 months but we don’t recommend as after that, you can realize the decline in its quality or texture.

How to freeze asparagus?

Now you are going to learn how to freeze asparagus properly in just some simple steps.

Tips to freeze asparagus

• You should use a vacuum sealer to remove any air in the bag to avoid freezer burn
• The time in ice cold water should be the same as in blanch step

Things you’ll need to freeze asparagus

• A freezer-safe container or bag
• A knife
• Ice cold water
• A pot 

How to freeze asparagus in just 4 steps

• Wash the asparagus, remove scales and cut into even sizes 
• Blanch sliced asparagus in a pot for 3 minutes and chill quickly in ice cold water
• Drain excess moisture then package in airtight containers/ freezer bags
• Label the storage time on the bag
• Put asparagus bag in the freezer

How to defrost/ thaw asparagus?

After freezing asparagus, you might instantly think about how to thaw it correctly before starting your chosen recipe. 

However, it’s recommended to not defrost asparagus before cooking as it can become soggy. We can directly learn how to reheat and cook it directly from the freezer.

How to reheat asparagus?

Below is the instruction step-by-step to reheat your frozen asparagus.

Tips to reheat asparagus

• When you steam asparagus, add garlic, herbs or lemon juice to the water for more flavors. 
• Before reheating asparagus, don’t forget to break off the woody bottoms

Things you’ll need to reheat asparagus

• A skillet/ grill/ steamer
• A spatula/ tongs
• Olive oil

How to reheat asparagus 

With a frying pan

• Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat
• Add frozen asparagus to the pan and continuously stir with a spatula up to 5 minutes or until it is tender but slightly crisp
• Remove the pan from the heat and serve asparagus on a plate

With a grill

• Toss your frozen asparagus in some olive oil then straight to the grill
• Keep turning asparagus during the grill time to avoid burning
• Add season once it’s done and serve it on a plate

With a  steamer pot

• Add a bit water to the pot and place the steamer basket inside
• Heat the pot over high heat until boiling
• Place frozen asparagus into the steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid
• Steam for a few minutes until asparagus is tender but firm
• Remove the pot from heat and serve the veggie on a plate