| Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw | - | 5-7 Days | 12 Months |
Shelf Life of Turnip Greens
Turnip greens are the above ground leafy part of the turnip. The white turnip is a root vegetable that grows below ground. If stored at room temperature, turnip greens remain edible for a day but if washed, dried and kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, turnip greens can easily last up to four or five days. If cooked, they should not be kept outside the refrigerator for more than two hours since this could rapidly increase the rate of bacteria growth on the vegetable. Still, turnip greens should be consumed within three to four days of the purchase.
Purchasing Turnip Greens
When purchasing turnip greens, pay special attention to the weight of the leaves, the heavier they are, the fresher and moister they are likely to be. Also, make sure that the edges of the leaves are not blackening. Blackening edges are a sign of old vegetables. It is best to avoid them because they have started to go bad. Try snapping a stem, if it snaps with a solid sound, it’s perfect. This shows how much healthy sap is in the leaf and how crisp it is.
Storing Turnip Greens
When storing turnip greens, make sure not to refrigerate until you are ready to cook them. Put them in storage plastic bags and then refrigerate. If you wish to freeze your turnip greens, it is best to make sure that your greens are clean and any excess stems have been removed. Blanching the turnip greens helps preserve the life of the vegetable. This helps to kill and remove a large number of bacteria, which increases the life of your greens. Then immediately plunge them into ice cold water. Drain and then store in airtight containers in the freezer.
How to Handle Turnip Greens
Blanching your turnip greens help to increase their life significantly, it also helps prevent the loss of important vitamins that are stored in the greens. Turnip greens must be thawed before they are cooked. Leaving them at room temperature will thaw them in a few minutes to an hour. They must be washed before the greens are cut and used to cook whatever it is that you are preparing for the wide variety of options. Wash, then remove all excess water and then start cutting your greens, placing them on a hard surface.
Cooking Turnip Greens
Turnip greens can be used to make a wide variety of nutritious dishes. They can be added to chicken broth and then cooked for around 30 minutes until the greens are tender, at low flame. Other ways of using the greens are as salad leaves in a number of different types of salads, and they provide a unique crunch to the salad. Another wildly popular use of turnip greens is to put cooked chicken breast pieces on the leaves and roll them up to create a healthy snack. Turnip greens are a rich source of vitamins and minerals that are both healthy and delicious.