Which condiments require refrigeration?

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  • whathapnd
    whathapnd Posts: 1,246 Member
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    Agree with the article, but we still store ketchup, honey and butter in the fridge.
  • misterhub
    misterhub Posts: 6,307 Member
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    whathapnd wrote: »
    Agree with the article, but we still store ketchup, honey and butter in the fridge.

    I store ketchup in the fridge, but not honey or real butter. I do store margarine in the fridge.
  • whathapnd
    whathapnd Posts: 1,246 Member
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    I prefer butter out, but we don't use enough to justify keeping it out. I think ants years ago may have caused the honey to move to fridge.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
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    Ketchup in the frig
    Honey in the cupboard
    A stick or partial, in use, butter out. Rest of the box, frig
  • cakeman21k
    cakeman21k Posts: 6,011 Member
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    ketchup he fridge, honey in the cupboard, open stick of butter in a butter dish on the lazy susan, the rest in the fridge
  • gadgetgirlIL
    gadgetgirlIL Posts: 1,381 Member
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    Honey in the pantry
    Ghee (clarified butter) in the pantry
    Regular butter in the refrigerator
    Almond butter in the refrigerator
  • imastar2
    imastar2 Posts: 6,030 Member
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    Ketchup fridge, Honey on Kitchen table, butter in fridge, no margerine in the house.
  • myallforjcbill
    myallforjcbill Posts: 5,590 Member
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    Honey in the pantry
    Butter & margerine in the fridge
    Ketsup in the fridge

    I never thought about leaving the butter out. I use it primarily for backing

  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,105 Member
    edited January 2019
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    The article somewhat misses the point on real hot sauce. It does NOT need salt and vinegar to keep it shelf stable when it has enough capsaicin in it (e.g. tabasco red or hotter). Yes it's true that Frank's hot sauce is very salty and Louisiana style has vinegar but it's more than that. Capsaicin is bacteriostatic and wont in and of itself grow bacteria. Honestly with real hot sauce they only started putting dates on them in the last few years. My wife stores her opened green milder hot sauce in the fridge but my super hot ones I don't.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
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    @podkey since you seem to be in the know about hot sauce, I wonder if you can explain why my sriracha in the frig stays bright red and my friend's on her counter is burgundy brownish?
  • Jimb376mfp
    Jimb376mfp Posts: 6,232 Member
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    linmueller wrote: »
    @podkey since you seem to be in the know about hot sauce, I wonder if you can explain why my sriracha in the frig stays bright red and my friend's on her counter is burgundy brownish?

    :grimace::mrgreen:
  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,105 Member
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    Lin. I store mine on the shelf and it doesn't turn brown except maybe a teensy bit at the opening probably due to oxidation. I will say that I use mine up and buy it in small bottles.
    You can get slight colored rings around some sauces by the cap that way. My son-in-law bought a gallon of a Caribbean Hot Sauce but it still seems ok. I don't do that. Not sure, just not sure if refrigeration would totally prevent some oxidation. For me Sriracha is a bit on the low side heatwise with capsaicin. Crystal does ok even though low but may be aided by salt and vinegar.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
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    Thanks for the insight @podkey ! My friend's probably gets direct sunlight, so that makes sense. I've been wondering about it for awhile. Appreciate the solution to the puzzle!
  • klmackey893
    klmackey893 Posts: 118 Member
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    bob is correct. The light can cause the color to breakdown. For example the annatto used in cheddar cheese to make it orange can breakdown if exposed to light for too long. I had a project to find an alternative color source early in my career and some of my cheeses looked more like a nice pink salmon that what one would normally consider a typical cheese color. (I know you folks in the NE would say cheese is orange and yes for the Midwest, south and west most commodity cheddars are orange now white).

    Light is then enemy. Just like your furniture will fade overtime if its in a sunny window. Then if the red tones fade the other undertones will become more pronounced.
  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,105 Member
    edited January 2019
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    Ah good point. My Sriracha is stored up on a shelf that has no direct light exposure.
    I guess that I have never seen mold or similar icky stuff grow in my hot sauces or had any issues that way.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
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    @klmackey893 thanks for the additional info. Interesting that the red fades and other color comes through.