# Storing parsnips and carrots



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I finally got my parsnips and carrots dug last Sunday. I spread them out on my basement floor to see which ones were ruined from freezing. The carrots are still hard but the parsnips are already turning soft (not mushy from freezing).

Would it be best to store the parsnips and carrots in the fridge or can I put them in a bucket of moist sand in my 60 degree basement?


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I store my parsnips and carrots in baggies in the crisper drawer, mostly because I don't have that many, but one year I stored them in a cooler in damp sand. It worked well.

BTW, freezing temps should not have harmed the veggies. Many years I don't dig the parsnips until spring. I still have carrots in the garden and we got a couple of inches of snow last night. I just pulled my beets on Tuesday. I would take a very hard freeze (0Âº) to bother most root crops, even then, like I said, I leave them in till spring. Freezing enhances the taste.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

You can do either. If you have very many though, you're going to be happier with the moist sand. That way the veggies can rehydrate themselves. Keep them in the dark too, so they don't start sprouting. They may get some 'whiskers,' but they'll be delicious. Nothing so good as home grown parsnips!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks.

We've had below zero nights a few times already without much insulating snow. I did find some with mushy tops.

I'd heard not to dig the parsnips until at least the second hard frost but they I forgot.

I'm looking forward to baking some strips of both with onion soup mix sprinkled on them.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Ummm...Roasted Roots! I put a couple of every root I have in my mix. Just half them length-wise, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle a small amount of salt and roast. Most root veggies contain a good amount of sugar.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Is it just salt or do you use other spices?

I've only had it once and it seemed to have other spices.

The recipe I have says 30 min at 350 degrees covered followed by another 30 min at 350 degrees uncovered. That seems like a lot of cooking for such thin vegetables.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, my veggies aren't that small. My carrots may be 1 1/2" diameter or so. If your veggies are smaller than that, leave them whold.

I add no other spices because I want to taste just the carmelized veggies. I will usually put carrots, parsnips, well-scrubbed beets (golf-ball size or a little larger) and turnips, chunked, depending on size. I put these in a shallow pan and drizzle the olive oil over them. I will have a roast of some sort in the other pan and roast them at the same time for the same length of time, usually 90 minutes. I leave both pans uncovered. When serving the veggies you can add a bit of butter to them.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks. I'll do them when I do some venison backstrap.


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