This article was co-authored by Markeicha Dulaney and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Chef Markeicha Dulaney is a Personal Chef and Founder of Sweet Monáe Personal Chef Services in 2015 in South Florida. She has over 22 years of experience in the kitchen and provides customizable menus to meet the dietary needs, taste preferences, style, and budget of each client. She also specializes in weekly in-home chef services, all-inclusive pro-chef services, boutique catering, and pantry organizing services. She was featured in The Knot's "Table for Two" YouTube episodes and has also been featured in Real Simple Magazine article on "What routines save you the most time.” Chef Markeicha Dulaney graduated with an Associate's Degree from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute of Culinary Arts and is a longtime member of the USPCA (United States Personal Chef Association).
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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Not sure how long that broccoli’s been sitting in your crisper? Vegetables don’t have a hard expiration date, so it might not be totally obvious when your broccoli is past its prime. In this article, we’ll tell you exactly how to know if your broccoli is bad. We’ve even consulted professional chefs to bring you the best tips on how to store broccoli, freeze it, make it last longer, and choose the best, freshest broccoli you can at the store on your next grocery run.
Signs That Broccoli Is Bad
If broccoli is bad, it will have yellow or brown spots on the florets and a white, dried out-looking stalk. The stalk and florets may be limp or mushy and the broccoli may have a sour or rotten smell. White or black fuzzy spots mean your broccoli is molding, so throw it out ASAP.
Steps
Freezing Raw Broccoli
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Wash your broccoli and chop it into florets. Personal chef Markeicha Dulaney advises, “if you're buying a whole [head of] broccoli or cauliflower, make sure you wash your vegetables [and] that they're thoroughly dried. Then, proceed to cut them down into florets. Florets are just smaller, individual bite-sized pieces.”
- To wash a head of broccoli, simply run it under cold water. Or, chop it into florets first and rinse them with cold water in a colander.[8]
- To chop the perfect florets, Chef Ryan of Marrow Private Chefs says, “Accuracy before speed. Using a paring knife, begin to carefully remove the florets from the main stalk. Once you have them all removed from the center stalk, if you are preparing a recipe that calls for them to be in smaller pieces, you can use your chef knife to cut the individual florets in halves or quarters.”
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Blanch the florets to preserve their color, flavor, and nutrients. Blanching is the process of briefly boiling a food before immediately placing it in ice water to stop the cooking process, which preserves the food’s quality in storage. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water while it’s heating up. Toss your florets in the boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then transfer them to the ice water with a slotted spoon and leave them for another 2–3 minutes.[9]
- Looking for a quick side dish? Registered dietician and trained chef Jennifer Lease says, “Broccoli can become tender with just about 45 seconds in boiling water, and with a pinch of salt added to the water, it’s already seasoned!”
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Flash freeze the florets on a tray lined with parchment paper, then bag them up. Lay your florets in a single layer on the parchment paper and pat them dry. Then, place the tray in the freezer until they’re frozen solid.[10] Personal chef Markeicha Dulaney says you can then “bag them up into individual servings or however you want to store them. You can [freeze] them raw and then pull them out and cook them however you want.”
- Dulaney says you can steam your florets from frozen, or let them thaw a little bit and toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and some fresh herbs. Then, you can roast them in the oven.”
Expert Q&A
Tips
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Need to cook your fresh broccoli before it goes bad? Broccoli can be cooked a number of ways: try steaming it or tossing it with your favorite seasonings and roasting it for a quick and nutritious side dish!Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/help-around-the-kitchen/how-to-store-broccoli
- ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/804504/how-to-tell-if-broccoli-has-gone-bad/
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/help-around-the-kitchen/how-to-store-broccoli
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/help-around-the-kitchen/how-to-store-broccoli
- ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety
- ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/804504/how-to-tell-if-broccoli-has-gone-bad/
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/how-to-clean-broccoli-8594151
- ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-freeze-broccoli