When I popped into my local New Seasons the other day to buy some broccoli, I was confident it would all be of good quality. The store almost always has the best produce in my neighborhood, short of the seasonal weekly farmers market. But when I spoke with Quinn Dawson, the market’s produce lead, I learned that even among a display of good-looking broccoli, there are still signs to look for that indicate you’re picking the best bunch of them all.
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Never Buy Broccoli if You See This Red Flag
As it turns out, you can rely on several visual cues to select the freshest, most delicious broccoli, but the most important one is color—specifically, yellow.
The reason is simple. A broccoli floret is actually made up of densely packed little flower buds. When they’re green with no petals visible, that’s good. If you see any yellow, however, steer clear. That’s the color of the little flower petals beginning to peek out of their buds.
Broccoli that’s begun to bloom like this is on the older side, and it can taste bitter and have a softer, less appealing texture after you’ve cooked it. Another color you never want to see is brown. Dawson says that “it can be dirt, but it is usually a sign of rot.”
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should buy crowns or bunches, that’s really more of a personal preference. I love to buy broccoli in bunches because those stems are great to eat, too. Just peel off the tough outer skin, and it’s like you have a whole other vegetable. I like to chop broccoli stems for stir fries, slice them thinly for a salad or slaw, or steam or roast them alongside the florets. If you’d rather just eat florets on their own, then go for the crowns.
When shopping for florets, Dawson says that “uniform is good” when referring to the size of the flower buds. Have you ever noticed that, when looking at a bunch of broccoli, there might be areas of tiny green buds, while some areas are larger? That’s an immature bunch of broccoli that was picked before it got to fully develop. Uniform, equally-sized buds are a sign of a plant that was ready to harvest and enjoy.
If you’re a fan of the broccoli stems like me, Dawson says you should always turn the broccoli upside down before you buy and take a look at the stem end. If it’s hollow, that means the broccoli is older and dried out. On the other hand, a dense, uniform, solid stem is a sign of a fresh bunch.
Finally, you want to buy a bunch or crown that’s fully intact, with “no broken bits.” If your broccoli looks like it’s been through the wringer, it’s probably not so fresh. My whole family loves broccoli, and now, thanks to Dawson’s expert advice, we’ll be buying the best broccoli in the store every time.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes