any tips for storing ginger?

[carnivore]

i tend to use fresh ginger about every week-and-a-half. I store it the same as i do with almost everything i buy from the produce section: wrapped loosely in the plastic bag i bought it in, in my fridge's bottom shelf "crisper".
The ginger almost always seems to go bad after about 2 weeks, and i'm just wondering if there is anything i can do to extend its life.

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Re:Storing Ginger

Carnivore;
I have tried everything that I have ever read or heard of for storing ginger. Nothing worked. I finally came up with this and have had success with it.
Peel and grate, mince or smash your ginger. Place in a small amount of boiling water (depends on amount of ginger)and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes then turn off burner and cover. Allow to steep until room temp. Place in ice cube tray and freeze. Store frozen cubes in a baggie in the freezer and pull out your frozen ginger "tea" at need.

 

[kitchenelf]

Thanks for the idea BubbaGourmet (love the name).

Here's what I do with mine and it lasts for months - even 6 months.

Get a small bottle that will hold all the ginger once it is peeled and sliced (I use empty glass spice jars).

Peel, slice, put in bottle and cover with dry sherry (not cooking sherry - but the stuff that is really cheap - like $4.something or $5.something a bottle). I use the sherry for a lot of Chinese/Asian cooking.

Anyway, once the slices are in the bottle pour sherry in making sure to tap bottom on table to remove any air bubbles and make sure everything is coated thoroughly.

Remove the ginger as you need it - and the sherry is great to use too - just add more back. Once ginger is gone I just start over. You can keep it in your cabinet - no need to refrigeratore. I have used ginger that has been stored for close to a year and it was just fine.

 

[carnivore]

thanks for the tips guys.
BubbaGourmet, does boiling the ginger cut out any of the flavor?
Kitchenelf, does storing it in the sherry change the flavor? I like the taste of sherry in food, but don't necessarily want everything i put ginger in to have that taste. Also, I know you said you peel and slice the ginger, but could I just peel it? i usually grate ginger and it's easier to do when it's in bigger chunks.
I'm just so inquisitive...
:P

 

[oldcoot]

Hey, Carnivore, any booze will be as effective as sherry - perhaps more so. It's the alcohol that keeps the bugs from spoilling the ginger. So leaving the ginger in larger pieces should work just as well. In vodka - no flavor. Terrible waste of good booze, but then I don't like vodka, so it's alright By the time you grate it and heat it, all alcohol will boil off and the flavor should not have changed at all

One could store it smiilarly in a simple syrup or vinegar, boiling first in both cases, but obviously that would have a flavor effect.

Has anyone considered freezing?.

 

[BubbaGourmet]

Boiling it will release certain amounts of volatile oil into the air. This effect is offset a bit by the long steeping.

 

[kitchenelf]

carnivore,

No, the taste of the sherry does not take over the ginger flavor. But the sherry is, as opposed to another flavor of alchohol, at least a complimentary flavor. But I have used this way of storing ginger and then made ginger dressing and taste none of the sherry flavor. Then on top of that you get the added bonus of the ginger flavoring the sherry for use in some recipes. I have tried many ways and this way keeps the taste the freshest.

And keeping it in one large piece would be fine - I always chop, chop, chop, smoosh, and chop some more :roll: I really need a ginger grater! LOL :?

 

[carnivore]

thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Abaco]

Carnivore,

I freeze my ginger and grate it with a fine grater whenever I need it. I grate the peel as well. Works great.

 

[macsc]

I do the same thing as Abaco.

Throw it in the freezer and grate or slice it as it's needed.

macsc

 

[kyles]

Getting a bit repetitive here but us newbies gotta stick together I freeze mine and grate it from frozen too. Ginger graters are great (grate :P ) wooden ones are best, the china ones tend to break when you thump 'em to remove the last traces of ginger. Ask me how I know