Spicy, aromatic ginger is one of the best ingredients you can keep on hand. It's packed with health benefits and has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. The other good news? It's also delicious! Ground ginger adds bite to a batch of gingerbread cookies and ginger-spiced molasses cookies, and complements fresh summer peaches in fried peach-ginger hand pies. The fresh stuff can be used in even more ways: Mix it into marinades for grilled meats and kebabs, add it to salad dressings, blend it into smoothies or vibrant gingery juices, pickle it, toss some in jams, and the list goes on!
Many people call it "ginger root," but the truth is, ginger isn't actually a root. It may look like one, but it's really the underground stem of a flowering plant. At the grocery store, fresh ginger is typically found in the produce section, sometimes refrigerated and other times not. Skip jars and tubes of minced ginger, and grab a package of whole ginger instead. It's the more economical choice and it has a stronger taste, too! Those jarred products often have added ingredients, but if you buy a knob and do the mincing yourself, you're guaranteed to have nothing but the good stuff. Look for ginger with a smooth outer peel and be sure to give it a close look to make sure there's no mold on any pieces. If you're not cooking with it daily, it may take some time to use up the whole package, but don't worry—when stored properly, ginger can last a month or even longer. Keep reading for everything you need to know on how to keep it fresh!
What is the best way to store fresh ginger?
A zip-up plastic bag and the crisper drawer in your refrigerator are all you need to keep a knob of unpeeled ginger fresh and aromatic for quite some time. When you get home from the supermarket, simply transfer the ginger to a resealable plastic bag, press out as much air as possible, and drop it in the drawer. It's as easy as that! If you were overzealous in peeling ginger for a recipe, just wrap the peeled ginger in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. It'll keep this way for about a week. Similarly, minced ginger can be stored in a jar in the fridge for about a week.
Does unpeeled ginger need to be refrigerated?
The Pioneer Woman Floral Medley Spice Jar Set
The Pioneer Woman Floral Medley Spice Jar Set
It doesn't have to be, but if you want to keep it fresh for as long as possible, it's best to store ginger in the fridge. Stored on your countertop in a cool, dark place, a hunk of unpeeled ginger will last about 10 days, but stored in the refrigerator, it could last more than a month.
Can you freeze whole ginger?
Yep! Simply wash and dry the ginger, put it in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container, and store it in the freezer. It'll last about five months. When you're ready to use it, you don't even have to thaw it; just cut or grate it from frozen! You can also freeze minced ginger in a freezer bag so that it's ready to go at moment's notice.
