Refrigeration Reformation

Published on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, by Roxanne Webber / Edit Post

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Putting away the groceries seems like the easiest thing to do around the kitchen. But after a few calls to experts, we learned exactly how much we’re doing wrong. We’ve been destroying the flavor of watermelons by keeping them cold too long, misusing the crisper bin, and not cleaning the condenser coils—we never even considered that last one, let alone knew where the coils were.

When fancy-refrigerator manufacturer Sub-Zero put people in a room with a week’s worth of groceries and an empty fridge, “nobody really had any idea where to put stuff,” says Paul Leuthe, a corporate marketing manager at the company. Click to see how to fill your fridge the right way ยป

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POST A COMMENT |15 Comments

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  • The link for AM Conservation Group seems to be broken. Just go to http://www.amconservationgroup.com/ and search for refrigerator coil.

  • I recently bought a refrigerator coil cleaning brush for $5.99 from AM Conservation Group
    http://www.amconservationgroup.com/store/pc/viewcategories.asp?idcategory=479#hidAnch_115

    It was a little scary how much dust and gunk was dislodged and my refrigerator is now running much more quietly (and presumably efficiently).

  • Most bottom coils are imposible to clean--so-called coil vaccum attachments don't fit into the tiny spaces.. What is an aging girl to do (bad knees)?

  • "Bananas will turn black,,... For the best flavor/texture, leave out: * Bananas"

    Really? According to the Sous Vide bible (Keller, Under Pressure), bananas (the flesh, not the skin) freeze very well.

    Also, on storing butter, butter also freezes well (I think I got that from McGee's book, On Food & Cooking).

  • Here's the trick, live alone in a small apartment with a small-apartment fridge. There's no space to store milk on the shelves, so you're stuck with the door, but remember to buy only quart or half-gallon sizes, because nothing larger will fit.

    Even if you didn't know better, you certainly wouldn't be refrigerating bananas and potatoes and the like, because you can barely cram a head of romaine...+READ

    Here's the trick, live alone in a small apartment with a small-apartment fridge. There's no space to store milk on the shelves, so you're stuck with the door, but remember to buy only quart or half-gallon sizes, because nothing larger will fit.

    Even if you didn't know better, you certainly wouldn't be refrigerating bananas and potatoes and the like, because you can barely cram a head of romaine into that crisper!

    As for albgardis, I'm sure your country's full of geniuses, but didn't your mother ever tell you not to be condescending, especially to strangers?-COLLAPSE

  • I suppose it's true chochotte, if it's for the long term. The smell of freshly burnt and ground coffe goes off fast, so if you bought a large quantity, you might consider freezing some, but supplying yoursel regularily with fresh burnt coffee is more efficient.

  • The short answer is the best place to keep coffee is on your counter, at room temperature and in an airtight container.

    The best coffee comes from whole beans that are ground right before you use them. If you're used to pre-grinding you probably won't notice a huge variance in taste whether you freeze them because the coffee you're used to is probably already stale. Beans can go in the freezer...+READ

    The short answer is the best place to keep coffee is on your counter, at room temperature and in an airtight container.

    The best coffee comes from whole beans that are ground right before you use them. If you're used to pre-grinding you probably won't notice a huge variance in taste whether you freeze them because the coffee you're used to is probably already stale. Beans can go in the freezer if you're looking to save them for longer than 10-14 days.

    For more info on coffee beans check out the CHOW video on coffee obsessives:
    http://www.chow.com/videos#!/show/obsessives/10625/obsessives-coffee

    He says not to keep grounds because ground coffee, especially finer grinds, go stale in a few minutes after grinding. What you're looking to do is maintain the oils that give coffee a rich flavor, and that boiler plate mud is devoid of. You can find coffee grinders, even the nicer burr grinders, for cheap at Amazon (as little as $30 for a burr grinder, or cheaper for a regular blade), your local grocery store, or places like Bed, Bath and Beyond. Then buy whole beans and grind them yourself.

    The rest of the video is very informative as to how you should brew your coffee, including a tidbit on Chemex coffee makers -- the best way to do drip if you must to do drip. A minute or two of prep, as well as upgrading your machine (espresso makers can be cheap and don't require filters) can make a world of difference.-COLLAPSE

  • Hahaha, you Americans are so funny! Tomatoes, bananas and potatoes in the fridge? Melons? And then you wonder why it doesn't taste right or chanfges consisence or colour?
    Mann Mann Mann...

    So you actually need an official report to inform you that there are things to be not put cold?
    You really did not know this?
    Wow...

    Why did I supscribe to this once?
    Next thing will be, we are being...+READ

    Hahaha, you Americans are so funny! Tomatoes, bananas and potatoes in the fridge? Melons? And then you wonder why it doesn't taste right or chanfges consisence or colour?
    Mann Mann Mann...

    So you actually need an official report to inform you that there are things to be not put cold?
    You really did not know this?
    Wow...

    Why did I supscribe to this once?
    Next thing will be, we are being told that sugar makes you fat, and that one should not drive after having alcohol? Such breaking news!-COLLAPSE

  • I've heard that it's good to store ground coffee in the freezer - anyone else heard this, and is it true?

  • Depends on how soon you intend to use it. More than a few weeks, in the freezer

  • Ketchup, just keep the beans at cool room temp.

  • This was very helpful. Wish it was in printable form so I could keep it near the fridge!

  • How about (roasted and ground) coffee beans? Keep in the fridge or not?

  • Excellent. I particularly liked seeing an article that tells people what not to put in the fridge, since I see lots of posts on chowhound from people who put everything in the fridge because they think that's better. It's good to know that not only is it not necessary to put somethings in the fridge, it's actually detrimental.

  • Very informative-- the best article I've seen on CHOW. Well done!