Storing Your Apples in This One Kitchen Spot Makes Them Last for Months Without Turning Brown

According to a timeless saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But sometimes, an apple can become the very thing that may spur you to rush to the doctor, especially if it starts to turn a little brownish. A browning apple, though not dangerous, is a sign of spoilage. They are bound to perish sooner or later. Being mortals, their fate is inevitable. In that case, wouldn’t it be better if they got crushed for an apple pie or sliced for a fruit salad rather than getting tossed in a kitchen bin or dumped in a landfill full of buzzing mosquitoes? In an interview with Martha Stewart, experts Laura Scheck and Ken Wortz shared a way to prolong the lives of apples and prevent them from turning brown too soon.

The first factor to consider while trying to save your apples is the location of their storage. Wortz, who is the head distiller for Sauvage Distillery, which makes its signature vodka from New York State apples, said that the apples should ideally be stored in “a cool, dry, and shaded place.” Scheck, a chef, suggested that the storage should be selected based on the environment. "The best place to store apples is going to depend on your own environmental conditions (such as how warm or humid it is in your home),” she explained.

The article explained that both the “countertop and refrigerator” are ideal places to store apples, especially the crisper drawer in the refrigerator. In this drawer, Wortz said, apples “can last six to eight weeks.” In contrast, a countertop storage would shrink their shelf life to two to three weeks, given the open-air environment. Another clue the experts offered lay hidden in an ancient proverb: “One bad apple spoils the whole barrel,” also shared by Merriam-Webster. This saying, however, is not just an excuse to stay away from the spoiled kids in school but also an expression of science that teaches people how to take proper care of their apples. The blood-red flesh of these ripe, chunky fruits is so porous that it exhales ethylene, a gaseous hormone that induces ripening, according to the New Yorker.

These fumes are unstoppable. Once they taste the wind, there is no stopping them. They keep on ripening the apple to the point that it starts to become slushy and brownish. The bruised or overripe apples further cause other fruits in the basket to ripen faster and faster. To prevent this rapid ripening, Scheck suggested various options. For instance, you can store the apples in a plastic tub or bag in the fridge. You can also wrap them in a paper bag while storing on the countertop. In either case, keeping these browning apples away from other fruits is always the best idea. "Be sure to remove blemishes or consume apples with bruises and blemishes quickly, as these will encourage the remaining apples to rot," said Scheck.

If the apples are already cut and sliced, the best possible option to avoid their browning is to "wrap them tightly in plastic or beeswax wrap and consume within a few days," Scheck revealed. Another way, she said, to prevent the browning is to squeeze lemon juice on the apples, which would postpone the discoloration. And in case they’ve already turned brown and there’s no going back, follow this advice: "Cook them down into an applesauce or compote that can be used later for a pie or turnover filling, or juice them and freeze the juice for another day."