Keeping Onions

Quoted message said:

Finally chopped onions for use at a later date (wwek), putting them

in

Quoted message said:

a Zip Lock bag, squeezing as much air out as I can, does anyone

suggest

Quoted message said:

keeping them in the fridge or freezing them? Will appreciate any
ideas...

I'm curious why you would do that, rather than chopping them when you
need them, since whole onions keep much better than chopped. But I've
never done it, so can't help with the question. I'd refrigerate them,
and make sure I had more onions for later in case they get moldy.

-aem

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Finally chopped onions for use at a later date (wwek), putting them

in

Quoted message said:

a Zip Lock bag, squeezing as much air out as I can, does anyone

suggest

Quoted message said:

keeping them in the fridge or freezing them? Will appreciate any
ideas...

I'm curious why you would do that, rather than chopping them when you
need them, since whole onions keep much better than chopped.

I too scratched my head at this. Onion will keep for quite some time frozen
provided they're in an air-evacuated container. I used to prep 20-30 lbs of
fresh sliced onion as needed during my restaurant days and they were kept in
the refrigerator in loosely covered bowls for anywhere from 10 hours to 2
days (depending on traffic) without much degradation of flavor or
consistency.

Freezing will degrade the consistency of the onion.
The OP implied that the onions would be used within a week. Since they're
chopped I'd hazard a guess that they'll be used cooked rather than raw so
consistency's not an issue.

So to the OP: If you're planning on using the chopped onion raw, don't
freeze it, just refrigerate it. Loosely wrapped, not in a sealed container.

Best,

Marc

Quoted message said:

Finally chopped onions for use at a later date (wwek), putting them in
a Zip Lock bag, squeezing as much air out as I can, does anyone suggest
keeping them in the fridge or freezing them? Will appreciate any
ideas...

I do both. For short term use, I keep them in the fridge. For longer
term storage, I keep them in the freezer.

Quoted message said:

Finally chopped onions for use at a later date (wwek), putting them

in

Quoted message said:

a Zip Lock bag, squeezing as much air out as I can, does anyone

suggest

Quoted message said:

keeping them in the fridge or freezing them?

Will appreciate any ideas...

Don't do either...

An onion takes what, about two minutes at the most to prepare... cut
onions don't keep well refrigerated, they quickly begin to *stink*.
You'd need to freeze them and then they're only good for tossing in the
stew pot, frozen onions are not good for sauteing either.

For times when only a small bit of onion is needed perhaps you should
look into keeping dehy onions handy... I find that very useful, both
plain and toasted. If I don't intend to use an entire onion I either
don't cut into it or if I do I toss what I don't need into the compost
pail... I've never yet saved part of an onion. Maybe you should buy
smaller onions, I try to buy a mixture of sizes, those small ones about
an inch in diameter come in very handy, the small ones also have less
waste as they have thinner skins and they have fresher flavor too, very
good in salads, especially tuna salad. One small onion and one rib of
celery diced is the perfect amount for a 2-can tuna salad. I never
make tuna salad with less than 2 cans, not worth the trouble, and I
have six cats who each get a sample so it's really only 1 1/2 cans.

Now if you feel compelled to refrigerate, refrigerate your canned tuna,
then it is always already chilled and ready for immediate use.

If you're planning on using the chopped onion raw, don't
freeze it, just refrigerate it. Loosely wrapped, not in a sealed
container.

Best,
Marc

Your fridge must stink worse than a NYC subway terlit... what a
filthy-dirty slob... yoose gotta be euro.

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If you're planning on using the chopped onion raw, don't
freeze it, just refrigerate it. Loosely wrapped, not in a sealed
container.

Best,
Marc

Your fridge must stink worse than a NYC subway terlit... what a
filthy-dirty slob... yoose gotta be euro.

Nah, just a half-kraut, half-[censored] suburbanite.

We're used to stinks from most directions.

*

Best,

Marc

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

An onion takes what, about two minutes at the most to prepare... cut
onions don't keep well refrigerated, they quickly begin to *stink*.
You'd need to freeze them and then they're only good for tossing in the
stew pot, frozen onions are not good for sauteing either.

For times when only a small bit of onion is needed perhaps you should
look into keeping dehy onions handy... I find that very useful, both
plain and toasted. If I don't intend to use an entire onion I either
don't cut into it or if I do I toss what I don't need into the compost
pail... I've never yet saved part of an onion.

<snip>

I agree with all you said - Unfortunately for me there is something in the
dehydrated onions that does not agree with me. I think it's bizarre unless
there is some enzyme missing in the dried ones. The just repeat and repeat
and give me gas.

Consequently I just don't use them any more. Onion powder however - no
problem.

Dimitri

Sheldon said:

An onion takes what, about two minutes at the most to prepare... cut
onions don't keep well refrigerated, they quickly begin to *stink*.
[snip]
Now if you feel compelled to refrigerate, refrigerate your canned

tuna,

Quoted message said:

then it is always already chilled and ready for immediate use.

You're joking, right? There's nothing that will stink up your
refrigerator faster than an open can of tuna. Oh wait, I see, you mean
keep the *unopened* can in the 'fridge so it'll be chilled. Never
mind.

-aem

Thanks to you all, I actually had to use the food processor and ended
up with much more onion than I needed, so the question. I tightly
squeezed portions in a zip lock bags and sealed. The odor the next day
was like a trip to the dump, even through the bag. I am using one today
and will freeze the other two and next week will use them in a stew or
a good hot curry. My thought here is to, as the bags are waterproof,
put each bag in a small plastic air tight container and fill the void
with water. This should cut the odor without completely ruining the
onion, I'm not taking a chance. We will see. Best regards, David...