What are the advantages of storing onions?
1) You will not have to worry about them rotting or getting moldy.
2) They do not spoil easily and they keep their shape well.
3) You can use them in soups, stews, casseroles, sauces etc.
4) They taste good fresh and long after you buy them.
5) You can freeze them.
How to store onions?
1) Keep them in a cool place like fridge.
Do not leave them out at room temperature for too long because it could cause the moisture level inside the onion to rise which may lead to rot and spoilage. If you must leave them out for longer than 2 weeks, then put them back into the fridge. (Do not refrigerate onions. The moisture level inside the onion will rise and cause it to become mushy.)
2) If you want to preserve them for longer period of time, then place them in a glass jar with tight fitting lid.
This method does not require any special storage techniques. However, if you plan to store your onions for more than 2 weeks, then place them back into the fridge. (Do not refrigerate jars. It is similar to keeping them out at room temperature.
The moisture will build up and cause the onions to become mushy.) If you wish, you can keep the jars in a cool place like a root cellar, dark cupboard (if you do not have one then keep them in a cardboard box in a dark corner) or a cool place in your kitchen.
What are the different types of storage?
There are three main ways to store onions:
1) Onions stored in mesh bags that can be hung from hooks.
2) Onions stored in boxes or cartons that can be stacked on shelves.
3) Onions stored in individual plastic ventilated bags.
Hanging storage
This is our favorite way of storing onions and it takes up very little room. You do need somewhere cool and dry to do it, though. You will need 2 hooks (ideally 6 inches long and strong enough to take the weight of the bag full of onions) and some string or strong twine.
1) Hang the string from your hooks so that there is a loop at the bottom that will be big enough to put the bag through.
2) Fill the bag with onions to be hung and carefully make a knot in the top to make a handle for hanging the bag.
3) Carefully put the bag through the bottom loop and hang it from the hooks.
The onions should now be hanging down inside the bag and not touching one another. If you have any excess string then tie it up out of the way with a knot.
4) If you are short of hooks then you can always buy some S-hooks to save wasting string and using up hooks that might be needed for other storage systems.
5) You may want to label each bag with the type of onion, the date you hung it up, and the date you should use by.
6) Do not remove onions from this storage until they start to sprout or have grown hard layers that need peeling.
7) You can keep as many onions in one bag as you can fit in.
The more you put in the cooler they will be and the longer they will last.
Cool dark place
1) A dark place is a good place to store your onions as long as it is not too damp.
A utility room, cellar, or even the corner of a pantry would be suitable.
2) Do not store them in the fridge as the humidity will make them go soft and sprout.
3) A cardboard box is better than just throwing them on the floor as it will keep them from being damaged by anything else that might be stored in there.
4) You should keep your onions separate from potatoes and apples as the gases that they give off can make your onions go soft.
5) Keep your onions away from sunlight as the warmth and light will make them start to sprout.
6) Marking your bags with the type of onion inside and the date you store them will help you keep track of when they were stored.
7) The best way to store a large quantity of onions is to layer them in mesh bags as this takes up less room than keeping them in cardboard boxes or on shelves.
Ventilated Bags
You can also store your onions in bags but these need to be ventilated to keep the gases given off by the onions inside from making them go soft and sprout.
1) When you buy mesh bags make sure that the bag is clear and has a zip-lock type seal.
Black bags will make the onions go soft and sprout.
2) Always seal the bag tightly after filling it.
3) Hang the bag in a dry place that is not in direct sunlight.
4) Date your bags when you put them up to remind you of when they were stored.
5) Sacks that have been previously used for cereals, grains or pet foods are good for storing onions in as long as they are not glossy or white.
The inks used in printing on the sacks can sometimes affect the onions.
6) Paper bags are only suitable for short-term storage and will often make your onions go soft and sprout.
7) Only store the amount of onions in each bag that you will need as storing a lot will often make them start to sprout and grow mold.
Storage Tricks
1) You can keep an onion fresh for much longer if you keep it in a closed basket or with its stem still attached.
2) You can keep cut onions fresh for much longer if you put them in a container with a peeled onion and a couple of bay leaves.
3) Wrapping your onions in foil will make them from sprouting.
4) Onions stored in pantyhose will stay fresh for much longer than those kept in an open or closed container.
Storing Grapes
Grapes are best stored in perforated bags. The holes will prevent the grapes from going moldy but allow the gases that make your hands stick to the fruit to escape.
1) Gather your grapes into bunches and then tie a piece of string or wire around them to keep them together.
2) Use a sharp knife to cut the stem off just above the base of the bunch.
3) Place your bunches in a perforated plastic bag and keep them in a dark, dry and cool place.
4) Check the bag every day and remove any bunches that have mold on them.
5) Only take as many as you need for each meal and replace the bag’s lid after you have taken some out.
Storing Herbs
There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your herbs stay fresh and tasty for as long as possible.
1) Check your containers to make sure they are clean and free from any harmful chemicals.
2) Place a damp paper towel in the bottom of your containers to keep the roots of the herbs moist.
3) Fill your container with potting soil that has perlite added to it.
Perlite is made from broken pieces of rock and will help the soil drain properly. This stops your herbs from getting waterlogged and rotting.
4) Place your herbs in the potting soil and keep them out of direct sunlight.
5) Snip the herbs you need and use them as you cook.
Storing Root Vegetables
Most root vegetables can be kept for months in a cool, dark and dry place. To keep them for any length of time you will need to make sure they do not get water-logged or they will quickly start to sprout and grow mold.
1) Gather your vegetables into untied bunches and trim the tops off.
2) Place a few small stones in the bottom of a container to stop the vegetables from resting on the bottom.
3) Place your vegetables in the container making sure there is plenty of space between each one.
4) Cover the container with a lid or plastic bag to keep them dark and cool and place it in a cool, dark place.
5) Check the container every couple of days.
Any water that gathers in the bottom can be drained out and any vegetables that show signs of sprouting or going soft should be removed and used immediately.
Storing Potatoes
1) Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place that is around 55 degrees.
Do not store them in the fridge as this will make them go sweet.
2) Do not wash your potatoes before storing them.
3) Make sure they are free from blemishes as any cracks, scratches or bruises will allow moisture in and make them go soft.
4) Use a fork to check if they are good.
They should not be soft or mushy when you pierce them with a fork. Pull out any that are bad and use immediately.
5) Cover the crate or basket that you store them in with a dark cloth to keep them from going green.
Chapter 5 – What Can You Make With These Ingredients?
In this chapter I’m going to show you some of my favorite campfire recipes.
The recipes are separated into breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts and drinks. They are separated this way so you can find the meal you’re looking for quickly and with ease.
I recommend that you use the ingredients listed in each recipe as they were all tested by myself and dozens of my friends when I was working as a chef.
However, if you do wish to substitute an ingredient for something else, make sure that the new ingredient is of equal or greater quality than the one mentioned in the recipe. Also, keep in mind that sometimes even the smallest changes to a recipe can have disastrous effects on the overall outcome. So, if the recipe does not turn out well, do not blame me – I warned you.
Also, a note for those of you that are Jewish or Muslim. I’ve heard that certain herbs and spices are not allowed to be consumed in your religions. Many of the recipes in this book contain these ingredients, so if you do not wish to consume them, please feel free to substitute other ingredients for those called for in the recipes.
BREAKFASTS
Apple Cider Doughnuts
INGREDIENTS:
1 cups apple cider
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
3½ cups flour (may need a bit more or less)
1 cup milk (or soy milk) warmed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (and no more)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sources & references used in this article:
carbon onions for electrochemical energy storage by M Zeiger, N Jäckel, VN Mochalin… – Journal of Materials …, 2016 – pubs.rsc.org
Neck rot (Botrytis allii) of bulb onions: I. Seed‐borne infection and its relationship to the disease in the onion crop by RB Maude, AH Presly – Annals of Applied Biology, 1977 – Wiley Online Library
Flavonoids changes in fresh-cut onions during storage in different packaging systems by MR Pérez-Gregorio, MS García-Falcón… – Food Chemistry, 2011 – Elsevier
Increasing the dry matter production in bulb onions (Allium cepa L.) by SL Hansen, K Hendriksen – II International Symposium on Edible …, 1997 – actahort.org
