How to freeze ginger in the freezer at home, is it possible
Often people use ginger root to treat various diseases. Some of them have problems with long-term storage of the plant, as it quickly deteriorates. To keep the root for a long time, it is recommended to freeze the ginger. However, before doing this, you should familiarize yourself with the storage and freezing of the roots of this herb.
How to choose ginger?
Before you start freezing fresh ginger root, you need to figure out how to choose the right plant. When choosing, pay special attention to the fracture of the root. It is recommended to break off a small piece from it and examine it carefully. A good ginger will start to squeeze juice and a bright aroma at the place of the break. You should also pay attention to the color of the root, which is different. In Asian ginger varieties, the roots are golden colored and have a matte shade. It is recommended to buy varieties from Asia, as they are stored longer than others.
The choice of ginger is also influenced by the aroma that this plant gives off. Therefore, when choosing, be sure to sniff the roots to make sure that they do not smell of mold or dampness. Rhizomes with such a smell cannot be stored for a long time, as they will quickly deteriorate.
Some people wonder if ginger with fresh sprouts can be frozen. This is not worth doing, and therefore, when choosing, they carefully examine the roots for the presence of fresh buds or processes. Their presence indicates that the plant is expired and cannot be used.
How to peel ginger?
Any ginger root is peeled before use. There are three main methods for cleaning a plant:
- With a spoon. This is the most popular and simplest method used when working with a well-ripened root. Using this method, only the top layer of the skin is removed, leaving the nutritious pulp intact. When cleaning, pay special attention to the depth of influence of the spoon, since it should be insignificant.
- With a knife. This method is used when cleaning ripe and unripe foods that cannot be scrubbed with a spoon. For such work, it is recommended to use the sharpest knife possible and therefore it should be sharpened before working with ginger.
- With a metal washcloth. When cleaning, use only a new washcloth that has not been previously used anywhere. To clean the plant, it is placed in a container of cold water for 5 minutes. Then the root is gently rubbed with a washcloth.After 15–20 minutes, the surface will be completely peeled.
What kind of ginger can you store?
Most people think that absolutely any ginger can be stored for a long time. However, not all plants are suitable for freezing in the freezer. When buying ginger root on the market, you will have to carefully examine its external condition. For storage, only elastic and dense roots are suitable, the surface of which is covered with a thin skin.
Rhizomes with dry skin should not be left for storage, as it indicates the staleness of the product. Also, withering and shriveled plants cannot be used for storage.
The surface of the stored ginger should not be covered with dark spots. Darkening of the peel appears if the product has been stored in a damp place for a long time. Such plants should not be placed in the freezer and stored in the refrigerator.
What to freeze in?
Before you start freezing a product, you need to figure out what exactly is better to freeze it. There are two main ways storing ginger roots.
In the vegetable compartment
With this method, the fresh plant is placed in tight-fitting sachets, which are most often used to preserve food. After placing all the roots for freezing from the bags, try to release the maximum amount of air to better preserve the food.
If your home does not have special bags for storing vegetables, you will have to use ordinary paper bags instead. The roots are placed in paper bags so that no uncovered areas are left on them.
In the freezer
When storing the root in the freezer, it is best to wrap it in a special food wrap. It does not allow air to pass through, thanks to which the product is stored for much longer. Shelf life in film placed in a freezer is 2-3 months. To keep the ginger root stored for several weeks longer, it is wrapped in food foil.
Freezing
Many housewives are interested in how to freeze ginger for the winter and why exactly this is done. Freezing is carried out to preserve the product so that in winter it can be used to prepare tasty dishes or medicinal infusions for the treatment of diseases. Thanks to the preservation of the product in small portions by means of freezing, it will be possible to preserve all the useful substances and pleasant aroma in it for a long time.
Once thawed, the ginger root will be just as beneficial as it was before it was frozen.
Today, there are three main ways to freeze ginger root, which will allow it to be stored for several months.
Freezing the whole root
This method of storing the product is popular with housewives, as it is considered the easiest. To freeze ginger in the freezer, roots are selected that do not contain signs of mold or rot on their surface. The humidity and cleanliness of the spine is also determined - it should not be wet. If there are dirty spots on the surface of the product, they must be disposed of.
All products selected for storage must be placed in an airtight container or cling film. Then the wrapped roots are laid out in bags, which are used specifically for freezing vegetables or fruits. Each bag contains no more than two large roots.
When all the peeled ginger has been placed in bags, it is placed in the freezer. If during storage you need to take a gingerbread root, one of them is taken out of the bag, thawed and used as intended.
Freezing chopped ginger root
Some housewives are wondering if ginger can be frozen in the freezer, sliced.It is definitely possible, since storing the sliced product will allow you to save even large roots that would not fit into the package in an uncut form.
A large, soft-skinned ginger root is selected for freezing. Sliced and unpeeled product must not be placed in the freezer and therefore all rhizomes are thoroughly peeled before storage. If you put a plant with a skin in the refrigerator, it will deteriorate and rot faster.
When all the roots are peeled, they are cut into small pieces about three centimeters long. You can also cut them across to make small circles. Put all the cut pieces in bags, seal them tightly and release all excess air from the bags. Chopped ginger can be stored in the freezer for about two months.
Freezing grated ginger
Can I freeze grated ginger at home? It is definitely possible, since some argue that the grated product lasts longer than whole.
Before placing it in the freezer, the ginger selected for storage will have to be completely peeled and grated with a food processor or a regular grater.
Then the grated product is laid out in small portions on food foil and completely covered with cling film. It is recommended to hermetically cover the plant with a foil so that no air gets under it. Some people use ordinary plastic bags instead of foil and film. In this case, it is also necessary to release air from each bag so that the product does not deteriorate during storage.
Frozen grated ginger does not lose its beneficial properties, and therefore it is often used to create medicinal decoctions and tinctures.
How to freeze ginger for long-term storage?
Freezing is considered the safest and most effective storage method for most vegetables, fruits and other plants. All frozen foods remain healthy and do not lose their properties or nutritional value. People who have bought ginger root or grow it on their own in the garden are interested in how to freeze ginger at home so that it is stored longer.
To extend the shelf life, it is recommended to place the product in the freezer not whole, but in small portions. Therefore, the ginger is carefully cut into thin slices and laid out in the freezer at a distance of 5–7 cm. When all the pieces are frozen, they are collected and transferred to a plastic bag. Ginger roots, cut into small slices, will be stored for at least three months.
Shelf life when frozen
The shelf life of ginger differs from the chosen method of freezing it. The least preserved product is frozen whole. In this case, it can be stored for about a month if properly packed and put in the freezer. If the root is not packaged correctly, the shelf life can be much shorter.
To increase the storage time of the ginger root, it is recommended to cut it into pieces before freezing. Chopped roots will retain their useful properties for 2-3 months.
How to defrost properly?
Before using ginger, be sure to completely defrost it. For this, frozen food is removed from the freezer and taken out of the bags in which they are placed. Then the plant is placed in a small container and left for 1-3 hours in a room with a temperature of about 20 degrees.
To speed up defrosting, place the container with ginger in a small saucepan with warm water. In this case, the frozen food will defrost in 15–20 minutes.
Once thawed, the ginger root can be chopped and used in cooking or medicinal preparations.
Conclusion
Ginger root is popular among housewives and therefore many of them are interested in how to properly store it.In order to store ginger root for a long time, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of freezing it at home.
