Keeping Ginger in the Fridge
Blot the cut ends of the ginger to remove extra moisture. If you have a knob of ginger that you plan to use within the next few weeks, you can absolutely keep it in the fridge. Just use a paper towel to blot any cut, open ends so that there is less chance of mold developing. Excess moisture can start to seep into the skin of the ginger, causing it to age faster than it should. It can also create a somewhat slimy layer, so you want to avoid this if at all possible.
Place the ginger into a resealable plastic bag. As you seal the plastic bag, push the excess air out so that the bag is as tight against the ginger as possible. Label the plastic bag with the “date purchased” so that you can easily remember how long it’ll be good for.
Tuck the sealed bag into the crisper drawer in your fridge. Put the bag into the crisper drawer and take it out when you need it. Because ginger tends to be a bit smaller than other veggies you might have in the crisper, try to set it on top of anything else in there. That way, it won’t fall to the side and be forgotten.
Use fresh ginger within 4-6 weeks for the freshest taste. Always visually check your ginger before using it to make sure it’s still in good condition. If you’re nearing the end of the 4-6 weeks or have noticed that the ginger is starting to wrinkle or age, you can transfer it to the freezer. If the ginger looks discolored, becomes soft to the touch, or emits a weird smell, it has probably gone bad and shouldn’t be consumed.
Grating and Freezing Fresh Ginger
Peel and then grate or finely mince the ginger. Use a vegetable peeler to remove as much of the skin from the ginger as possible, and then scrape away any remaining bits with a spoon. Use a grater or slice and chop the ginger into tiny bits with a knife. To mince the ginger, cut off a slice and cut that into long sticks. Then, cut across the sticks to break the ginger down into even smaller pieces.
Drop small spoonfuls of the grated ginger onto a lined baking sheet. Get a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Place small, rounded mounds of ginger on the sheet, leaving about 1–2 inches (25–51 mm) of space between each one. If you’d prefer, you could also puree the ginger with a little bit of water and freeze it flat in a resealable plastic bag. When you need some for a recipe, simply break off a small piece from the bag and it’ll melt right into the dish.
Freeze the ginger for 3-4 hours on the baking sheet. Lay the baking sheet flat in the freezer so that the ginger doesn’t slide and freeze into one big chunk. It should only take a few hours until ginger is completely frozen through. Freezing the ginger in small, individual portions makes it much easier to take out a piece to use whenever you need.
Transfer the ginger from the baking sheet to an airtight container. Using either your hands or a spatula, gently remove the ginger from the baking sheet and place it into a resealable plastic bag or a lidded freezer-safe container. Once everything has been moved, place the container back into the freezer for long-term storage. The parchment paper should make it really easy to remove the ginger from the baking sheet.
Mark the container and use frozen ginger within 6 months for the best flavor. Use a piece of masking tape and a marker to record the “frozen on” date. After 6 months, the ginger should still be good, but it may not be as aromatic and flavorful. If your freezer loses power and the ginger thaws, it’s safest to throw it out. Otherwise, you risk it growing bacteria and becoming unsafe to consume.
Take out a portion of frozen ginger whenever you need it for a recipe. Whether you’re making soup or stir-fry or a ginger cake, all you have to do is take out as many frozen pieces of ginger as you need. For dishes cooked on the stovetop, you can add it straight to the pan—the heat will thaw the ginger quickly. For baked goods, place the ginger in a small bowl on the counter and let it come to room temperature before using it. Since fresh ginger can quickly go bad and shrivel, preparing and storing it this way ensures you’ll always have some available when you need it.
Pickling Sliced Ginger
Peel the ginger and cut it into thin ⁄16 to ⁄8 in (1.6 to 3.2 mm) slices. Use a vegetable peeler to remove as much of the skin as possible, then use a small spoon to gently scrape away any skin remaining in the crevices and grooves. Use a knife or mandoline to slice the ginger into thin discs. You could pickle larger chunks of ginger and then cut them to the right size when you want to use them.
Sprinkle salt over the ginger and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Use about 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of salt for an entire piece of ginger root. The salt kickstarts the pickling process and will soak into the ginger while it’s resting. White table salt works just fine for this. You could also use sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or another variety. You can leave the ginger on the cutting board or place it in a bowl.
Boil 1 cup (240 mL) of rice vinegar and 5 tbsp (62 grams) of sugar. Measure the rice vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil so that all the sugar dissolves, and then remove it from the heat. If you prefer a slightly sweeter pickled ginger, add another 1-2 tbsp (12-25 grams) of sugar to the rice vinegar.
Put the ginger into a glass jar and pour the rice vinegar on top. If the ginger isn’t completely covered by the liquid, boil another cup of rice vinegar and sugar. Be careful when pouring in the rice vinegar as it’ll still be really hot. Avoid touching the glass jar with your bare hands. If you want to give pickled ginger as gifts, divide the ginger and pickling liquid between several small glass jars.
Let the liquid cool to room temperature, then screw the jar’s lid on tightly. Once the liquid has cooled down and the jar is no longer hot to the touch, put the lid tightly onto the jar. Label the jar with the “date made.” Don’t put the lid onto the container until it has cooled to room temp; otherwise, it could build up too much pressure and burst.
Put the jar in the fridge and let it ferment for at least 1 week. After about a week, the ginger should turn pink; once it’s pink, it’s pickled and ready to use! Fish out a few slices to add to meals or to enjoy as a quick treat. Pickled ginger is often served with sushi, but you can use it with other dishes. Try using it as a salad topping or chopping it up and using it in a marinade.
Keep the pickled ginger in the fridge and enjoy it within 4-6 weeks. Remember to keep the lid tightly secured on the container for maximum freshness. The ginger will probably still be safe to consume after the 4-6 weeks have passed, but the texture and taste might not be as good. If you notice any discoloration, strange smells, or mold, discard the ginger right away. While pickled ginger is good for you, lacto-fermented ginger is another option that doesn't use vinegar. To try this option, peel and slice fresh ginger into thin slices. Pound lightly to release juices. Pack it into a quart-size mason jar, leaving at least an inch (2.5cm) air space at the top. Prepare the brine by gently heating 1 cup of filtered water and add 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Heat the water just enough to dissolve the salt and not any warmer. Once it dissolves, pour it into the mason jar. Add more filtered water as needed to just cover the ginger. Leave at least one inch (2.5cm) air space between the covered ginger and the jar rim. Cover jar tightly with the lid and keep in a dark, room temperature space for about 3 days. Then, it’s ready to eat––just a small amount with meals is plenty.
Drying and Grinding Ginger
Preheat your oven to the lowest heat setting possible. Ideally, the temperature will be at or lower than 150 °F (66 °C). If your oven doesn’t go that low, just plan on leaving the door cracked during the drying process. You could also use a food dehydrator—just follow the instructions to properly dry the ginger. As an alternative, you could also simply leave sliced ginger in the sun for a few days. Drying it in the oven will get the job done faster, though.
Arrange peeled, sliced ginger evenly on a baking sheet. For the best results use pieces of ginger that are no thicker than ⁄8 inch (3.2 mm). The thinner the slices, the quicker they will dry! Arrange the pieces so they’re in a single layer with a little bit of space between each one. This will allow the air to move more evenly around each piece. You can use a knife to slice the ginger, or, for super thin pieces, try a mandoline.
Bake the ginger for 1 hour at a time, flipping the slices every hour. How long it takes to dry the ginger depends on several factors, like how thick the slices are and the temperature of the oven. In general, it shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours for them to dry. Checking them frequently and flipping them regularly ensures that they won’t burn. If you have a lot of ginger, you could always bake 2 sheets at the same time.
Remove the sheet from the oven once the ginger easily breaks apart. Test the ginger to see if it has fully dried by carefully picking it up and snapping it in half. It if bends but doesn’t break, it needs to bake for longer. If it snaps in half, it should be good! You could also try chewing a piece to test it. If it’s still moist or chewy inside, it’s probably not done. It should be brittle and dry. Be careful when picking up the ginger from the baking sheet. It’ll be hot, so you may want to use a pair of tongs to remove it and set it to the side to let it cool down for a few seconds.
Store the ginger in an airtight container in a cupboard or pantry. Transfer the ginger from the sheet to a clean glass or plastic container. Screw the lid on tightly, and then place the container in a cool, dark place. Dried ginger can last for years. It may not taste as potent or release as much flavor after a year, but it should still be safe to use. If it ever becomes moldy, smelly, or damp, throw it out. You can use dried ginger to make tea, or you can grind it up to use in various recipes.
Grind dried ginger in a coffee or spice grinder to make ground ginger. You can grind it all at once and store it in an airtight container, or just grind enough for the meal you’re making. Make sure the coffee or spice grinder is clean and dry before you use it so the ginger doesn’t get contaminated with other spices. A 1/4 cup of dehydrated ginger will make about 1 tablespoon (5.4 grams) of ground ginger. Ground ginger will be most potent for about a month. After that, it may start to lose its aroma and flavor.
Comments
0 comment