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Why the shell has to go

Asparagus peels are in no way toxic to the human body and could therefore easily be distorted by us. In practice, however, nobody, or at most someone who is ignorant, will do that. Why they don't end up on the plate is due to the following reasons:

• Peel has a slightly bitter taste
• they are very firm and tough
• can hardly be chewed
• usually have to be "spat out" while eating

In short, they thoroughly spoil our wonderful asparagus enjoyment. Therefore, you should definitely remove the peel before consumption.

The fine and tender heads of asparagus

The asparagus head is at the tip of each asparagus spear. This is so soft and tender that it melts on the tongue when cooked. While the rest of the stick has to be freed from the skin, the asparagus tip is not touched.

If the asparagus spears themselves are very thin, peeling can be dispensed with entirely. The guideline here is the thickness of the little finger. If the asparagus is thinner, it will not be peeled. The decision is of course up to you, but there is hardly anything left of such a rod after peeling.

Except for green asparagus

Green asparagus not only differs in taste from the white specimens, it must also be treated differently in terms of peel removal. Its skin is much more tender and can therefore be left on during preparation. Only in the case of thick sticks is the shell removed in the lower third.

Helpful kitchen tool

Two kitchen tools can help us remove the asparagus peels: a small, sharp and slightly curved kitchen knife and a peeler. When answering the question of which of the two kitchen utensils is better suited for this, opinions differ. Just give it a try, which will help you get along better and get the job done faster.

The right time to peel

The peel envelops the asparagus spear and protects it from moisture loss. When buying the asparagus, make sure that the stalks are still nice and firm and crisp.

Asparagus is therefore peeled immediately before further preparation so that the stalks do not dry out.

Thoroughly remove any sand residue

Before peeling, each asparagus spear must be thoroughly cleaned under water. Particular attention should be paid to the asparagus tips, as fine sand often collects there. The small white leaves are a good hiding place for the small grains.

If you want to make sure that it doesn't crunch while eating asparagus, you should clean the asparagus heads thoroughly, preferably several times. If necessary, you would have to carefully peel off the fine leaves with a knife in order to remove sand that is deeply hidden.

Asparagus peeling: the basics

A uniform procedure for removing the asparagus peels has proven itself for decades and ensures a successful result:

• Leave out the asparagus tip
• Remove the shell from top to bottom
• Peel the peel very thinly
• but always peel evenly
• do not leave out any spots

Peeling step by step:

1. Pick up a clean asparagus spear.
2. Place the knife just below the asparagus tip.
3. Make a cut in the stick and peel off the skin in a single strip up to the end of the asparagus.
4. Put the knife under the asparagus tip again and remove the peel strip that is directly adjacent to the surface that has already been peeled. Don't miss a thing.
5. Continue the peeling process until you have completely freed the peel from the rod all around. In between turn the bar in your hand so that you can easily reach all places with the knife.
6. Peel all the asparagus spears one after the other.

Remove the asparagus ends

Until the asparagus spears are peeled for further processing, they usually have been stored for several hours or days either in the supermarket or at your home. The cut surfaces, which are still fresh and juicy when harvested, dry out more and more over time and have to be cut off after peeling.

In addition, asparagus spears are often woody at the ends and therefore not exactly edible.

• Cut the ends with a sharp knife
• usually 1-2 cm, sometimes more
• everything woody and withered has to go

Do not be sparing when cutting away the ends, because even small, fibrous pieces can be very annoying when eating and have to be removed from the mouth in an ugly way.

Temporarily store peeled asparagus stalks

If, for reasons of time, it is necessary to peel the asparagus spears earlier or if the preparation is unexpectedly delayed, they must be optimally stored in the meantime.

• Protect poles immediately
• first wrap in a kitchen towel
• then I wrap damp newspaper
• Place in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator

Depending on the freshness of the stalks, you can store the peeled asparagus for about 1-2 days. The bowl-free stay in the refrigerator should not last longer.

Peel the asparagus before freezing

Because the asparagus season is very short, many people freeze some stalks for the remaining months. With a few tips and tricks, the shell can also be peeled from frozen sticks, but this is only an emergency solution.

Take the time to peel the asparagus spears ready to eat before freezing, even if that takes a lot of time at first. On the other hand, you will save time after thawing, as you can continue processing the sticks immediately.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Asparagus peel: is non-toxic but tough, therefore inedible; has to be removed
• When: peel the sticks raw and immediately before preparation
• Cutting tool: kitchen knife with a small, sharp and curved blade; Peeler
• Washing: Wash the bars thoroughly; fine sand is hidden in the tips
• Peeling: from top to bottom; thin and even; leave no point
• Step 1: Take an asparagus spear in your hand; Place the knife below the tip
• Step 2: peel the shell to the end of the rod; Peel the whole peel one after the other in strips
• Rod end: cut off generously; 1-2 cm; everything dried up and lignified
• Tip: peel only the lower third of green asparagus
• Intermediate storage: in the vegetable compartment; wrap in kitchen towel and damp paper