How to PRESERVE GINGER – 5 effective ways

Ginger or kion is one of the most complete food products out there. In fact, it is one of the largest sources of vitamins such as B6 and C, as well as minerals, especially a great supply of calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is also rich in phenolic substances such as gingerols, gingerones and shoagoles, apart from linoleic acid and porteolytic enzymes. This nutritional composition allows that among the properties and benefits of ginger let’s find:

• Improves the digestive system: ginger helps in the elimination of intestinal bacteria and microorganisms, such as Helicobacter pylori, in addition to reducing nausea and helping to avoid bad breath when it has its origin in digestive or stomach problems.
• Strengthens the immune system: kion helps to cope with diseases such as colds and flu because it promotes sweating and the elimination of these pathogens through sweat. In addition, gingerols can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, according to various studies.
• Activates circulation: taking kion promotes blood circulation and is useful to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Improve muscles: Due to its contribution in minerals, it prevents muscle weakness and the appearance of muscle spasms.
• Take care of the joints: ginger helps reduce pain and reduce swelling that occurs in the joints thanks to gingerols. Thus, its consumption is recommended in cases of arthritis and rheumatism.

Here we show you more about what are the properties of ginger.

In general, it is customary to buy fresh ginger at home for cooking. It is important to preserve this product as well as possible so that it maintains its properties. From word of mouth, different methods and systems of conservation are passing, buthow to keep ginger fresh? The most effective system is this one that we are going to explain to you and, in addition, it is also much simpler than others.

1. Take the fresh unpeeled kion and wrap it in kitchen paper or paper napkins.
2. Put it in a plastic zip-lock bag that is sold for food use.
3. Put the bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge or freezer.

The kion will keep well without problems and you will keep it fresh for use for a few 3 weeks approximately. More than enough time to consume it. One of the most common ways is to prepare an infusion, so we recommend that you consult our article How to prepare a fresh ginger infusion.

In addition to the system that we have explained in the previous section, ginger can be preserved in other ways, which are also quite effective, although they are a bit more laborious:

How to preserve grated ginger

is another option, but how do you keep grated ginger? It is easy. You just have to grate it when you have bought it and wrap it equally in the paper, then put it in the plastic bag and leave it in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. In this case, you can wrap different portions of grated ginger depending on the amount you use so that you don’t have to remove the entire bag from the fridge every time you use it.

Preserving ginger in oil

The system of preserving ginger in oil is a bit more complex, because you have to put oil in a container in the oven with the grated kion at a temperature of 65ºC for approximately 2 hours. Once it has cooled down, this oil must be well stored in a bottle, being necessary to have previously strained it to remove remnants of the root. So it will last a few 6 months. This, for example, works very well for recipes with ginger like salads to dress them and give them a different touch.

Discover more information to make this homemade oil with our article on How to make homemade ginger oil.

Preserving candied ginger

Preserving candied ginger takes longer than keeping it fresh because the confiture has to be made is somewhat more laborious than the aforementioned processes. To do this, you need four times the amount of sugar and twice as much water as the kion to be candied. The process consists of:

1. Peel and cut the ginger into thin slices.
2. Put it in a saucepan with the water until it reaches the boiling point.
3. Let it simmer until tender. It usually takes about 60 minutes.
4. Drain it.
5. Prepare the syrup, putting sugar and water in a saucepan.
6. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the ginger.
7. Wait for it to cook for about 90 minutes or until the syrup is almost dry.
8. Take out the kión and put it on kitchen paper to cool.
9. Take the kión and wrap it in sugar like a jelly bean.
10. Add the candied kión in a tightly closed glass jar to keep it in a cupboard or in the refrigerator.

In this oneHOWTO recipe you can learn more about How to make candied ginger.

The different ways of preserving ginger usually make its expiration date distant, reaching, for example, up to six months in the case of ginger in oil. However, it is still possible to extend its useful life a bit more.

Keeping ginger fresh for longer

AND,how to keep ginger longer? The key is to follow the steps that we have given you in the section entitled “How to keep ginger fresh – the most effective way”, but storing the bag in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. This way, the six-month period can be exceeded a little longer and you can easily take the portions you need.

Keeping ginger longer: chips or dehydrated

Another way to make it last longer is dehydrate the ginger or kion, although in this way it is no longer fresh and its properties are less. It can be dehydrated in the oven or in the microwave. You just have to cut it into thin slices, place them separately on a tray or large plate, suitable for the appliance we use, and leave it long enough to lose as much water as possible, leaving it dry and crisp. We recommend you put a medium power and keep monitoring until you see that it acquires the texture you want. This option is ideal for doing ginger chips and take them as snacks or appetizers.

With these tips, from UNHOWTO, we hope we have helped you to know how to preserve ginger and the different forms you have. However, it is always advisable to buy the amount that is needed as accurately as possible in the store so that you do not have to keep it. Although it maintains the properties, it is always preferable to consume the food products as fresh as possible.

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