Chimichurri is a sauce used in roasted meats and is also used to marinate chicken and fish. It also goes well with a wide variety of dishes, and it can last a long time if you know how to preserve chimichurri correctly, which is today’s subject.
Keep in mind that chimichurri contains herbs; therefore, it is best when it is fresh, and to store it, you should keep it cold. So, to store chimichurri, you can use the fridge for one week (a bit more if you seal it properly) or freeze it for three months.
If you want to learn how to store chimichurri properly, you just have to continue reading.
Store chimichurri in the fridge
As the main ingredient of chimichurri is parsley, you must keep it cold. Therefore, if a good amount of this sauce is prepared (because it never hurts), it can be stored in the refrigerator.
However, if you want to let it macerate for a few days, you can extend the storage time by vacuum sealing. But you can skip this if you plan to add it to each meal whenever you want.
So, to properly store the chimichurri in the fridge, you need to do the following:
- Step 1: Sterilize the bottle.
Before storing chimichurri, you need to sterilize the airtight container. To do this, put the jar inside a thick bottom pot with water, and boil for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Dry the bottle.
It is advisable to sterilize well in advance, so the container is already dry.
Anyways, you can use paper towels to remove the excess water.
- Step 3: Pour the chimichurri into the jar.
Pour all the sauce there and cover it well.
- Step 4: Vacuum seal (Optional, to extend its shelf life).
If you want to store for a bit longer, boil water again and leave the jar with chimichurri covered for 30 or 40 minutes.
You can place a towel at the bottom of the pot to prevent the jar from constantly colliding with the pot.
Another simple method, but not as efficient as the one above, is to leave the jar upside down for about 4 hours. But if you plan to use the sauce regularly, you can ignore this step.
- Step 5: Label the container.
Set the storage date, mainly if you want to macerate the sauce before using it.
- Step 6: Store it in the fridge.
Store the chimichurri at the bottom of the refrigerator. The sealed chimichurri may be refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks if you have completed all the steps.
On the other hand, if it is not vacuum sealed, the chimichurri can be in the fridge for a week. [1]
How to freeze chimichurri
Can chimichurri be frozen? Chimichurri freezes well. But after a while of being settled, it usually loses a little of its flavor; therefore, it is convenient to prepare it a little stronger.
To properly freeze chimichurri, you just need to:
- Step 1: Pour the sauce into a tray to make ice cubes.
The tray must be completely dry. And you can pour the chimichurri using a spoon.
The reason behind this kind of storage is that you will thaw the exact amount needed, instead of the entire container with chimichurri, because cannot re-freeze it.
- Step 2: Perform first freezing.
Leave the tray with the chimichurri in the freezer for 4 hours or until the cubes freeze (stiff consistency).
- Step 3: Transfer the buckets to an airtight bag.
Put them cubes inside an airtight bag. Remember that chimichurri has a powerful smell, so the bag should have a high quality.
But to be sure that you won’t spread the smell in other foods or the entire freezer, you can place the bag with the chimichurri cubes inside another bag or an airtight container.
- Step 4: Write the storage date.
Label the container with the date of storage of the chimichurri.
- Step 5: Save to the freezer.
If you follow all the steps indicated, the chimichurri could last about three months in the freezer.
How to thaw the chimichurri
To thaw, just take out the cubes and leave them overnight in a bowl in the fridge, or place them at room temperature for a few hours.
Preserve the commercial chimichurri
Chimichurri can also be obtained in stores and supermarkets, and these tend to last longer due to industrial manufacturing and preservatives.
Usually, you can store bottles of chimichurri sealed at room temperature in a dark and cool place for four months. Still, it is advisable to keep it refrigerated until the expiration date.
If you open the jar with chimichurri, store it in the fridge, where it lasts for about 3 – 4 months.
To freeze, you could do it the same way as the previous method, freezing portions in ice cubes, but being a sauce that lasts a few months in the fridge, it may not be necessary.
How do you know if chimichurri got bad?
It is difficult to determine if the chimichurri is in poor condition. For example, as chimichurri usually has a strong smell, it can be reinforced over time. Still, it may be harmful if you notice a particular sour aroma.
But to honestly know if chimichurri is in poor condition, you have to taste it. If it tastes bad, you should discard it immediately to avoid poisoning.
How long does chimichurri last?
Chimichurri is a sauce that has a moderate shelf life, and we summarized that in the following table:
| Product | Duration |
| Homemade chimichurri in the fridge (sealed) | 2 – 3 weeks |
| Homemade chimichurri in the fridge (opened) | 1 week |
| Homemade chimichurri frozen | 3 months |
| Commercial chimichurri at room temperature (sealed) | 4 months |
| Commercial chimichurri in the fridge (sealed) | Until the expiration date |
| Commercial chimichurri in the fridge (opened) | 3 – 4 months |
What is the best way to preserve chimichurri?
The best way to preserve chimichurri is in the fridge since there is nothing better than enjoying a freshly made sauce or as close as possible to the date of preparation.
Freezing is a good option, but chimichurri loses a bit of flavor when thawed, so it doesn’t make it an ideal preservation method.
The chimichurri of commercial sale usually lasts much longer, but the downside is you can’t customize it as you would do with the homemade version when we talk about the ingredients.
However, some brands make chimichurris with excellent flavor and can be liked by many.
If you want to read more content similar to this, this site has a variety of topics related to food preservation.
whoah this blog is wonderful i really like reading your articles. Keep up the great paintings! You realize, a lot of people are hunting round for this info, you could help them greatly.