When I have a batch of mature sprouts, I fill the kitchen sink with cool water and plunge as many as I can into it. The seed hulls tend to float to the top, although a gentle churning of the clumps of sprouts is necessary to free up many more seed hulls. I pull out all the clean sprouts, while pushing the seed hulls to the corner of the basin. The clean sprouts then go into a pasta drainer which is set up in the sink's other basin, so the water can drain out down the free drain. Most of the water will drain out pretty quickly. Then I stack the pasta drainer in a big stainless steel bowl to allow the water to continue to drip, which it will do for a few hours.
More water than you think will drip out in those few hours. Better to let it drip out than let the sprouts sit in this water when stored in the refrigerator.
After a few hours' dripping, I transfer the sprouts to a large refrigerator storage dish. They will keep several days in the refrigerator this way, clean and dry. The refrigerator slows the growth.
I still always smell and feel the sprouts when I'm about to use them in a salad. If they concern me the least little bit, out they go to the compost, or I will give them a quick rinse for freshening.
The sprouts shown are a mix of red clover, alfalfa and fenugreek.
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YUM! I need to sprout more often!
I really appreciate this article and the previous ones on your website regarding sprouting and microgreens. Being new to sprouting, you’ve given me some useful information. Thanks!
How do you sprout your sprouts?? I have a sprouter, and did real good, now I can’t get them to sprout–I even got new seeds thinking I had a bad batch.
April, I am just now seeing your question. I am sorry for missing it!
The way I sprout my seeds is to soak them overnight in a small jar. I use 1/4 cup of seeds per tray. In the morning, I transfer the seeds to the tray. Then I rinse and drain thoroughly. I continue a rinsing/draining every 12 hours, or once in the morning and once in the evening. If it isn’t too cold in the house, the seeds’ growth will be slower. We eat them (at least this mix) when they have their first green leaves.
I discussed it more in depth here: http://traditionalcookingschool.com/2007/09/22/microgreens-progress-and-a-bit-about-sprouts/
I wonder what your house temperature is? The new seeds didn’t do any better? How long did you soak the seeds?
Thanks for writing this article
A lot of my alfalfa sprouts have brown/black spots on the leaves. Is this normal or mold?
I recently got some kale sprouts, but I didn’t know how to clean and store them correctly. So you only use only water and not a veggie wash? and are the little black things the seed hulls?; sorry I never have seen or ate the kale sprouts before?. I have them already in the refrigerator and not washed, so can I still wash & eat them? or have I ruined them?
I can never get all the hulls off my sprouts, no matter how hard I try. Is it okay to eat some of the hulls? Thank you in advance for your response.