How long do artichokes last – refrigerated or unrefrigerated

Are you afraid of buying artichokes? Perhaps, because you don’t know how long you can keep them. Well, here we will help you find out everything you want to know about artichokes.

How long do artichokes last?

Normally, artichokes stay good for a week. Though, it is difficult to tell its shelf life when you don’t know for how long they have been on the shelves of the grocery stores. By storing them in a plastic bag in refrigerators, it can stay good for 8 –9 days. It is recommended to buy fresh artichokes on the day you are planning to cook them, as they will taste even better than the refrigerated ones.

• Raw artichoke stays fresh in the refrigerator for 5 – 7 days and 12 months in the freezer.
• Cooked artichokes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days (not more than that) and 12 months in the freezer.

Things you need to check while purchasing Artichokes:

While purchasing artichokes the first thing you need to check is their weight. Hold each vegetable in your palm and weigh it. Be mindful that it should be heavy as it demonstrates the freshness of vegetables and the presence of moisture in it. The heavier ones are the juiciest. Secondly, focusing on the stem of the artichoke, a wilted weak stem, tells that the vegetable is not fresh and not suitable for use. Thirdly, check the leaves of the artichokes, they must be firm and fresh. Each leaf should be attached to the following one in a way that it creates a small hole in the center.

How to store artichokes?

The longevity of artichokes greatly depends on the way they are being stored. Unwashed artichokes if kept in a plastic bag and stored in a freezer will last for a week. If you wish to cook fresh artichokes, then right after bringing them home, keep them in a cool dry place until you cook them. If you want to store them for the next week, then first wash them and let them dry, then put the dried artichokes in a perforated plastic bag and finally, place them in the refrigerator. If you have already marinated them for cooking, be careful while placing them in the fridge as they won’t last for more than 2 weeks.

How to handle artichokes?

Artichokes stay good in the cold. Normally 34-degree F and 0-degree Celsius are the ideal temperatures at which they stay fresh for a long time. Don’t keep them in temperatures above 38F as it would trigger the decaying process of the vegetable. Here’s a small tip to keep them fresh, just cut off the old leaves from the top to reveal the fresh ones below them. You may also trim the stem of the vegetable a bit, however repeating the process can cause the vegetable to go bad faster because of dehydration.

How to cook Artichokes?

Health benefits associated with eating artichokes have recently increased their consumption rate, otherwise, they were treated as a side dish and used in small quantities. Now with numerous creative ideas, artichokes are being added to scrumptious dishes as a healthy munching option. They can be used in making dips for eating with your favorite snacks. Or you can replace tortilla chips with artichoke leaves and fill them with raw vegetables and sauces to make them healthy. Either raw or cooked, artichokes are beneficial for health and taste delicious when used creatively in daily dishes. You can use the heart and stem of it to stir fry and add in a regular dish to make it exciting and flavorful.

How to identify if artichokes are bad?

The best way to identify it is by smelling them, if you sense a foul smell, discard it. You may also tell its spoilage by looking at its appearance as well. If it looks dried and wilted it means it is unfit for use.

If you find wrinkles on artichokes, cut off the stem part and submerge the rest in cold water, after 20 minutes you will find it rehydrated. By doing so, it can be refrigerated for 5 more days.

The precise answer to how long do artichokes last is 4 – 5 days in the refrigerator. It should not be stored in the fridge more than that.