What To Look Out For To Choose Quality Okra At The Grocery Store

Let's face it, okra isn't a very popular vegetable, with many people put off by its gooey texture. However, despite its general unpopularity, okra is a beloved southern vegetable. It was introduced to the South by West Africans during the transatlantic slave trade and is now a staple of many southern dishes, including okra and tomatoes, and various types of gumbo.

Though many people prefer other vegetables, okra has its advantages. For starters, it's versatile. You can cook it in soups, allowing its sliminess to thicken up the broth, or you can try a number of other cooking methods, such as frying, grilling, and roasting. Additionally, okra is a superfood, providing a variety of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. If by chance, you are a person who enjoys this versatile, healthy vegetable, you need to know how to maximize its deliciousness. An easy way to do this is to choose the highest quality okra. So, what characteristics should you look for in order to find the best okra?

Quality okra has several different traits. Most notably, it is tender, not tough or fibrous. Color and shape are also indications of good okra, with many of the best pods boasting a bright green hue and straight, hydrated pods. To find okra that meets all of these requirements, you should look for younger pods. According to SFGATE, young pods, even those as young as two days, make for better meals than older pods, as okra develops a drier, tougher texture with age. Though it's important to find tender pods, you should also make it a priority to find okra that is free from any sort of damage, such as mold.

After selecting quality okra, it's crucial to keep it fresh, and fortunately, it's pretty easy to do this. Simply wrap the vegetable in a plastic or paper bag and place it in the crisper of your refrigerator. It's important that you refrain from washing the okra before storing it, as getting the pods wet will cause them to mold. Okra typically only stays fresh for about two to three days following storage, so it's crucial to use it quickly.

There are several different types of okra, and color, size, and flavor can vary from variety to variety. With this being said, some varieties are more popular than others. According to MasterClass, one of the best kinds of okra to grow in a garden is the Cajun Delight. As the name suggests, this variety is native to the southern U.S. and is perfect if you want to make classic southern dishes like gumbo.

Another popular type of okra is Burgundy okra. Burgundy okra is a beautiful okra variety, boasting red stems and pods. Its pods are ready to eat in approximately 65 days, which is roughly 10 to 15 more days than it takes Cajun Delight to harvest. Regardless of whether you decide to plant Cajun Delight, Burgundy okra, or one of the many other types of this vegetable, remember to look for young, tender pods, which are the highest quality.