If you love sweet onions, you probably want to have them on hand for various of your favorite recipes.
This can be easier than you might think, and there are some really simple ways to ensure that your sweet onions are not going to go bad before you get to use them to make dinner.
You can store onions in a variety of ways that will make them last for quite some time.
If you have been trying to determine the best way to make sure that your sweet onions will last, you will just need a cool and dark place and some newspaper or paper towels. Some people also swear by pantyhose for this need.
If you want to find out more about the ways to store sweet onions properly, you need to read on!
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Tips for Storing Sweet Onions
Regular onions are a little easier to store than sweet onions because of the differences in their sugar and water content.
Sweet onions are easier to bruise due to this difference in the composition of the vegetable, and they are more likely to mold or go bad if they are not stored correctly.
Make sure that you have a set location that your sweet onions can be kept in before they are cut to get the maximum storage time out of them.
1. Use Pantyhose
Some people swear by using pantyhose to store this variety of onions. You will simply sore your sweet onions in the pantyhose and tie a knot in the garment between each onion.
This will keep them from touching one another and getting too wet, which can lead to mold or bruising.
You will need to store your onions in their pantyhose in a cool and dry location that is away from the sun. This is key to preventing the onions from sweating inside the pantyhose.
You will also want to make sure that you use sheer pantyhose so that the onion gets enough air circulation to stay good.
2. Towels or Newspaper
If you don’t want to use the pantyhose method, you can keep your sweet onions from touching one another by placing them in towels or wrapping them in a newspaper or paper towel.
You will then need to put the onions in the same dark, cool, and dry location until you need them.
When you use newspaper or towels to keep the onions from touching, you will be protecting them from getting wet and from bruising one another.
This is always a key factor for the storage of your sweet onions since they are more delicate than regular onions and much more prone to breaking down when handled incorrectly.
3. Wash Your Hands
No matter which of the methods of storage you want to try for your sweet onions, make sure that you handle them with clean hands that have just been washed.
When you are touching the onions to store them, you can impart bacteria to the skin of the onion with your hands. This is the main reason that onions break down when they are stored, and sweet onions are very susceptible to this kind of decay or damage.
Having clean hands when you store your sweet onions will make it much more likely that they will hold up long-term.
4. Chop Them and Freeze Them
If you want to have chopped onions on hand to use for cooking but you are worried about your onions going bad before you can use them, you need to chop them up and then freeze them.
You can dry your onion out in the oven first before you freeze them to make them less likely to get mushy and soft.
When you freeze your onions, you should place them on a baking tray and separate them. Once they have frozen, move them into freezer bags or containers and seal them up tightly.
This will prevent bacteria from growing on your onions while they are stored and also help with moisture getting to them.
5. Freeze the Whole Onion
You can also freeze the entire onion if you wish. You will need to wash the onion and core it, and then you can drop them into a freezer bag. You will want to squeeze out all the air from the bag before you seal it up.
This can be a challenge due to the shape of the onion, but you will find that if you are careful, you can remove most of the air from the bag with ease.
How Long Will Sweet Onions Last When Stored?
Sweet onions can last for about two months when stored whole in the right cool and dark space. A chopped onion will only last a couple of days when stored in the fridge. An onion that has been placed in the freezer can last for about seven to ten days.
Onions that are stored whole and uncut will always last longer than onions that have been cut or put in the fridge or freezer.
You will want to consider having a special dark and chilly place for your sweet onions if you want to have them on hand at all times.
The cooler and darker the space, the more likely it will be that your onions will remain in good condition long-term.
Preserving Sweet Onions Can Be Straightforward
These tips and tricks will help you to save your sweet onions from going bad and will make it simple to avoid the effort of buying onions once a week at the store.
Make sure that you always wash your hands before you store your sweet onions and take the time to completely seal the bags and containers that you are using to store the onion.
When storing onions whole, be sure that you keep them separate from one another. This will prevent issues with bruising, mold, and decay.
Using the right storage methods will make it simple to keep onions on hand for your use at any time. If you love sweet onions, you need to try these tips and tricks today!
I am Brianna, a self-published author with a passion for sharing my knowledge and expertise on various topics with people looking to find the perfect items for their needs. I love ensuring that the right informative content is available to people looking for the right information. I am an avid horseback rider and reader when I am not writing.
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