How to Keep Ginger Fresh

Storing Your Ginger at Room Temperature

Cover exposed fresh ginger with aluminum foil. If you haven’t cut into your ginger yet, then you can store it as-is on the counter or in your pantry. However, once you cut a piece off, you’ll need to cover up the exposed inside area in order to keep your ginger as fresh as possible. Simply tear off a small piece of aluminum foil and wrap it around the exposed area. Then, put it back onto your countertop or in your pantry until you need to cut off another piece.

Keep your fresh ginger in the pantry for up to 1 week. If you plan on using all of your ginger within the week, it will stay fresh and flavorful if kept in the pantry. However, if you store it for longer, it may no longer taste good or be safe to consume. If you’re unsure, look at the ginger. Softness and moistness are the first major signs that indicate that your ginger is going bad, and it may begin to get moldy and inedible soon after this point. You can also ferment fresh ginger so it stays good and helps with digestion. To do that, peel it and slice it into thin slices. Pound it lightly to release some of the juices and pack it down into a quart-size mason jar, leaving at least an inch of space at the top. Gently heat 1 cup of filtered water with 2 tablespoons of sea salt—heat the water just enough to dissolve the salt — and pour it into the mason jar. Cover the jar tightly with the lid and keep it in a dark, room temperature environment for 3 days. Then, it’s ready to eat! Just a small amount with meals is plenty.

Store dried, ground, or crystallized ginger in the pantry for up to 3 years. If you want to store your ginger at room temperature but you also want it to stay flavorful and safe to eat for a long time, buy it in these forms and keep it in the pantry. While ginger isn’t necessarily fresh in these forms, it should retain its flavor well for 2-3 years.

Refrigerating Your Ginger

Submerge peeled ginger in a jar of vodka for up to 2 months. To keep ginger fresh in the refrigerator for the longest time possible, use a paring knife or a spoon to peel it and then put it into a glass jar. Fill the jar to the top with vodka and screw the lid on tight. Keep the ginger in the refrigerator for as long as 2 months. When you want to use your ginger, unscrew the jar lid, pull the ginger out, and pat it dry before you slice off a piece. Then, put the remaining ginger back into the jar and close the lid. If you’re old enough to drink alcohol, you can also use the vodka in the jar to make a cocktail after you’ve finished eating the ginger.

Store unpeeled ginger in an airtight plastic bag for 1-2 months. If you don’t want to submerge your ginger in alcohol, store it without peeling it to keep it fresher for longer. Put it into a sealable plastic bag, press all of the air out, and then seal it tight. Then, put it in your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer. When stored in this way, your ginger will keep its flavor for up to 2 months. When you cut off a piece of your ginger, blot the exposed inside of the ginger with a paper towel before you put it back in the plastic bag and return it to the refrigerator.

Wrap unpeeled ginger in a paper bag for short term freshness. This is a good storage option to try if you plan on consuming all of your ginger within a week or 2. To ensure maximum freshness, wrap the ginger in a paper towel before you put it into the paper bag. Then, roll the bag up tight and put it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

Freezing Your Ginger

Peel the ginger with a paring knife. If you want to freeze your ginger, peel it first so that it’s easier to use later on when it’s frozen. Ginger can be challenging to peel, so be sure to use a paring knife or a spoon to remove all of the ginger’s outer skin.

Wrap the ginger in plastic wrap and seal it in a plastic bag. After you’ve taken off the skin, rip off a large sheet of plastic wrap and tightly wrap the ginger. Ensure that no part of the ginger is exposed to air, and then put it in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, and seal it. Use a permanent marker to write down until what date the ginger will be good (kind of like an expiration date), that way you won't have to think back to how many months it's been since you put it in your freezer.

Freeze the ginger for up to 6 months. Your ginger will stay flavorful and safe to consume for up to 6 months as long as it stays stored in the freezer.

Grate your frozen ginger with a microplane grater. When you want to use your ginger, take it out of the freezer, remove it from the plastic bag, and unwrap it. Then, apply pressure as you rub it against a microplane grater. Once you’ve grated what you need, simply rewrap the ginger, put it back in the plastic bag, and place it back into the freezer. Don’t bother thawing your ginger before you use it. Don’t leave your frozen ginger out of the freezer for longer than a couple of minutes, as ginger may no longer taste good if it’s frozen, thawed, and then refrozen before it’s consumed.

Selecting Your Ginger

Get ginger that is smooth, firm, and heavy. It’ll be much easier to keep your ginger fresh if you buy it in good condition. Ginger that feels firm to the touch and has smooth skin is typically high quality. Make sure to observe the ginger thoroughly and select one that has these characteristics in order to help keep it fresh for as long as possible.

Avoid soft, wrinkled, or moldy ginger. Don’t purchase ginger that feels soft, as this indicates poor quality. Also be on the lookout for any major skin blemishes, such as wrinkles, discoloration, and mold spots. Ginger with this kind of look and feel may be more difficult to keep fresh.

Choose ginger that is big and thick. You’ll get the most for your money if you choose ginger that has a large area of flesh, as opposed to several small, knobby fingers. This may also make peeling your ginger easier. Go for ginger that is big and thick to make things easier on yourself.