Tips and Tricks for Storing Saffron

 

If we were to humanize saffron, the result would probably be a spoiled child who stops being cute with the slightest discomfort. To make the most of saffron’s aroma, flavor, color, and medical benefits, we must humor this precious herb from the cultivation process when hundreds of workers wake up at dawn to pick the Crocus Sativus flowers to prevent sun rays damage the saffron filaments.

When the saffron finally reaches customers, it will still have to be indulged until the moment it is poured into the meal they are cooking, so that its features are maintained in the best condition possible.

 

***Saffron Container

Saffron can be kept in airtight metal or glass containers. Plastic containers are not an option as they decrease the quality of saffron. If the container is transparent, wrap the threads in foil before placing it in the container to block light.

If you purchase the herb in bulks, keep them in several small containers because every single time you open the lid, you are exposing the spice to its enemies, light, and oxygen.

 

***Where to Place the Saffron Container

Cupboards are a reasonable choice to place the saffron container if the cupboard is not made of metal. Metal’s heat absorption can harm the spice and reduce its strong flavor and scent.

Wooden cupboards are the ideal choice. Additionally, you should be careful where the cupboard is placed. It is better to avoid putting the container in cupboards that are near the stove to keep saffron isolated from the heat as much as you can.

If you want to keep the spice in the refrigerator, remember two things. The refrigerator can only maintain the qualities of saffron for two weeks. Second, when you take the saffron out of the refrigerator to use, you should take only seconds and put the container back in the fridge before it absorbs moisture, another nemesis of the precious spice.

It is recommended to keep saffron in places with the temperatures below 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20°C).

 

***What Approach to Take

Our advice to you is to purchase saffron threads as the powder is easily mixed with other ingredients and sold to customers at high prices.

In our first post on saffron storage, we described how to store saffron in the freezer for it to maintain its features for about two years. Another method is to keep saffron filaments intact until you need them and grind the herb right before usage to retain the maximum effect.

Saffron has kept scientists scratching their heads over its medical benefits. It needs to be jealously guarded during cultivation, and get gently processed after.

Saffron’s unique flavor and its use as a natural coloring agent make it worth your while.