Best Method recommended method with best effort-to-efficacy tradeoff 9-12 months
Refrigerated in Brine (After Opening)
- Keep the buds fully submerged in their brine or vinegar any caper above the liquid oxidizes, browns, and can dry out or mold
- Press capers down and reseal tightly after each use
- Always use a clean, dry spoon wet or food-touched utensils dilute the brine and introduce bacteria
- Store in the refrigerator, not the door
Alternative another good method that's just different 6-12 months
Salt-Packed in the Pantry
- Keep tightly sealed in a cool, dry cupboard like dried fruit
- Keep away from moisture and steam dampness is the main spoilage risk for salt-packed capers
- Rinse thoroughly before use to remove excess salt
- Refrigerate to extend quality well past a year optional, but salt-packed capers keep longest cold
Fun Facts
- Capers are the unopened flower buds of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa), a hardy shrub that grows wild in the Mediterranean; if left on the plant they bloom into delicate white-and-purple flowers.
- The larger caper berry is the fruit that forms after the flower blooms, harvested with its stem still attached.