Vitamin Packed and Super Tasty Asparagus
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Love it or hate it, asparagus is here to stay! This veggie has been front and center to many farm to table restaurants in Texas that it's really hard not to find a restaurant serving these spears of flavor whenever they're in season.
Asparagus (how long does asparagus last?) season in Texas usually runs from March to April, and sometimes early May depending on when the frost has ended. I mean, with the strange weather patterns we've been seeing recently, there's no fixed seasons nowadays, look at strawberry season this year, it's been pushed a couple of weeks, so while traditionally asparagus (What wine goes well with asparagus?) season should be winding down but we're still seeing some amazing examples at our local Texas farmers markets!
What Does Asparagus in Texas Taste Like?
Now with over 300 different varieties of asparagus, it's really hard to pin down one "taste" to describe it. Instead, let's look at the four most popular asparagus types that we commonly see in Texas and the tastes associated with them.
Green Asparagus - This is THE variety that people think of when they hear the word "asparagus". This is the most common type of asparagus around the world and for good reason. It's packed with a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients and there's almost no way to mess up cooking of green asparagus. As for the taste, green asparagus has a mild and slightly bitter taste. It also has this "grassy" asparagus taste that has become the signature taste of the vegetable.
White Asparagus - The spears of white asparagus tend to be bigger in every aspect when compared to the green ones. The reason it is white is that this variant is grown in the dark, leading to a lack of coloration. It's very difficult (and expensive) to find white asparagus because of the difficulty of growing this variant. The taste is also prized by many gourmets because it is much sweeter and has a less grassy taste than that of its green counterparts.
Purple Asparagus - This variety is just like the green asparagus, except for its signature coloration. This variety is also roughly 20% sweeter than the green asparagus variant due to its higher sugar content. Everything else taste-wise is just the same.
Wild Asparagus - This "variety" of asparagus is basically the same type of asparagus as the previous ones mentioned, the only difference is that it's open-pollinated / insect-pollinated so it doesn't have the uniform look as asparagus that's grown in a semi-controlled environment. Appearance-wise, it does look "wilder" as it is longer and thinner than its counterparts. But that's where the differences end. Taste-wise, they're the same as green asparagus and it can be used as a direct substitute for it.
How to Select the Best Asparagus in Texas
Nobody wants floppy asparagus and that's a fact! Here are some tips and tricks to picking the best asparagus of the bunch when shopping at your local farmers markets.
Most of the flavor of the asparagus comes from the tips and that's where your should inspect first! The tips should be firm and green (or white, or purple, depending on the variety).
The tips of the asparagus should also be tightly closed. Once they start to open, that's a good sign that they're old and wilty, and the flavor will not be as good.
Pick the size of the asparagus depending on what you plan to do with it. Thin spears are best for sauteeing and steaming. Thicker spears need to be boiled first to achieve tenderness throughout if you want to sautee them. On the other hand, if you plan to grill them, thicker spears work best to get those lovely grill marks while they are cooking through.
Of course, it goes without saying that buying them in season is the best way to get them as you're assured that your asparagus comes from within the local community and is guaranteed to be fresh! (As opposed to spending days or weeks trucking and flying around the world)
The Question on Everyone's Minds: Does Asparagus Cause Pee to Smell?
Short answer? Yes! The culprit is called aspargusic acid, which coincidentally is only found in asparagus. Once this acid enters our digestive system, it is broken down into a sulfur byproduct that causes that "asparagus" smell in our pee. If you can't smell it in pee, don't fret too much. Everyone has a different digestive process and it may just be that some metabolisms process it in a different way. It is said that around 25% of people can't smell this, but this is really nothing to worry about, this is just how the body works.
How to Properly Store Asparagus
Raw asparagus can be stored properly in the fridge for up to a week. Don't wash them before storing them to avoid spoilage. For the best results, wrap the asparagus in wet paper towels and cover it with a plastic bag before refrigerating.
If you want to freeze asparagus, blanch them for a couple of minutes then soak them in a bowl of ice water to keep the color and the crunch. Dry them with paper towels before freezing them in heavy-duty freezer bags. They'll last for up to three months if stored properly.
If you want, you can even pickle asparagus to make them last even longer! Just grab your favorite pickling recipe and follow that!
If you want them to last even longer, canning is a good option. Asparagus is one of the few veggies that work very well canned. If you have a pressure canner, then brining the asparagus and pressure canning them can make them last up to 5 years at room temperature!
Preparing Asparagus
While there are a LOT of ways to prepare asparagus, here are some quick and easy tips on how to prepare them.
When you’re roasting asparagus you should preheat the oven at 400 degrees and place it on a large baking sheet. Add some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes.
It should be sautéed in a large skillet over medium heat and with a thin level of olive oil. It should be cooked until it’s tender and that’s in about 7 minutes.
Blanched asparagus needs to be chopped and put in a large pot of salted water. When it’s done you should place it in a bowl of ice cold water and let it cool of.
Air Fryer Asparagus
An air fryer is one of the ways to cook asparagus. This roasted vegetable will be ready in less than 20 minutes.
To prepare air fryer roasted asparagus:
Place the vegetable's spears in the preheated air fryer.
Mist it with avocado oil.
Season it with garlic powder, (how long does garlic powder last?) salt, and pepper.
Top it with parmesan cheese.
Air fry it for 7 to 9 minutes.
Do you love asparagus? What's your favorite asparagus recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
