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It has probably already happened to you that garlic in your pantry began to sprout or that your onions softened, or even completely rotted.
Onions and garlic
Today we’ll reveal a simple and inexpensive method to keep your garlic and onions fresh for as long as possible, even for months without problems.
You will need
- onions and garlic that are firm and show no signs of rot
- brown paper bags
- a paper hole punch
- wires
Procedure
1. To start, take the paper bags and use a hole punch to make holes in their upper half.
2. You can make the holes in any pattern. Usually this is done by folding the bag several times and then punching several holes at once. The holes should typically be spaced about 3 to 4 cm apart.
3. The holes don’t need to be perfectly arranged; it’s enough that they allow adequate air supply and circulation.
4. Now fill the pouches with onions or garlic up to the level where the holes begin. Do not mix garlic and onions together; put them in separate pouches.
5. Fold over the top of the bag and secure it with wires.
6. Then store the bags as you normally would — in the pantry or in a kitchen cupboard for food.
Tips
It’s important not to overfill the pouches. Air needs to circulate around the bags as well as inside them.
It’s a good idea to place the bags in plastic baskets so they stand upright and don’t tip over, but don’t pack the pouches tightly against each other so air can flow between them.
This method will help significantly extend the shelf life of onions and garlic. However, the total time may vary depending on the temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions of the storage location.
As for temperature, a cool temperature is best, but not too cold or freezing. The optimum is around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. Then onions and garlic will last about 3 months, maybe even longer.
A drier and darker place is also preferable.
Onions should never be kept in the refrigerator, because excessive cold will soften them and they will also affect the taste of nearby foods.
Also do not use plastic bags. Lack of air circulation will accelerate their sprouting or even rotting.
And the last tip is not to store onions and potatoes together, because they release gases that will accelerate their mutual spoilage.
