Carrots are handy to always have in the kitchen, especially in spring when they are currently in season and cheap from the supermarket. However, there is nothing worse than being in the middle of cooking and discovering carrots have become limp, shrivelled or even mouldy.
Steph, a classically trained chef and founder of Fearless Fresh has shared that storing carrots is simple and it takes only five minutes , but most people do not do it properly. She said: “How many times have you gone to the store and bought a bunch of carrots or other vegetables, which sat in your fridge for a few days?
“And then, half a week later, you go to use them when you’ve got an idea for dinner, and they’re so weak and bendy you can almost tie them in a knot?”
One of the worst ways to store is by simply throwing them in the fridge with their original packaging, as the plastic traps create a warm humid environment which will encourage mould.
However, if carrots lose too much moisture, it can dry them out, cause them to wilt and greatly reduce their shelf life.
The key to keeping carrots fresh is to make sure they have enough moisture to keep them crisp, but also have a protective barrier that prevents bacteria or mould from getting to them.
Therefore, carrots will stay fresher for much longer if you keep them inside a jar filled with water. It may seem simple, but making sure they have a constant source of moisture will keep them hydrated and prevent them from becoming soft and shrivelled.
Steph said: “With this method, I’ve stored carrots and kept them crunchy for over a week. Seriously. Then I know they’ll be fresh and ready when they’re part of what I want to cook for dinner.”
Having carrots in water also makes the temperature around the carrots cool and stops excess air getting to them, so there is also much less chance of mould growth.
How to store carrots to keep them fresher for longer
All you need to do is cut your carrots into same-sized pieces that will fit into a jar.
If you want to keep them unpeeled and whole then that is fine but you just need a container that will accommodate them.
Make sure there is at least one inch of headroom between the carrot tops and the rim of your container, as you need the carrots to be completely submerged in the water.
Fill the container with clean water, place the lid on and then simply place it in the fridge. Change the water every few days to stop bacteria, and they will stay “fresh and superbly crunchy” for longer.
If you wish, you can keep root vegetables such as parsnips, celery, lettuce, leeks and radishes fresh with this storage method as well.
