Brown paper bags are a cook’s best friend

November 5, 2024 by
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Brown paper bags have been associated with food for decades. Before the rise of plastic bags, almost every supermarket and corner store used brown paper bags in the checkout lane. Is it just me or does everyone love the smell of a fresh paper bag? But I digress – these puppies can do so much more than tote home your groceries; they have myriad uses in the kitchen as well. One such use comes to us from Food and Wine, which says that storing mushrooms in a paper bag will prolong their shelf life. Paper provides the ideal environment, keeping excess moisture from the ‘shrooms.

Some fruits and vegetables will ripen faster when put in a paper bag, such as peaches, bananas, and tomatoes – basically anything that ripens off the vine. That’s because the bag traps ethylene gas which is a factor in ripening for a number of foods. Unlike a plastic bag that is nearly impermeable, a paper bag will breathe a little, allowing oxygen in and carbon dioxide to escape which means your produce will continue to respirate, another factor in ripening.

You can even cook in a paper bag. The EYB Library has 57 recipes (11 online) for various meats, fish, and vegetables that can be made in a paper bag, including the Apple pie in a paper bag from Ms. Marmite Lover by Kerstin Rodgers pictured above. Think of it as low-budget en papillote. Let’s not forget the classic microwave popcorn in a paper bag. Finally, paper bags are perfect for draining fried foods like French fries and doughnuts. As a bonus, you can add salt and/or spices to the bag and toss your fries in it to both remove excess oil and season them in one go. What’s your favorite way to use paper bags in the kitchen?

Category: Cooking Tips

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4 Comments

  • averythingcooks  on  November 6, 2024

    Even my small town grocery store leaves a stack of paper lunchbags by the mushrooms for customers to use.

  • dbuhler  on  November 7, 2024

    My grocery store does the same as everythingcooks. We have many grocery stores in our moderately large city and it’s the only store that does this. Not food related, but one Thanksgiving a large scented jar candle (red of course) was tipped over on my grandmother’s new carpet. A very kind neighbor who was a carpet cleaner came over equipped with a paper bag and an iron. He used the bag and iron to heat up the wax and soak it all up, dye and all! I still remember that my 10 year old mind was blown!

  • TroyChefMI  on  November 8, 2024

    My mom showed me how to spray a paper bag with a stale bagel or bread inside until it’s damp. We warm it in the oven at 200-250 F for ten minutes, and it comes back to life!

  • ellabee  on  November 9, 2024

    My most frequent use of paper bags in cooking is for letting broiled or flamed peppers cool to the point where the charred skin can be peeled off. (Medium-sized brown paper bags that a Chinese restaurant uses for takeout orders)

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