Storing condiments

[David Ross]

til I'm at that condiment overload point.  The small shelves in the door of the fridge are chock full and some condiments are taking up valuable space on the main refrigerator shelves.  So I'm wondering what condiments actually need to be refrigerated, both for safety and flavor quality reasons.  Up until a year or so ago, I never refrigerated soy sauce.  I didn't have a reference point, so I never thought the flavor suffered by not being refrigerated.  Right now I've got 5 bottles of the stuff in the fridge from light, dark, mushroom, tamari and ponzu soy sauces.  And what about Kitchen Bouquet and Maggi Seasoning?  I've got them in a cupboard.  I've got the basics in the fridge like mayonnaise, mustard, steak sauces and salad dressings, but do they all have to be refrigerated?  What about more of my Asian stock like oyster and black bean sauce, Korean chile pastes and preserved vegetables.  While I assume most have to be in the fridge, and I'm looking at a sacrificial exercise, what are your thoughts about storing condiments?

 

[liuzhou]

I live in the tropics and never refrigerate oyster sauce or soy sauce. I don't use 'black bean sauce' but have a jar of black beans also never in the fridge.

Preserved vegetables don't need refrigeration. That was the point of preserving them in the first place.

 

I'd say mayo would need refrigeration, but I make my own and use it very quickly, so it's never in there more than a day or two..

Edited May 8, 2016 by liuzhou
typo (log)

[DianaB]

Definitely nowhere near the tropics here but like Liushou I've never stored soy sauce in the fridge, nor Maggi liquid seasoning. I have never refrigerated things like commercial ketchup, or 'brown' sauce (this may be a UK only product?).

 

I keep commercial mayo  refrigerated because I want it at that temperature to use, I would always refrigerate home made mayo or tomato sauce.  It is many years since I refrigerated eggs, save when they are no longer in their shells..  All my unrefrigerated condiments are stored in a coolish cupboard without light.  I do realise that some of these items aren't condiments, apologies if some of this is not strictly on topic.

 

Hope this might help, it will be interesting to read other comments.

[liuzhou]

I think it's worth remembering that the vast majority of humanity doesn't have the luxury of refrigeration, yet all have condiments.

Pickling etc was invented to preserve foodstuffs centuries before fridges turned up.

[Anna N]

 I think the problem is that so many condiments now come with the warning/advice to refrigerate after opening that we have become intimidated.  My Heinz ketchup bottle certainly comes with this advice.  My lingonberry jam comes with the added note that it should be used within 30 days of opening even though it has been refrigerated!  I don't know but it seems to me a fine way to improve sales. 

[ElsieD]

And what about maple syrup?  My current bottle, and all the ones that preceeded it,  say to refrigerate after opening.  I wish I knew why - native Americans certainly didn't have refrigeration.

[Deryn]

I agree with all of the above.

 

I also do not refrigerate any vinegars or oils (except if open, expensive and known to be short lived - like nut oils). Likewise I do not refrigerate Worchestershire sauce or ketchup or mustard or oyster or soy sauce or usually maple syrup either. Maple syrup IS prone to mold if you leave it out a long time - but I keep it in a cool closed cupboard tightly capped and it does last a long time there (months) just fine.

 

I do refrigerate mayo but rarely have the stuff except if it is homemade. I never buy salad dressings - would refrigerate if I had any however if homemade and only comprised of oil and vinegar I might not put in the fridge unless I wanted it cold - not to 'preserve' it. After all what is the difference between oil on the counter storing a long time and vinegars likewise - separately and mixed together? Not much in my estimation.

 

I don't have any Maggi but if I did, I wouldn't refrigerate it. I refrigerate pickles (but only because I like them cold). And while I know that the eggs most of us buy have been washed and should be refrigerated since they are porous, if I know I will use them within a week I usually don't bother to put them in the fridge - at least in winter. One can rub them with oil if one wants to keep them out longer.

[Lisa Shock]

2 hours ago, ElsieD said:

And what about maple syrup?  My current bottle, and all the ones that preceeded it,  say to refrigerate after opening.  I wish I knew why - native Americans certainly didn't have refrigeration.

 

I suspect that we make/use it less concentrated than they used to make it. There's also the fact that sugar is hygroscopic and syrups will actually pull moisture out of the air, so, over time it will become less concentrated. Someplace here on the forums I read a regretful comment that the poster had purchased a large can of maple syrup (a gallon maybe?) in the 1970s and left it out and after a while it was moldy, while still being partially full, so it had to be tossed.

 

I have a large-ish mini-fridge from a previous job, I use it for condiments and small things when my fridge gets too full. I don't run it all year, but it can be useful around holidays. I purchased it knowing that I'd be taking it home within a year, the job was seasonal. The office had quite a bit of space, so, I was lucky to be able to get 4.6 cu ft unit.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

That person @Lisa Shockis referring to in her above post, crying over most of a gallon of Vermont maple syrup is me. I always refrigerate it now. I've heard advice here that it can even be successfully frozen, but since I can only afford small, precious bottles now, I reserve worthy and limited space in the fridge for it whenever I am lucky enough to have it on hand. Having to throw out that large and expensive quantity of, local to me at the time, VT maple syrup is a traumatic experience I never wish to repeat. 

 

I do have two full-sized fridges for only the two of us, so I am very spoiled by that, I know. One is a more modern one with deep door shelves that are chuka chuka full of mostly condiments, but a gallon of milk will fit. I wouldn't dream of leaving catsup or mustard out. I do not refrigerate vinegars except for expensive balsamic or other red wine vinegar. I leave oils out except for toasted sesame, which I buy in a tiny, cute little 6 oz. bottle that lasts me for years because it is so strong. I keep it beyond the expiry date, but always use it to the dregs of the bottle with no off tastes or other problems.

 

No question about commercial mayo either. I buy a quart jar at a time now that my husband, who loves it so much, lives with me. Before that I would buy an eight ounce jar and wind up throwing most of it out. I can taste it when the flavor goes off, and will not touch it. ALWAYS refrigerate mayo and never dip anything but a scrupulously clean tool into the jar. I leave my liter bottle of Korean soy sauce out, but if I have an expensive tamari, I will refrigerate that. I do refrigerate Worcestershire, because I use it so infrequently. I even tried refrigerating a 1500 ml bottle of fish sauce against the label directions. Sure enough, just like the label cautioned, salt crystalized and precipitated out.   Now it sits on a pantry shelf and I'm askeerd of it. Hmmm...  maybe I'm not the best one to help free up condiment space in the fridge. In my defense, though, I've never had food poisoning nor given it to anyone, and I have cooked for many, including camping situations. I certainly respect liuzhou's attitude that refrigeration is a very recent luxury still not enjoyed by many people. 

 

I think Kitchen Bouquet is a lot like the Gravy Master brand that I use, and I never refrigerate that. I only go through it very slowly, but it has never gone bad on me, even though it goes beyond its expiration date. This is in my mind only, because nowhere on the new bottle I just purchased is an actual expiration date displayed. 

 

I do refrigerate pickles and olives. I can also taste when those go south even in the fridge, and will pitch them if they do. I like my pickles and olives fresh tasting and crunchy. I even have the luxury of refrigerating some whole grains, meals and flours I don't use very often, so am able to keep more options on hand: masa harina, corn meal, whole wheat flour, bulgar, black and brown and Arborio rice are some I wouldn't be able to have at a whim without refrigerating them.  I even refrigerate Knorr Mexican Caldo de Pollo, Caldo de Res and Caldo de Tomate bouillion cubes because it allows me to keep them all on hand past the short expiration dates. One reason I think the bouillon is so good is that it contains quite a bit of fat, and some of it is animal fat. It makes the cubes very hard when they come out of refrigeration, but I take them out early in prep and they soften. Then I can crumble them into whatever dish I need them for. To me, even the high salt content is not enough to keep this product shelf stable for long without the delicious and inimicable animal fats going rancid. The producer agrees with their short expiration dates.

 

If you are not buying commercial eggs in the US or Canada, they can be left out safely for several weeks. Our misguided government's regulations to wash off the protective natural coating on the shells actually cause them to be more perishable than otherwise. My grandparents raised chickens for eggs and meat and they were the best I have ever had the privilege of eating. We kept them out at room temp and sold them from her front yard. I have eaten hundreds of these unrefrigerated eggs with no ill effects at all. I wouldn't try it with factory farm eggs, though, if you're in the US or Canada.

 

I always err on the side of caution, maybe to a fault, when it comes to food poisoning. I'm also cursed with a very sensitive palate, so if it tastes or smells off even a tiny bit, I'll trash it. I hope you find some more useful information about weeding out your refrigerated condiments @David Ross. I will be reading this topic avidly in hopes that I can safely abandon some of my probably overcautious practices.

[Bernoulli]

On 5/8/2016 at 8:11 AM, Anna N said:

 I think the problem is that so many condiments now come with the warning/advice to refrigerate after opening that we have become intimidated.  My Heinz ketchup bottle certainly comes with this advice.  My lingonberry jam comes with the added note that it should be used within 30 days of opening even though it has been refrigerated!  I don't know but it seems to me a fine way to improve sales. 

As a kid, we never refrigerated ketchup or mustard.  I refrigerate both now once opened - except for a large ketchup that doesn't fit.  I refrigerate my vinaigrette  if I have fresh ingredients in it, but I usually make it with granulated garlic and onion so it stays out.  I make my own mayo, so it's refrigerated.  So far no problem with moldy maple syrup.  I frequently make syrup from Mapleine, but I don't refrigerate it.  We eat pancakes 2-3 times a month so syrup doesn't stay around long enough to mold.

[Porthos]

I never refrigerate mustard, say sauce, vinegars, or oils. I don't happen use nut oils. I refrigerate ketchup because it is so rarely used. I always refrigerate mayo.

[Tere]

I cheerfully ignore all suggestions to throw away after X weeks once opened, if refrigerated. I'm of the it's there to increase sales point of view as well.

 

I don't refrigerate Marmite or honey, but ketchup, mayo, mustard, horseradish a,d redcurrant sauce stay in the fridge. Vinegars and mirin and soy and the like stay out.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Tere (log)