Is it possible to freeze ginger in the freezer at home

Often people use ginger root in the treatment of 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 features of storing and freezing 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, special attention is paid to the fracture of the root. It is recommended to break off a small piece from it and carefully examine it. A good ginger at the fracture site will begin to stand out juice and a bright aroma will appear.You should also pay attention to the color of the root, which is different. In Asian ginger varieties, the roots are golden in color and have a matte finish. It is recommended to buy varieties from Asia, as they have a longer shelf life than others.

The choice of ginger is also influenced by the aroma that is released by this plant. Therefore, when choosing, be sure to smell the roots to make sure that they do not smell like mold or dampness. Rhizomes with this smell cannot be stored for a long time, as they will quickly deteriorate.

Some wonder if you can freeze fresh ginger. This is not worth doing, and therefore, when choosing, 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?

Before use, any ginger root is peeled. There are three main methods for cleaning a plant:

Spoon. This is the most popular and simple method, which is used when working with a well-ripened spine. Using this method, only the top layer of the peel is removed, and the nutritious pulp remains intact. When cleaning, pay special attention to the depth of the impact of the spoon, as it should be negligible.
Knife. This method is used when peeling ripe and unripe foods that cannot be peeled with a spoon. For this work, it is recommended to use the sharpest knife and therefore it should be sharpened before working with ginger.
Metal washcloth. When cleaning, you should use only a new washcloth, which has not been used anywhere before. To clean the plant, place it 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 be stored?

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. Only elastic and dense roots are suitable for storage, the surface of which is covered with a thin peel.

It is impossible to store rhizomes with dry skin, as it indicates the staleness of the product. Also, wilting and shriveled plants should not be used for storage.

The surface of ginger stored 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 the product, you need to figure out what exactly is best to freeze it. There are two main ways to store ginger roots.

In the vegetable drawer

When using this method, the fresh plant is placed in tightly closed bags, which are most often used to preserve food. After laying all the roots for freezing from bags, they try to release the maximum amount of air for better preservation of the products.

If there are no special bags for storing vegetables in the house, you will have to use ordinary paper bags instead. The roots are placed in paper bags in such a way that there are no uncovered areas on them.

In the freezer

When storing the root in the freezer, it is better to wrap it in a special food film. It does not allow air to pass through, so the product is stored much longer. Shelf life in a film placed in a freezer is 2-3 months. To keep the ginger root for several weeks longer, it is wrapped in food foil.

Freeze

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 delicious dishes or medicinal infusions for the treatment of diseases. Thanks to the preservation of the product in small portions by freezing, it will be possible to retain all the useful substances and a pleasant aroma for a long time.

After thawing, ginger root will be just as he althy as it was before freezing.

Today, there are three main ways to freeze ginger root, which will allow it to be stored for several months.

Freeze whole root

This storage method 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. No more than two large roots are placed in each of the bags.

When all the peeled ginger is placed in bags, it is placed in the freezer. If during storage you need to take a ginger root, one of them is taken out of the package, thawed and used for its intended purpose.

Freeze sliced ginger root

Some housewives wonder if ginger can be frozen in the freezer in sliced form. Definitely possible, since storing a chopped product will allow you to save even large roots that would not fit in a bag in an uncut form.

For freezing, a large soft-skinned ginger root is selected. Do not put sliced and unpeeled product in the freezer, and therefore, before storage, all rhizomes are thoroughly peeled. If you put a plant with its skin in the refrigerator, it will spoil and rot faster.

When all the roots are peeled, they are cut into small pieces about three centimeters long.You can also cut them crosswise to make pieces in the form of small circles. Put all the cut pieces into bags, pack them tightly and release all excess air from the bags. Sliced ginger can be stored in the freezer for up to two months.

Freeze grated ginger

Can I freeze grated ginger at home? Definitely you can, as some argue that the grated product lasts longer than the whole one.

Before being placed in the freezer, 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 tightly cover the plant with a film so that air does not get under it. Some people use ordinary plastic bags instead of foil and film.In this case, air must also be released 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 efficient method of storing most vegetables, fruits and other plants. All frozen foods remain he althy and do not lose their properties or nutritional value. People who bought ginger root or grow it themselves in the garden are interested in how they freeze ginger at home so that it lasts longer.

To extend the shelf life, it is recommended to place the product in the freezer not entirely, but in small portions. Therefore, ginger is carefully cut into thin layers 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 pieces will keep for at least three months.

Freeze shelf life

The shelf life for storing ginger differs from the method of freezing it chosen. The product that is frozen whole is the least preserved. In this case, it is stored for about a month, if properly packaged and put in the freezer. If the root is not packaged correctly in the bag, the shelf life may be much shorter.

To increase the shelf life of ginger roots, it is recommended to cut it into pieces before freezing. Chopped roots will retain their beneficial properties for 2-3 months.

How to defrost properly?

Before using ginger, be sure to completely defrost it.To do this, frozen foods are removed from the freezer and removed from 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 a container of ginger in a small pot of warm water. In this case, the frozen food will defrost in 15-20 minutes.

After thawing, ginger root can be chopped and used in cooking or in the preparation of medicinal preparations.

Conclusion

Ginger root is popular among housewives and therefore many of them are interested in how to store it properly. To store ginger root for a long time, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the features of freezing it at home.