Ginger is a popular herb used in both dishes and drinks all over the world, whether it’s grated, minced or sliced. It’s been known and used for centuries, most commonly because of its health benefits, which are plentiful.
If you like using ginger for your culinary specialties, then you’ve probably been in a situation where it spoils before you get to use the entire ginger root. Even if you store it in a releasable bag and put it in the fridge, it will go bad within three weeks or less. So you’re probably wondering, is there a way to preserve this herb?
The answer is pretty simple – yes, by freezing it. In fact, lots of people find it easier to use it once it was frozen before. It’s easier to peel, you can grate it without defrosting it first, and once you’re done, just throw it back into the freezer.
So how can you freeze and thaw ginger the right way? Keep reading to find out.
How Can I Freeze Ginger?
When it comes to freezing ginger, there’s one thing you should know. When frozen for too long, it can become mushy over time. But since it’s used as a herb, that doesn’t affect the final taste or flavor of your dish in any way. What’s more, ginger can sit in your freezer indefinitely. But after 3 to 4 months, it will slightly lose its strength.
The best thing about freezing ginger is that you can do it in multiple ways. Here’s a step by step guide on each method:
Freezing Whole Ginger Root
Before freezing, you should clean the root and dry it well. There’s no need to remove the peel when storing it like this. If you plan on using large chunks of ginger for your dishes, it’s better to cut them before freezing, as it would be harder to do it once frozen.
Just like other foods, you should store ginger roots in releasable bags and remove as much air as you can, to prevent possible spoilage. Then, seal the bag and label it.
Freezing Cut Ginger Root
Another way to freeze ginger is to pre-cut and peel it. It doesn’t matter whether you want it diced, sliced, french cut or chopped. When you’re done cutting, put the ginger in a releasable bag, remove the air and seal it.
Freezing Minced Ginger
If minced ginger is your herb of choice, you should peel and mince it with a grater prior to freezing it.
This method is slightly different from the ones above, as you need to flash-freeze it. To do that, scoop the ginger onto the parchment paper in mounds. Make the amounts you plan on using later on. Make sure your mounds don’t touch. Then, cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. Take the mounds out once they’re completely frozen and put them in a releasable freezing bag. Then, add a label with the storage date and the size of each mound.
How To Thaw Frozen Ginger
Frozen ginger doesn’t really need a special way of defrosting. You can use it while it is still frozen. But if you want to thaw it first, put it in the fridge overnight.
As we already mentioned, some people find frozen ginger to be much easier to grate than fresh ginger. The same also goes for peeling frozen ginger.
But what’s not so easy is slicing frozen ginger. For that reason, it’s always better to defrost it overnight in the fridge before chopping it. Alternatively, you should freeze it in slices rather than the whole root.
As for the texture and flavor, there’s really no need for worry. While frozen ginger root might become a bit soft when frozen for too long, that won’t affect your dish in any way.
Summary
If you’re a fan of ginger in a variety of dishes, then you’ll be glad to know you can actually freeze this herb. That not only prolongs its life indefinitely, but even makes it easier to grate and peel. Now that you know all of this, you can use this spice whenever you want.
