How to Store Brussels Sprouts
High in nutrients and rich in antioxidants, Brussels sprouts are known as little powerhouses for a reason.
So we asked Google, “How long do Brussels sprouts last?”
Their answer? 5 days.
We then asked YOU how long you expect Brussels sprouts to last in the fridge, and the average answer was about 6 days.
Yikes.
Fear not. You have not failed your food, your kitchen tools have failed you!
With Abeego as your kitchen pal, you can learn to keep fresh Brussels sprouts for what feels like forever. Dig in with us and learn the best way to store Brussels sprouts and keep them teeming with life.
To deepen our understanding of their life cycle, we saved Brussels sprouts in our Test Kitchen. We're sharing these results with you to help support food preservation in your own kitchen. Victory will be yours!
HOW TO STORE BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Keep unwashed and untrimmed Brussels sprouts in a cold and humid environment (avoid room temperature) and follow these three steps:
- Store Brussels sprouts in the fridge’s crisper drawer
- Provide a breathable environment to reduce moisture build up and avoid airtight wraps and containers, which encourage slime growth
- Protect Brussels sprouts from the fridge's drying effects and wrap with a damp dish towel, fabric produce bag, or breathable food wrap
Keep reading to see what happened in our Abeego Test Kitchen, get tips to select the best Brussels sprouts, and check out our favorite Brussels sprouts recipes that use up every delectable leaf and keep you brusselin'.
ABEEGO TEST KITCHEN RESULTS | BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH ABEEGO VS WITHOUT
During our Abeego Kitchen Test, we saved Brussels sprouts in the following ways:
- Open bowl
- Mesh bag
- Abeego pouch
We weighed each batch of Brussels sprouts and then again after four days to measure moisture loss. We also considered color, smell, and texture.
Because Brussels sprouts are alive and need to breathe, we didn't test any plastic bag or airtight container methods as we know this makes sprouts age in a quick, slimy, & yellowy fashion. Yuck.
OUR RESULTS
Based on moisture retention and overall texture, Brussels sprouts stored in Abeego were the clear winner.
After 4 days, the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts in the bowl and bag were both soft and wilted, whereas wrapped in Abeego, the leaves retained their crispness.
The Brussels sprouts wrapped in Abeego retained 99.14% of their moisture, which was 8X more than the mesh bag method and 9X more than an uncovered bowl.
It doesn’t stop there, Brussels sprouts will happily hang in Abeego for days longer while staying vibrant and flavorful. We encourage you to experiment at home! Wrap the 4 day sprouts back up and check on them again in 7 days. Then ten days. Notice how the right environment can extend the life of Brussels sprouts for what feels like forever!
WHY ABEEGO WORKS
Brussels sprouts are alive and need to breathe. Abeego wrap creates a protective barrier to combat the drying effects of the fridge, while also allowing sprouts to breathe—much in the same way peels and rinds found in nature do (visualize the pores on a lemon peel).
When creating Abeego as a better way to save food, our founder looked to the workings of nature. At home, the result is tastier & more nutritious produce with a longer shelf life. This saves you time and money while you feel good about ending food waste and reducing household plastics.
HOW TO WRAP BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN ABEEGO
Here are our favorite ways to wrap sprouts with Abeego:
- Fold a Large Abeego into a pouch.
- Fold the Giant Abeego, into a bag and fill to the brim with sprouts
- Reach for a Medium Abeego and cover a bowl full of sprouts,
- Place Brussels sprouts on the diagonal of a Large Abeego, roll them up and twist each end.
Get Brussels sprouts in Abeego whatever way is easiest for you. It’s all good.
For more wrap inspiration, check out our Abeego YouTube channel.
HOW TO GET THE BEST BRUSSELS SPROUTS
WHERE TO BUY BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Try to source Brussels sprouts most recently harvested. In most cases, this means buying these veggies locally and in season from September to mid-February from a farmer’s market. However, grocery stores usually have them in stock year round. If you’re lucky, you’ll find them for sale still on the stalk!
HOW TO CHOOSE BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Fresh Brussels sprouts are glorious in all manner of shapes and sizes. Sourced directly from farm to market results in a greater variety, from tiny sprout cherubs to enormous monster Brussels. Large supermarkets generally choose medium sprouts only; buying sizes outside of this helps to support farmers who can’t necessarily control the size of their sprouts, as explained in this wonderful Imperfect Foods article.
Choose uniform sizes if you plan to cook Brussels sprouts so they require the same time to cook. Small sprouts tend to be sweet whereas large sprouts offer robust flavor.
Whatever you choose, look for firm heads with tightly packed leaves. Yellow leaves and black spots are a sign that the Brussels sprouts are further along in their life cycle.
HOW TO EAT BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Once the underdog of the vegetable world relegated as a holiday side dish, Brussels sprouts are rightly taking center stage. Nutritious and delicious, they’re incredibly versatile and satisfying as a main dish.
Whole & Roasted: Spread them out on a baking sheet with olive oil and/or truffle oil and toss in the oven to enjoy roasted Brussels Sprouts. We love topping them off with fresh parmesan.
Shredded & in a Salad: We enjoyed a family-style lunch with our work family and made this Shredded Brussels and Arugula Salad recipe from Cookie and Kate complete with crumbled blue cheese and toasted pecans. Brussels sprouts can be shredded in advance and saved in Abeego to retain their freshly shredded flavor.
Fermented: Brussels sprouts nearing the end of their life? Not feeling like diving into the cooking process? Try Southern Kitchen’s Brusselskraut to preserve them for longer.
BUILDING THE ABEEGO HABIT
Lessen the load and eat with friends!
Get together with friends/family/coworkers for a shared potluck meal comprised of foods from home that need to be used up. Get creative and see what you can create in your homemade version of Chopped.
It is with deep respect and gratitude that we create, build and operate our business in the communities of Southern Vancouver Island, which as a business we acknowledge is located within the ancestral and unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) (Esquimalt and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia'new, T’Sou-ke and W̱SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples.
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