The best way to keep apples “perfectly crisp” has been revealed, with you only needing one item to keep them good for weeks. Thekitchn tested different ways to store apples to keep them fresher for longer, including in a basket, in a plastic bag, or in the crisper drawer.
They used organic, unwaxed Honeycrisp apples for testing and left them in their storage position for six weeks to see which fared the best. At the end they were given a score from one to 10. This was determined by how the apples looked whole and when cut into, plus how well their textures and flavours held up. The worst two methods were putting the apples in a paper bag on the counter or in a bowl on the counter. The results scored six and 6.5, respectively, and the apples lasted between five and five-and-a-half weeks.
Coming in fifth and fourth were in a basket on the counter and loose in the crisper drawer. Those in the basket got a score of seven and lasted five-and-a-half weeks. Those in the crisper drawer got a score of eight and lasted six weeks.
In third and second were in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer and in a paper bag in the crisper drawer. They got scores of nine and 9.8 out of 10 and both lasted the full six weeks.
But in first place was individually wrapping the apples in newspaper and putting them in a cardboard box in the pantry, ensuring they are kept separate from ethylene gas-producing produce.
Thekitchn said this method gave the pantry “a delightful fragrance reminiscent of the brightest fresh-pressed cider.” They gave the results a 10 out of 10, saying the apples lasted more than six weeks.
The site added: “At the end of my testing period, all of the apples looked just as pretty as they were the day I purchased them — bright, smooth, unblemished skins and firm flesh with no soft spots. They tasted of sweet-tart perfection, retaining all of the juiciness you expect from a pristine Honeycrisp apple.
“Wrapping them individually helped to contain each apple’s ethylene gas emissions, meaning that if one went bad, it wouldn’t taint the others and cause them to spoil.”
