The Cilantro Mistake You Need To Stop Making

Cilantro can be a divisive herb. You either love it or hate it based on your genetics, per Britannica. Believe it or not, some people find this spicy herb actually tastes like a bar of soap. It's really unfortunate since cilantro is that spice we turn to when we want to really enhance the flavor of our marinades, pestos, alcoholic beverages, and our favorite Mexican dishes. A world without cilantro would be unbearable for those who love the peppery taste it imparts on foods.

If you do not know much about this herb, IsabelEats explains that cilantro is part of the parsley family, but don't confuse it with the many varieties of parsley. While they are all green and leafy in appearance, cilantro has a greater fragrance and its taste is quite different from that of parsley. You may find it to be a little gritty or sandy when you purchase it. That's okay. When you are ready to use it, just wash it off and gently pat it dry or give it a whirl in your salad spinner to get rid of any excess moisture. But when it comes to keeping this herb fresh, cilantro is of a delicate nature and can quickly turn into a mushy mess if you make this mistake when storing it.

Per Food Network, you do not want to simply pop your cilantro in the fridge until you are ready to use it. If you do, you could wind up with some less than edible-looking cilantro when you are ready to chop it up. Instead, you want to store it like you would flowers you pick from your home garden — in a small glass with the roots covered by an inch of water and with those leafy greens pointed upward. The Frozen Biscuit notes that you only want the ends of the cilantro stems submerged and you want to make certain that the jar's opening is narrow so it can support your cilantro. Food Network further explains it is important to remove the rubber band or twisty tie that has your cilantro bound together because it will cause your herb to go bad quicker. So remove those ASAP.

Once you've created your cilantro bouquet, you want to cover it with a plastic bag, like the one the herb came in from the grocery store. (It's a good way to reuse these plastic bags too because why make more waste?) And then pop it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. The Frozen Biscuit reveals that if you change the water every two to three days your cilantro could stay fresh for up to a month.