Care & Handling

Availability - Green Giant® Fresh Asparagus is available year round.

Selection - Select spears which are bright green, straight and firm with tightly closed tips. Select ones with only an inch or so of the tough, woody base to trim off at the bottom. Look for asparagus with thicker spears, because they will be more tender than the thinner ones.

Storage - Wrap the bases of fresh asparagus spears in wet paper towels and keep in plastic bag, in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Asparagus can be stored up to 4 days.

Preparation - Cut or break off woody stem ends; wash spears before using.

Cooking - To boil, cook one pound spears or pieces, covered, in small amount of boiling salted water for about 4 - 6 minutes or until tender-crisp. To steam, place in steamer 4 - 6 minutes or until tender-crisp. To microwave, place prepared asparagus in a microwave-safe casserole pan. Add about a half inch of water; cover, and microwave on HIGH (100%) for 3 - 4 minutes. Give dish a quarter-turn halfway through cooking time. Let stand 5 minutes.

Freezing - To freeze asparagus, wash and cut into 1 or 2 inch segments, or leave whole. Blanch asparagus 2 - 4 minutes. Remove from boiling water and immerse in ice water for same amount of time. Place into container for freezing.