Does Arracacha Go Bad

Does Arracacha Go Bad?

Arracacha is a delicate root that grows widely in South African land. The arracacha is just similar to potatoes and sweet potatoes but is quite infamous around the globe. It serves great when used in soups, stews, and gravies.

They are considered a delicacy but are quite expensive to buy. People tend to accept them in large quantities if they are offered a discounted price. Well, they are quite lived, and you need to know suitable measures for their storage.

How to store your arracacha?

Arracacha is a root and requires a lot of your attention. It can go bad within three to four days of harvesting. It is a delicate root yet is full of lots of healthy benefits. It is used for various soups and purees.

The nature of this root is a little starchy, so it tends to go bad soon. It has a very brief lifetime. You will require some points to know for its storage.

Take a look if there are any broken arracacha

Arracacha is quite a brittle root and can break when it is being harvested. The broken arracacha roots can spoil even quickly as they are readily available to oxygen. The oxygen oxidizes the arracacha roots, and they can rot.

If you find any broken roots, you should use them as soon as possible. You can also keep them in the refrigerator. You can peel them off and cut into desirable pieces and store them in your fridge.

Refrigerate your arracacha roots

You might buy a bulk of arracacha roots if you see them on sale. The arracacha roots are a little expensive due to their delicate nature. Once you have brought home all these arracacha roots, the big deal is to store them. One way is that you can keep them in your pantry.

Ideally, you should refrigerate your arracacha roots. Firstly, you will have to wash your arracacha roots and peel off them. You can cut them into your desired size. You can later put it in some airtight container or use a vacuum sealer to seal in the freshness of your arracacha roots. You can place them in your refrigerator for a week.

Blanch your arracacha roots

If you want your arracacha roots to sustain over a week, you have the choice to blanch or boil them. It will prevent them from going bad. For blanching, you will first have to bring the water to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add your pre-cut arracacha to it. You will have to simmer it for a minute or two.

Can you freeze your arracacha roots?

The bulk of arracacha can still not be refrigerated for long. It will go bad in two weeks. You will not like your money going to waste by letting your precious arracacha go bad. The best way is to freeze them. You can freeze your arracacha roots and store them for a couple of months.

The raw ones can turn a little dry when frozen. You will find no changes in the surface of cooked arracacha. You can freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock bags to prevent ice burns. It is advised to freeze it in small portions.

How long does arracacha last?

Unfortunately, the fresh arracacha roots do not offer an extended shelf life. It shows signs of spoilage three days after it is harvested. The buds start growing over the surface, and the skin loses its tightness. The raw and refrigerated arracacha roots can last for about five to six days.

If you have cooked or blanched your arracacha roots, they will sustain their life for a week and a half in your refrigerator. The frozen arracacha roots will offer you a retentive lifetime. You can keep it for around two to three months in your freezer. You will have to ensure that they are not re-freeze several times.

How to tell if arracacha is bad?

Since you are already familiar with the arracacha roots’ brief shelf life, you should also know the bad arracacha symptoms. The arracacha roots rot just like potatoes or sweet potatoes.

The symptoms listed below will help you identify the bad arracacha. You will have to discard your arracacha if the following symptoms prevail.

  • The arracacha roots will not retain their intactness and will wilt off. The skin would turn wrinkly. It can still not confirm that they are bad. You might be able to use them.
  • They will lose the water and release a stinky pale-like fluid. The bugs may gather around the smelly liquid.
  • The arracacha may become extensively starchy. Although arracacha is a little starchy, too much starch is not a good sign.
  • The arracacha roots would become mushier and soft. The texture might also look disgusting.