I know it’s almost impossible to pass by the fruit area in the supermarket and not be tempted to buy kumquats when you see them. But if you buy too much, the next question is how you should store kumquats to keep them fresh for as long as possible.
They look cute, like grape-sized oranges, and they are stored exactly like oranges in the markets, but how long can they last like this? Also, you probably wonder if there is a better way to store kumquats other than throwing them in a box.
For this reason, I did some research to know more about these exotic fruits and see if they have any particularities we should know about before eating and/or storing them.
How to store kumquats?
Kumquats can be stored in a fruit bowl at room temperature. This way, they can last fresh for a few days, but if you want to keep them fresh for longer, you can place the kumquats in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks.
It really depends on what you plan to do with them and how soon you plan to eat the kumquats. If you plan to eat them soon, I recommend keeping them in a fruit bowl since getting them from the fridge and waiting for them to get to room temperature can be annoying.
But if you somehow have too many kumquats, you should place some of them in a refrigerator since there will be bigger chances of going bad if kept in a bowl.
Make sure you don’t wash the kumquats before storing them either in a fruit bowl or in the fridge since adding extra moisture can make them go bad quickly. You should wash the kumquats only when you plan to eat them.
Read Also: Pomelo Varieties
Can you freeze kumquats?
Yes, kumquats can be frozen whole or sliced with the seeds taken out. Whole kumquats can last up to twelve months into the freezer, but there are big chances that the quality will degrade slowly after six months.
Sliced kumquats will last only up to three months, but they are much more convenient to use if you plan to do an excellent kumquat juice.
Freezing kumquats is more often used if you plan to make a juice with them or a sirup rather than eating them as a fruit because the texture and taste can suffer when freezing.
So if you plan to eat them, it would be recommended to eat them fresh, freeze them only if this is the last option you have and there is no way you can eat them in the two weeks’ time in which they can be refrigerated.
How to tell if kumquat is bad
So you stored the kumquats properly, but you are not sure how fresh they were when you bought them or if they are still going to eat.
Here are a few signs that you should check before eating a kumquat. In the case of frozen kumquats, you should thaw them before checking those signs.
-Smell. If kumquats smell sour or rotten, you need to get rid of them since they are 100% bad. The smell of kumquat should be even a bit sweeter than oranges.
-Taste. If the taste is sour, you should throw them away immediately.
-Color. Good kumquats will have bright orange color while the bad ones will be more brownish colored. Also, if you see any weird brown spots on your kumquat, this is a sign that they have gone bad.
-Texture. The texture of a kumquat should be firm and fresh, more like an orange. It is better to throw it away if it somehow has some soft spots or is soft entirely.
How to eat kumquats
This is the first question that comes to mind whenever we see exotic fruits. This applies to kumquats as well, especially because they look like a small orange, but it can be annoying to peel them.
The kumquat can be eaten as a whole without peeling it. This is the main difference between a kumquat and many other citrus fruits like orange, pomelo, grapefruit, mandarine, etc.
The fact that you can eat kumquats without peeling them makes them quite convenient, but you should be aware of the pungent taste that comes from the essential oils from the kumquats peel. The peel is edible, yes, but it can be overwhelming.
They can be peeled and eaten like a regular orange as well. This is a bit annoying since they are very small, but unlike oranges, they are easier to peel, and you don’t have the white part that oranges have, and it can be annoying to take it out.
What to do with kumquats ?
Most of the time, kumquats are eaten raw, but there are also other good uses I would like to share with you.
-As a juice. You can make an incredibly tasty juice out of kumquats, and the best part is that it combines well with a lot of other fruits like pear, orange, lime, etc.
-In baking. You often need lemon or orange zest in baking for the great taste that comes from their essential oils. As I said before, kumquats can be eaten without the need for peeling them, which can make them a great substitute for the orange zest in baking.
-In sauce. They can make a great sauce that can work well with many types of cooked food, but the one that comes to my mind is duck breast with kumquat sauce.
Read Also: Best Orange Marmalade Substitute
Conclusion
You should store kumquats in a fruit bowl on the kitchen countertop if you want to get the best taste out of them. This only applies if you can eat them in a couple of days or so.
If not, you can refrigerate them without affecting the quality that much.
The freezing option should be the last only be used if you plan to use the kumquats as a juice, sauce, or baking, not for eating them as a fruit.
I hope that everything is clear now and you know what to do with those exotic and interesting fruits. Also, I hope you will try the other uses of kumquats that we talked about.
