Storing Ginger: Storing & Preserving

A large root of ginger is often enough for a long time. We explain how to best store ginger and show ways to preserve it.

Summer vacation is beckoning and you still haven't used up the rest of your ginger? No problem, because there are wonderful ways to make ginger last longer. As a carrot-ginger soup, in an Asian curry or baked in ginger biscuits, it unfolds fresher ginger (Zingiber officinale) has a wonderful taste, but it only gets really interesting when it comes to preserving it.

Save ginger

While you can only harvest your own ginger in the fall, that doesn't mean you have to go without it for the rest of the year. You can easily keep the rhizome fresh over the winter. For the summer months, there are countless ways in which you can continue to enjoy the home-grown ginger. Even if you prefer to buy ginger fresh in the store, here are a few tips on how to store it properly and use it deliciously.

Shelf life of ginger: how long does it stay fresh?

When stored properly, ginger can stay fresh for several weeks. It is particularly important that it does not dry out and become fibrous, because then it can probably only be used for tea.

Store ginger properly

You can also store undamaged ginger rhizomes outside of the refrigerator without any problems. To do this, wrap the ginger in a paper towel and put it in a cool and dark place. Ginger that has already been cut dries out faster. You should put this in a small screw-top jar and keep it in the fridge. This keeps the rhizome fresh for at least three weeks.

preserve ginger

Although fresh ginger has a long shelf life, there are countless ways to make ginger durable, depending on taste.

Dry ginger

Thinly slice the ginger, peeled or unpeeled, and set out on a baking sheet to air dry in dry weather. Alternatively, you can also dry ginger in the oven, which is quite energy-intensive. Place the tray with the sliced ​​ginger in the oven at around 40 °C and circulate Check regularly, about every ten to twenty minutes, whether the ginger has dried completely is. You can use the dried ginger for tea, for example.

Freeze ginger

Ginger is also easy to freeze. Whether peeled or unpeeled, you have to decide for yourself. However, unpeeled ginger can only be frozen for up to three months, while peeled ginger can be kept for at least half a year. Of course, you can also freeze ginger directly in portions. To do this, cut the ginger into thin slices or grate the rhizome. Now place the pieces or graters on a plate and freeze the whole thing. If the ginger is frozen through, you can now put it in a dated tin or freezer bag and freeze it permanently.

Pickle ginger in vinegar

This way of preserving ginger – also known as gari – should be well known to sushi connoisseurs in particular. To make pickled ginger, you should first peel and thinly slice the rhizome. Sprinkle them with salt and let them soak for about an hour. Meanwhile you can prepare the vinegar. Boil the rice vinegar in the pan and add about two tablespoons of sugar for every 100 ml of rice vinegar. The salted ginger slices are then briefly scalded with boiling water and then doused with the sweetened vinegar. The whole thing should now be properly bottled and can be kept for at least half a year.

Candied ginger

For sweetness, candied ginger hits the spot. For every 100 grams of ginger you need about 150 grams of sugar and a piece of organic lemon. Peel the ginger and cut into bite-sized pieces. Now slowly boil the ginger. You only need enough water to cover the ginger. It should simmer until it's done. After about 20 minutes, the time has come and you can add about a fifth of the sugar and briefly boil the brew again. You must now let the ginger soak for at least twelve hours before you let it simmer for another 20 minutes, adding another fifth of the sugar. You have to do this step three times in total, always with a break of at least five hours. To refine it, you can add a few slices of lemon, which you remove in the last pass. On this last pass, let the ginger simmer until translucent. Now you can remove it from the pot and dry it on a baking sheet. It gets really pretty if you roll it in sugar.

ginger syrup

The process for pickling ginger in syrup is similar to that for candying. But instead of drying the ginger at the end, just leave it in the thickened syrup and pour into screw-top jars.

If you have now got a taste and yourself grow ginger If you want to, you will find everything you need to know in this article.