If you love using ginger in your cooking or baking, you might be looking for ways to use up a big bunch of it. The best way to save ginger fresh is actually by storing it for future use—and this article will show you how!
What Is Ginger?
Often known as a ginger root, ginger comes from the rhizome (underground stem) ofZingiber officinale, a tropical flowering plant from the same family clan as cardamom and turmeric. The spicy bite of raw fresh ginger is due to its bioactive compound, gingerol. This aromatic blend converts into a sweeter zingerone when warmed or dried, making ginger an exceptionally versatile kitchen ingredient. Multiple cuisines, like Southeast Asian and Indian, use ginger to make flavorful and sweet dishes.
3 Awesome Tips To Keep Ginger Fresh
Before selecting any ginger from the grocery mart, pick one carefully. Glance for a piece of ginger that is relatively tight to the touch and has smooth skin because soft marks or little wrinkly skin indicates it’s already past its zenith. Let’s look at the awesome tips.
1. Buying ginger in bulk is cheaper.
It is a great way to save money on the cost of this spice. Saving money is essential because ginger can be expensive, and you need a lot of it for some recipes. For example, if you are making a large batch of homemade chicken soup and want to put some fresh ginger in, it’s best to buy an entire root at once rather than using individual pieces throughout the cooking process.
This is because freshly purchased ginger roots will last longer than pre-peeled or ground spices that have been exposed to air for hours on end (and sometimes even days). And while it seems counterintuitive to freeze your spice rack items, storing them in this manner also helps keep their flavors fresh.
2. Ginger freezes well.
Don’t toss it in the fridge the next time you buy fresh ginger. Instead, freeze it. Freezing is a great way to preserve and maintain the flavor of your ginger and keep it from going soft or mushy.
You can store (keep) frozen ginger in any of three methods:
- In slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet
- In cubes in an airtight container or freezer bag
- As chunks in an airtight container or freezer bag
The most pleasing part is that when you’re up to utilizing your frozen ginger, you don’t need to worry about melting it. In fact, you can scrape or cut the frozen ginger right from the freezer.
3. Store the ginger after you’ve peeled it.
The most convenient way to store ginger is to keep it in a plastic bag, but don’t throw away the peel. You can use it in recipes later on!
If you have more than one fresh root, we recommend storing them separately. This is because if you leave them together for too long and they start to rot, the pungent smell will spread onto all other roots and make them go bad as well. It’s not worth taking that risk because there are ways around this problem!
The first thing you should do when you buy some fresh ginger is washed off any dirt or dust with cold water. Then take a knife and peel off as much skin as possible without ruining any layers inside (you should be able to see these at least).
How to Store Fresh Ginger
Having ginger in the kitchen is incredibly beneficial—you never know when you need it. To help ginger remain fresher for a long, place it in an air-tight glass container or barred plastic pack, then keep it in the HUMIDITY DRAWER (Bin in the fridge that preserves freshness and may prolong the lifespan of your fruits and vegetables by uncovering them to various humidity levels) in the fridge. This will help preserve it fresh for a month or even a long period of time. Once you see greenish-blue mold dots, it’s the moment to throw your ginger.
How to Store Peeled Ginger
Once you’ve peeled the ginger, it will bear a shorter shelf-life since it’s uncovered to oxygen. What you can do is to envelop peeled ginger tightly in plastic wrapping, then place it in the crisper drawer. Storing your peeled will persist freshness for up to three weeks, but it’s always a good idea to check it every time before you use it to ensure mold hasn’t developed.
How to Store Minced Ginger
Some of you chop a piece of ginger to prepare meals more efficiently. While this action may save your time in the kitchen, be mindful that minced or chopped ginger will just last for about a week in an impenetrable (sealed), air-tight receptacle in the fridge.
Counter Placing Ginger:
If you intend to use the whole ginger root within a few days, then you can keep the ginger in a cool, dark place, such as on your kitchen counter, and away from the sunlight.
Pickling The Ginger:
You can pickle fresh ginger too. Skin the ginger using a peeler, then slice it into thin pieces. Put the cut ginger in a glass container with equal parts of vinegar, sugar, and water (you can modify this mix to serve your taste). Store pickled ginger in the fridge for up to two months.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Try these ways to store ginger & keep ginger fresh, and do share your experiences with AMVital; we’d love to hear. For some people, these tips may be completely unnecessary. However, if you’re someone who uses ginger in their cooking a lot or needs it for other reasons (like medicinal), then learning about the best ways to store this spice can save time and money!
