How to store ginger at home

For a one-time use of the burning, warming ginger root, a small piece is enough. The remaining part, under certain conditions, without loss of properties can be stored for a long period from a week to 4 months. There are several ways to help preserve the taste and benefits of oriental spice. At home, the product is stored fresh, dry, candied or pickled.

Which root to choose

The surface of a fresh good root is smooth, dry, with a golden beige skin, there is no damage or any stains on it. In this case, the presence of minor healed abrasions or roughness is allowed.

It is dense and elastic to the touch, without any foreign odor. When cut, the pulp is yellowish-white, there are practically no fibers, and juice is visible on the knife. This root is well suited for drying.

It is easily distinguished from an old stale plant with wrinkled skin of a darker color. Its pulp becomes bright yellow, there are a lot of fibers. Like all root vegetables, ginger dries out over time due to loss of moisture and becomes less juicy and aromatic.

If the plant was stored in a damp room, this will manifest itself in the appearance of spots on it, darkening of the pulp, and deterioration in flavor and aromatic properties.

What to do with fresh spices

Fresh ginger at home after purchase, just like bananas, for example, must be immediately removed from the plastic bag, otherwise it may spoil. The best place to store it is in the vegetable compartment or refrigerator door; here it has the most optimal conditions (temperature, humidity).

Before placing the ginger in the refrigerator, you need to make sure it is completely dry. Simply wipe off possible dirt or moisture with a dry cloth. There is no need to wash or peel the skin.

Terms and rules for storing ginger in the refrigerator:

To prevent the spice from drying out, you need to limit its contact with air. To do this, you need to wrap the root in a clean sheet of paper (not newspaper). In this form it will retain its freshness and properties for 1 week. If the paper becomes damp, replace it immediately.
If you put ginger in a paper napkin or paper and then wrap it in cling film, you can extend its life to several weeks, but not more than 1 month.

You cannot store ginger without packaging, even if you plan to use the root 2-3 days in advance. When a product is wrapped in cling film or even paper, it will not only retain its appearance and properties, but will also not absorb the odors of nearby products.

Editor's note: Store ginger root in the refrigerator door. For wrapping we use white office paper or blank notebook sheets. We do not process the cut with anything. The spine, indeed, remains in this form for no more than a week.

In honey with lemon

Ginger-honey preparation with lemon is another way to extend the shelf life of an oriental aromatic spice. It is especially good to use for tea. How to do:

Peel the root. Grate 100 g and mix with 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice.
Pour liquid honey over the mixture and stir.

Store in a glass container in the refrigerator for no more than 14 days. This mixture is added to tea, 1 teaspoon at a time, which makes the drink more aromatic and healthy. In case of any changes in taste, color, aroma, appearance, even if the shelf life has not expired, such a product must be disposed of.

Storing ginger in the ground

Unpeeled ginger can be stored in a soil mixture prepared from humus, peat and dry river sand, taken in equal parts. The rhizome is placed in a pot or box, covered with this soil and left in a dark and cool room (cellar, basement, pantry). If you move the container to a warm and bright place, the root stored in the ground will sprout. Greens are used in salads and as an additive to tea drinks.

Fresh ginger is stored well in special soil. To do this, it is necessary to prepare in advance a certain mixture of peat, sand and humus; all components should be taken in the same quantity.

Mix the resulting mixture thoroughly in a special container, place the ginger there and place the pot in a dry place protected from sunlight.

Shelf life of burning root in the freezer

For a longer shelf life, ginger can be frozen. In this form, the spice is most often used as an additive to dishes to give them their inherent aroma and taste.

How to freeze ginger root in slices, slices or tiles:

Peel the ginger (with a knife, a vegetable peeler, if the skin is thin, scrape it off with a spoon).
Cut it into slices, slices, grate it or grind it with a blender.
Arrange the slices or pureed mass on a baking sheet in one layer, in portioned piles on parchment, or distribute into small containers, for example, cells in an ice-freezing mold.
Place in the freezer for 2 hours.
Pack the frozen product in portions into plastic containers or freezer bags with a zip fastener. If the product has been ground to a paste, smooth it out into a thin tile shape.

The product cannot be re-frozen. To prepare, take 1 portion of the spicy root out of the freezer or break off a piece of the desired size from the tile.

You can freeze the unpeeled root whole . To do this, you need to pack it tightly - wrap it in cling film, place it in a bag with an airtight zipper, release the air from it and put it in the freezer. After defrosting, it will not lose its properties and taste.

To use, cut off a piece of the desired size and return the rest to the freezer. Re-freezing of the product is also not allowed. On average, the shelf life of frozen chopped or whole ginger root is 2-3 months.

In any case, you should not make too large volumes of blanks and store them for a long time. It's always better to restock and enjoy the freshness of your food. In addition, ginger can not only be purchased in the vegetable department, but also grown at home.

How to properly store the root at home

At home, the healing product can be stored in different ways: in the refrigerator, dried, marinated or grated.

Fresh

When fresh, the plant can be stored in a cold place or at a temperature of +23...+25°C. It is the temperature readings that affect the shelf life of the product. In a cooler place, the spice will not dry out for 2-3 weeks. It is simply pre-washed and packaged in a sealed plastic or paper bag.

In this case, the peel is not peeled - the plant quickly dries out and begins to deteriorate. The peel is removed only before adding the spice to the dish.

Purified

There are many options for storing peeled ginger.

But the most popular are these:

The prepared root is poured with white wine or a stronger drink (for example, vodka). The container is tightly closed and stored in a cool place.
The purified product is filled with freshly squeezed lime juice. The vessel is tightly closed (so that every beneficial property of ginger root remains unchanged) and placed in a cool place.
The prepared root is poured with boiled water and cooled to a temperature of +23…+25°C. The container is hermetically sealed and stored in the refrigerator or other cool place.

Important! In all cases, the workpieces are placed in clean glass containers.

Sliced

Chopped ginger is ideal for adding to tea. You can store it in the same ways as the purified product.

Dried root

You can prepare ginger for future use by drying it. The dried root retains all its beneficial qualities. The drying method is convenient to use when processing a large number of roots.

The drying procedure consists of the following operations:

The product is washed under running water and allowed to dry. There should be no dirt or deposits left on the root. Then the product is laid out on a cotton cloth and allowed to dry at a temperature of +23...25°C. It will not lose its properties if its skin is first scraped off.
Cut the plant into thin slices. This way it will dry better.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment, lay out the product and place it in the oven. Set the temperature to 50°C, processing time - 60-70 minutes on each side.
If after a certain time the pieces break easily, then they can be taken out.

Dried ginger is placed in glass, hermetically sealed containers. Can be stored for no more than 2 years. Before use, the product is soaked for 6–8 hours.

Also find out the difference between ginger and turmeric.

Ground

The ground root has a long shelf life. It is obtained by grinding the dry product or purchasing ready-made powder. It is most convenient to store such a product in paper bags, but it is better to use sealed glass containers - they protect the powder from moisture.

Marinated

Ginger will not lose its qualities even when using marinade. The marinated product will acquire a unique taste. There are several marinade options in which ginger root can be preserved.

Preparation is not particularly difficult: the marinade mixture is poured into slices of the root and kept in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. And the marinade remaining after using the main product can be used as an additive to various dishes and sauces. You can store the product in the marinade for no more than a month. The place to store it is in the refrigerator.

Video: how to pickle ginger

Rubbed

In this form, the plant is stored in the same way as peeled or crushed.

Ginger oil

This product can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared yourself.

This process is quite complicated, so you should familiarize yourself with the secret of preparation:

The washed and peeled root is crushed (in cubes or on a fine grater). Young specimens can simply be washed well.
The grated product is poured into a glass container and filled with vegetable oil. It is important that the oil is odorless. Therefore, peanut, olive or corn are suitable for these purposes.
The dishes are covered and set aside in a dark place for 20–25 days.

Important! Finished products are often supplemented with sandalwood, peanut and other oils, which can cause allergies or do not combine well with medications. Therefore, consultation with a doctor is required before use.

The real product is filtered. The second version of ginger oil can be used in food. Just as in the first case, the root is crushed (can be chopped or grated) and fried in oil over low heat. Ginger oil can have high biological activity, so it is not recommended to use it in its pure form.

Decoctions and infusions

When preparing decoctions or tinctures, it is necessary to take into account that they can only be stored at room temperature for 3 hours. If the storage location is a refrigerator, the time increases to 5 days. In this case, the containers must be hermetically sealed.

Did you know? If we translate the word “ginger” from Sanskrit, we get “horned root.”

Ginger for tea

It is not recommended to store open ginger root because it loses its characteristic aroma. Especially if the product is used as an additive to tea. And storing the root for tea drinking is quite simple.

The recipe is:

While some methods do not recommend peeling ginger, this method involves peeling first. The product is then crushed.
Add lemon (a small part) to the crushed root and pour honey over everything.
The mixture is poured into a glass container and sealed tightly. The stock should be stored in the refrigerator.

If you want to give your tea a wonderful aroma and improve your health, add 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture to the cup. This composition can be stored for 3-4 weeks.

Also find out the benefits of green tea with ginger.

Lemon and honey mixture

This composition is effectively used as a prophylaxis against colds: it will help improve your appearance and recover from the flu or other viral diseases.

All components have unique, healing and restorative properties, and when combined they will have a simply amazing effect. To prepare, take fresh lemon (4 pcs.), ginger root (400 g) and natural honey (400 g).

Then follow these instructions:

In a meat grinder, grind the lemon along with the peel and ginger (grated is also suitable).
The mixture is poured with honey.
Mix, place in a glass container and seal tightly.

The mixture is stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 10–14 days.

Making candied fruits

This option is ideal for lovers of oriental sweets. In the form of candied ginger, you can keep it for no more than six months.

The recipe is simple:

The peeled root is cut into cubes and boiled for about an hour.
Prepare syrup in a separate container (200 g sugar per 120 ml water), bring to a boil.
Place the boiled roots into the syrup and boil for another 50–60 minutes.
The syrup is drained, and the pieces are placed on a baking sheet, having previously laid parchment on it.
Dry the candied fruits in the oven at a temperature of +50°C.

At the end, if desired, the pieces can be sprinkled with powdered sugar.

In a refrigerator

It is best to keep the spicy root in the cold - sub-zero temperatures allow you to keep the product fresh for a long period of time. The uncleaned root is simply wiped with a napkin and stored.

Did you know? There is a hypothesis that residents of China and India were able to avoid serious epidemics thanks to the regular use of ginger.

You can preserve the plant in the refrigerator using various methods:

Cling film . This way the root will retain its elasticity longer.
Freezing bag . The ginger is wrapped in a napkin and placed in a bag for freezing, releasing the air. This method prevents the formation of mold and allows you to preserve the raw product for up to 20–25 days.
Vegetable compartment . You can simply put the root without packaging and separately from other vegetables. In this way, the product can be stored for no longer than 10 days.

In the freezer

The easiest way to preserve product at home is freezing. The unpeeled root is packaged and placed in the freezer compartment. After defrosting, all useful elements, as well as taste and aroma, will be preserved.

Before sending for storage, you can grind the plant in a blender or on a fine grater. Place the mixture in a bag, close it tightly and put it in the freezer. Frozen mass can be stored for no more than six months.

How to dry spices for long-term storage

A good way to preserve ginger at home is by drying it. In this form, the root does not lose its beneficial properties and taste.

Do I need to clean it?

Whether to peel the peel or not, because it is under it that there is a greater amount of useful substances, depends on its condition. If it is thin and light, it is enough to wash it with the hard side of a foam sponge or a special brush for cleaning vegetables. If in doubt, cut with a knife, peeler or scrape (you can also use a spoon for this).

The natural way

There are several ways to dry ginger for storage. This is the simplest option, but it takes a long time. How to dry:

Wash the root, peel if necessary.
Cut into slices, preferably of the same thickness. If you cut it coarsely, drying will take an indefinite time, and mold may appear on the workpiece.
Place the pieces in a single layer on a clean cotton cloth, parchment paper or plain white paper (not newspaper!) at home in a well-ventilated room or on a balcony, away from sunlight.
To ensure uniform drying, stir the raw materials periodically. The pieces should become hard to the touch and brittle.

Without resorting to household appliances, you can dry the entire roots in this way, you just have to turn them over a little more often. Therefore, it is better to dry it in a suspended state, tying and hanging each specimen with a rope so that they do not touch each other.

It is worth considering that dried ginger is much spicier than fresh. Its dosage for dishes will be lower, in addition, it is recommended to soak it a little before using.

In the oven

This process will take approximately 2-3 hours. Oven drying steps:

Cut the washed and peeled root vegetable into equally thin slices. Large ones will take longer to dry.
Place the ingredients in one layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Set the oven temperature to +50°C and place the workpiece in it. Leave it like this for 1 hour.
Once the timer goes off, it's time to turn the slices over and let them dry for another 1 hour.
Now you can check the workpiece. Well-dried slices do not bend, but break immediately. A gray tint should be visible on the break; if not, continue drying.
When ready, remove the tray and let cool at room temperature.

In an electric dryer

You can prepare ginger for long-term storage using a vegetable dehydrator. It will take 6-7 hours plus time to prepare the root.

With this method, it is necessary to peel the root, even if its peel is very thin. During drying, it may crack and clog the device.
Cut the peeled root into thin but large enough slices or cubes so that they do not fall through the mesh cells.
Place the containers in the dryer for 5-6 hours at a temperature of 50°C. After 2-3 hours, swap them to ensure uniform drying of the raw materials.

Dried ginger should be stored in a well-closed glass container in a cool, dark place for no more than 4 months. It is during this period that it does not lose its properties. For ease of use, it can be crushed to a ground state:

Grind the dry preparation in a blender, coffee grinder or crush in a mortar.
Sift the resulting powdery mass through a fine sieve.
Grind the large pieces again. And sift again.
Repeat until the powder becomes homogeneous.

Methods for storing fresh root

Only fresh ginger should be selected for preservation, without noticeable defects or obvious signs of spoilage. It can be stored together with other prepared vegetables in a cellar with low humidity, and the temperature is maintained from 0 to +4 C. It is wrapped in aluminum foil or baking paper to protect it from light, and sent to storage. It is recommended to store fresh ginger in the described premises for up to six months.

Every 14 days, supplies are transferred and inspected for the appearance of mold or areas of rot.

Ginger can also be stored in the refrigerator. To do this, the root vegetable is wrapped in a cellulose bag and sent to a vegetable storage box. Thus, it will not change its characteristics for at least a week.

To maximize shelf life, you need to:

choose the freshest and unpeeled roots that do not show signs of spoilage or significant damage;
carefully wipe the root vegetable with a thick paper napkin or towel;
wrap each root separately in a regular napkin;
place the root vegetables, wrapped in ordinary napkins, in plastic bags with special fasteners, removing the air from them in advance;
You need to keep the root in the vegetable drawer.

The peeled root should be cut into small pieces and poured into a glass or ceramic vessel, then poured with vodka, cooled with boiled water or strong wine and placed in a cool place. In water, ginger rhizome can be stored for up to 30 days, and in vodka and wine - twice as long.

To freeze or not

It is recommended to store ginger in the refrigerator only for a short period of time. Freezing will help increase the shelf life, although this is not at all a good preparation option. To keep ginger fresh you will need:

Use a sharp knife to scrape the skin off the rhizome;
cut the root into thin slices, strips or grate on a coarse grater;
put the workpiece into containers or special bags for freezing small volumes;
put in the freezer.

Such freezing does not need to be thawed even before using it for culinary, confectionery purposes or for making drinks. The shelf life is up to one year, the taste is completely preserved, but all the useful components disappear. That is why housewives prefer to allocate free space in the refrigerator and not freeze ginger rhizomes.

We process and store

It is not always possible to store fresh ginger at home; it happens that it urgently needs to be processed. Root vegetables are best stored in one of the following ways:

pickling;
preparation of alcohol infusion;
alcohol tincture;
preparing a decoction.

In order to make a pickled preparation, ginger root (350 g) must be peeled, then cut into thin rings and placed in a glass jar. The marinade is prepared from the following components:

6 tbsp. l. Sahara;
4 tsp. salt;
0.5 tbsp. rice vinegar.

Dry storage

If you have a lot of roots, then it is advisable to prepare dried ginger from them. Since dried products are not heated or frozen, all useful components are preserved in them. There is often a shortage of free space in the refrigerator or freezer, and storing dry ginger saves space.

You just need to perform the following operations:

rinse the root from dirt and accumulated plaque;
Use a sharp knife to carefully scrape off the skin;
cut the ginger into thin rings or strips (try to keep them transparent);
cover a baking sheet and spread the chopped root on it in 1 layer;
send to dry in the oven for 60 minutes, heating it to 50 C;
take out the sheet and turn all the pieces over to the opposite side;
put in the oven for another 60 minutes.

You can also dry ginger naturally. To do this, the slices are laid out on a flat surface and left for several days in a dark and well-ventilated room. This workpiece breaks down well, it can be stored either whole or crushed to a powder state.

But how long you can store ginger directly depends on the chosen location. It retains its characteristics for up to six months in a tightly sealed container made of glass or ceramics in standard apartment conditions, but in the refrigerator the shelf life increases to two years.

As an addition to desserts and drinks

Ginger is used as an additive to desserts when the rhizome is finely cut into pieces and honey is added. An alternative option for people who abstain from eating sweets is to add lemon juice. After preparing such an interesting combination, it is added not only to desserts, but also to sauces for meat dishes and drinks prepared for the winter. This ginger can be stored for no longer than 14 days and only in the refrigerator.

To strengthen the body’s protective functions in winter and during the transition period, the root is prepared using the following method:

120 g of peeled rhizome should be grated on a fine grater;
peel 4 medium lemons and cut them into small cubes;
mix everything in one bowl and grind with a blender;
pour into a glass or ceramic vessel and mix with 250 g of honey.

This preparation is stored exclusively in the refrigerator.

Storage in the ground

Unpeeled ginger roots are well stored in a nutritious soil mixture, for the preparation of which you will need:

humus;
peat;
coarse river sand.

Making candied fruits

Chopped ginger root is used to prepare a favorite delicacy - candied fruits. The technology for their preparation is as follows:

Peel 250 g of root and cut into small cubes;
pour the ginger into a suitable container, pour 0.5 liters of clean water into it and simmer for 60 minutes;
Boil syrup from half a glass of water and 220 g of granulated sugar;
Throw the boiled root vegetable into a sieve or colander and wait until it drains well;

pour the pieces into the syrup and simmer for another 60 minutes until they become transparent;
cover the sheet and spread boiled ginger in 1 layer;
dry the candied fruits in an oven preheated to 40 C;
the baking sheet is removed and each slice is turned over to the other side;
place in the oven for some time;
remove and roll in granulated sugar or powder.

Candied fruits prepared according to this recipe are stored in a tightly sealed ceramic or glass jar in the refrigerator for no more than one month. They have the ability to relieve attacks of nausea and are used to prevent motion sickness.

How long to marinate?

Ginger can also be stored pickled. Here is one of the most common recipes:

You will need:

ginger – 300 g;
apple cider vinegar – 160 ml;
water – 80 ml;
sugar – 3 tbsp. l. with a slide;
salt – 1 tbsp. l. with a slide.

How to marinate:

Wash and peel the root. Cut into thin slices or strips.
Blanch in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, drain in a colander and allow excess moisture to drain. Place in a sterilized glass jar.
Combine water, sugar, salt, vinegar in a saucepan. Boil.
Pour the prepared hot marinade over the ginger. Close with a sterilized lid. Let it brew for 2 days.

Store the pickled product in the refrigerator for no more than 1 month. Once the container is opened, the shelf life is reduced. Purchased marinated ginger in bulk should also be transferred to a jar and closed with a lid.

What else can be used for pickling: rice vinegar, slices of raw peeled beets, you can find recipes with lemon, lime juice, vodka and other ingredients. For example, peeled ginger, cut into slices, pour white wine and store in the refrigerator.

Pickled ginger along with the marinade can also be frozen in special containers or bags with an airtight zipper. Just don’t forget to divide it into portions, because such a product, like fresh, cannot be re-frozen. It is recommended to defrost the required amount not in a warm place, but on the refrigerator shelf; in 3-4 hours it will thaw and be ready for use.

Candied ginger

The sweet filling will retain all the properties of the ginger root. How to prepare such a tasty and healthy treat for tea:

Boil concentrated syrup from water and sugar in a 1:1 ratio (bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes).
Thinly slice the peeled ginger into arbitrary-shaped slices.
Pour them into the syrup. As soon as the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid thickens.
Now you can take out the ginger slices and let the syrup drain.
Roll them in sugar or sprinkle with powdered sugar and immediately place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place it in the oven and dry the workpiece for several minutes at a temperature of 50°C.
When ready, after cooling, pour into a glass container with an airtight lid. You can store this product in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

The spicy-hot oriental spice is widely used in cooking, adding to dishes, sauces, syrups and drinks. And in order for ginger root to fully enrich them with its taste and aroma, it must not only be chosen correctly, but also stored.

photo: depositphotos.com/Wavebreakmedia, Dionisvera, matka_Wariatka

We process and store

It is not always possible to store ginger for a long time at home; sometimes it is necessary to urgently process the excess spice left after preparing a dish.

There are several ways:

Pickling. The root vegetable must be peeled, cut into thin slices (plates), then laid out in layers in a ceramic or glass dish. Prepare a marinade from 6 tbsp. l. granulated sugar, 4 tsp. salt and ½ cup of rice vinegar (based on 350 g of ginger). The solution is brought to a boil and the pre-prepared vegetables are poured over it. After complete cooling, the workpiece is put into the refrigerator for 6-7 hours. Then the product can be eaten; it retains freshness and all nutritional qualities for up to 3 months.
Alcohol infusion. Unpeeled ginger (30-40 g) is placed in an opaque dark glass container and filled with 200 ml of medical alcohol (at least 70% vol. strength). Then infuse in a warm and dark place for 2 weeks. The tincture is used only for medicinal purposes as a component for various mixtures and preparations; it must first be diluted with distilled water in a ratio of 1:4.
Ginger infused with alcohol. A whole rhizome without skin, filled with a strong alcoholic drink (vodka, rum, sherry, etc.) in a glass jar or ceramic container, is stored in a dark and cool room (cellar, basement, pantry, etc.) indefinitely. This product is added to baking dough, meat marinades, sauces, soups and broths.
Decoction. This product can be stored for no more than 5 hours in the refrigerator and about 3 hours at room temperature, so it is prepared immediately before use. The root is finely chopped (4-5 cm), poured with 250 ml of clean cold water, then placed in a water bath for 15-20 minutes, boiled under a lid. Remove from heat and cool.