# Cleaning organic broccoli



## APCDmama (Dec 22, 2004)

Just wondering if there's an easy, quick way to clean broccoli. I find it very difficult to get all those little bugs out. I realize the bugs probably won't do us any harm, but the thought of eating a bunch of them sort of grosses me out. A few are okay, as long as I can't see them...


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Soak in a bowl or sink filled with cold water. You can salt it if you want.


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## APCDmama (Dec 22, 2004)

Thanks for the reply. I do soak the broccoli in cold water, but those little bugs remain trapped in the tight leafy part. I have to pick through carefully with my fingers and physically pluck them out. Haven't tried salting the water. I could try that, but I think the bugs would remain stuck. Maybe I'll have to live with eating a few bugs??? Definitely better than chemical pesticides...


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## Harper (Jul 10, 2003)

Oh no! I've never noticed bugs in my organic broccoli--even the stuff right from the farm. Does that mean I have been eating little broccoli bugs without noticing??


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## wendyland (Apr 5, 2003)

I've never seen bugs in my o. broccoli. I'm going to have to watch more closely. I did have big dead fly at the bottom of my raspberries once. And in my lettuce. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to.


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## LianneM (May 26, 2004)

I've never seen bugs on mine either. Eek!


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## arimama (Feb 13, 2004)

Acck I always find bugs in my organic broc. I cant ever bring myself to eat it after I see the bugs.


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## EricaLeigh (Apr 25, 2005)

I've even had floaters in my cooking liquid! They are more of a worm. EWWWW!!!!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I've heard that soaking broccoli in either salt water or vinegar water makes all the bugs float up to the top of the container, and then you just have to rinse it well.

I doubt the bugs are harmful, but they're not kosher, so I do the soaking thing with my conventional brocolli (that's one veggie I won't buy organic because of the Kashrus issue.)


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## APCDmama (Dec 22, 2004)

The little buggies hide out pretty well.







You probably wouldn't even see them if you didn't look. They look like small black or gray specks (with legs). Depending on the time of year, there are more or less of them. I am going to try the vinegar/salt method. I love my broccoli and want to stay organic.


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## Contented73 (May 14, 2006)

I spend SO much time cleaning my organic broccoli. The bugs just gross me out, maybe because it seems there are so many of them, and I just KNOW I never get all of them.

I usually just buy conventional broccoli instead









Suzanne


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## GiggleBirds (Oct 24, 2006)

Ew. I had never noticed. Ew.


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## g&a (Dec 15, 2004)

Ruthla:

Quote:

(that's one veggie I won't buy organic because of the Kashrus issue.)
OK, I'll bite! What's the Kashrus issue???

g.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Kashrus= noun form of kosher (adjective.)

The Kashrus problem with organic brocolli is that it's often full of bugs, and the bugs aren't kosher, and it's incredibly difficult to remove ALL the bugs from a food like broccoli. It's much easier to remove bugs from spinach, for example, because you can spread out the leaves and rinse the bugs off.

If bugs are big enough to be seen with the naked eye (bacterial cultures are not a problem) then the bugs are not considered kosher.


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## g&a (Dec 15, 2004)

Quote:

Ruthla Kashrus= noun form of kosher (adjective.)

The Kashrus problem with organic brocolli is that it's often full of bugs, and the bugs aren't kosher, and it's incredibly difficult to remove ALL the bugs from a food like broccoli. It's much easier to remove bugs from spinach, for example, because you can spread out the leaves and rinse the bugs off.

If bugs are big enough to be seen with the naked eye (bacterial cultures are not a problem) then the bugs are not considered kosher.
AHA! I get it! because of the difficulty getting all the bugs out, you don't eat organic broccoli. Makes sense. Sorry for my ignorance, obviously, I know nothing about kosher cooking!!









g.

I second the salt method, by the way. use lots of salt and soak and the bugs float to the top. just make sure you rinse the salty water off before eating!! Our organic broccoli doesn't have bugs, I wonder why not. I always thought a few bugs were a good sign - something ate my food and lived!


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## scoobers (Jun 24, 2005)

Mmmmm bugs! Crunchy on the outside...squishy on the inside!

I just soak my broccoli for a long time but I've noticed that I still have to pick some off. Eeeew.


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