Fresh ginger. It's really the ultimate way to use this ancient kitchen and medicinal root. Native to Southeast Asia, it is renown for its aromatic qualities, not to mention it's tremendous use as a medicinal spice. And fresh ginger is not only superior in flavor but contains higher levels of gingerol as well as ginger's active protease (it's anti-inflammatory compound.)
Typically fresh ginger will last 3 weeks in the refrigerator if left unpeeled. However, I tend to not use it that quickly at times. So, if you want to be be sure of keeping your fresh ginger "fresh," then here's a method I found from somewhere on the internet that has been working well for me.
I needed a method of storage that would work long-term and wasn't too fussy. There are many methods out there and I've tried a few, but this one seems to fit the bill for me. So far, my ginger has been storing well using this method going on a month and half. It still is looking good too. So without further adieu, here it is...
First, get a clean paper towel. Lay your ginger root at one end of it and start to tightly roll, forming the paper towel to the ginger.
Once that's done, get a piece of plastic wrap and starting at one end, roll your paper-towel wrapped ginger root. Again forming the plastic to the shape of the root as you roll.
You'll want to get it as tight as you can in order to keep out the air.
Wha-La...the finished package. Yes, it looks like a spider web wrapped cocoon of some type but that's okay. It's supposed to look this way.
Store your wrapped ginger root on a shelf in the refrigerator where it can be seen and maintained if the plastic wrap comes loose. You will also want to rewrap it everytime you use the root. Make sure to change out the paper towel if you notice it becoming too damp. I wasn't doing this and found some mold on one of my roots. I just cut out the mold parts and rewrapped in a fresh towel. Also make sure to rewrap it so it stays airtight after every use.
That's it. Pretty simple yet it has really been working for me the best. Hope this helps you as well. Blessings!
What's your favorite way to store fresh ginger?
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I've never seen that method before but it sounds like it works really well! Usually I just buy a small piece when I need it and use it fairly quickly so it doesn't go bad. I just keep it out at room temperature and don't do anything special to it. If I ever get a really big piece I'll try your method for sure!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tammy. I've been making fermented sodas and needed quite a bit of ginger to start with...plus, this way I always have fresh ginger on hand for upset stomachs or colds. I found the ginger hard to store once I had cut into it, but when I store it properly this way, the cut spot gets a nice "scab" and closes up well without going bad. Thanks for sharing your method of storing too. :)
DeleteGreat tip! Do you refrigerate the ginger after it's wrapped? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the question. Yes! This is definitely stored in the refrigerator after being cut. I added that to the post, thanks for reading!
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