Parsley Management

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Buckshot Malone

Knows what a fatty is.
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Primarily for the KCBS teams - for those guys/gals that use parsley for garnish, when do you buy? How do you store? How do you transport? Looking for any/all parsely management tips. And, I don't pre-build boxes so no need to post the instructions/links from Diva Q.

Thanks.

JH
_______________________
Buckshot Malone's Pig Shack
www.GodsofSmoke.com
Nashville, Tennessee
 
I normally get mine the monday before the contest (I get it from a friend that owns a restaurant, and that's her shipment day). Store in the bottom of the fridge until Friday then it goes in the cooler until boxes are built, then back in the cooler with a wet paper towel on top.
 
Curly Leaf.
Depending on the bundle size and quality, it will take 1-3 bundles per box.
Transport the parsley in the plastic grocery bags in a round 5 gallon water cooler with about 5 pounds of ice in the bottom/ parsley on top. This way the parsley does not get bruised up from the ice in the cooler during the trip. At the cook site remove the parsley, un-bag the bundles, add water to fill the cooler about half way and add the parsley. Top off with ice/water if needed to finish filling. Want enough ice to keep it 38-40° until the boxes are made. I'll rinse the parsley to remove the sand in the water/ice before taking out to make the boxes. Drain on a rack over a sheet pan.
 
The wife usually buys on Sunday, wash and in the fridge in water, covered with a plastic bag. It will keep weeks this way.
 
I buy 2 plastic clamshells or bags from Restaurant Depot on Tuesday and into the fridge. We had a smaller cooler that is dedicated for only boxing material and holding boxes after they are made. Friday I put a bag of ice into the cooler and then toss in the parsley and a head of lettuce. Once the boxes are made they get a damp paper towel and back into the cooler sitting on top of the ice.
 
Tuesday or Wednesday the week of the comp. I have stored it in the fridge for a week with no problems just keep it moist.
 
We usually buy ours on Thursday or Friday and try to keep it as cold as possible. We also soak it in an ice bath if it needs perked up on Saturday morning.
 
When we use parsley we buy it the day before leaving for the comp typically. I've never done anything special to hold it for the trip besides put it in a cooler and have had no issues with it getting screwed up.
 
I have had it keep for over a month. Cut off ends and soak in water with ice in it. Line bottom of 12 quart clear Cambro container. Put about 6 paper towels in the bottom and line sides with paper towels. Start stacking parsely, with the stems in the middle. Can usually hold 10-15 bunches. Cover with damp paper towels and put lid on. I buy cases when it is an awesome batch and break them down into weeks. Keep damp and they will stay good.
 
My wife buys the parsley. She usually goes out on Monday to search. Sometimes she goes on Tuesday and Wednesday also. Hard to get good parsley around here. She builds the boxes at home on Wednesdayand I turn them out into the competition boxes on Saturday morning. She covers the parsley with a damp paper towel and they stay in the fridge at home or in the camper.
 
Hit every supermarket on the way to the comp on friday. Nothing like being prepared!
 
Parsley is pretty hardy and in my experience you have to work at it to really wreck it.
 
Be sure to wash that stuff well. We got a batch from a reputable grocery store and rinsed it off but as I began building boxes I noticed something move. The bunches had several bugs in them. I rewashed the parsley and got the bugs out but then I noticed there was still a good bit of dirt. Luckily my wife had brought a cheap salad spinner that she picked up at IKEA. I loaded the greens and rinsed and then spun them up real good. It was amazing how much dirt came off. Repeated till the water was clear. My only thought is that somehow that batch made it to the store without getting properly cleaned.
 
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