Ginger is an excellent spice that significantly participates in many continental recipes. It has a punchy flavor that spices up the food and also gives a health boost as a bonus. Fresh ginger has a strong flavor that radiates to the food item to which it is added.
How long can you keep the ginger at home? Or is the intensity of the ginger’s flavor age-specific? These questions need to be addressed when you have a long-standing ginger sitting at home.
Many varieties of ginger can actually lend flavor, each with a separate shelf life.
Fresh ginger, ginger roots, ginger root pieces, grated ginger, and minced ginger can last up to a week in the pantry. Ginger paste has the ability to last for a month.
Ginger has a longer shelf life in the fridge. It can last for 3 months in the fridge provided you follow all the right storage protocols intact.
Consuming fresh ginger is always good for your health. Ginger which has gone through contamination, cannot offer the health benefits that one would expect.
In any case, ginger cannot be kept unused for a year. You have to finish it soon so you don’t toss off whole ginger without using it for the right reasons.
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How Long Does Ginger Last?
Different kinds of ginger have different shelf life spans. The life span of many types of gingers depends on how they are processed or how they are stored.
Fresh ginger, whole ginger root, and ginger root pieces last for a week in the pantry. Grated ginger and minced ginger should be immediately refrigerated.
It can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week. Jarred ginger and ginger paste last for 2 months in the refrigerator again.
Unopened ginger products can last a long time. The manufacturer’s date is printed on the ginger packet, and you just have to abide by that. You must stick to the purchase date if there is no manufacturer’s date.
Open ginger should be used as soon as possible. If the ginger is probably preserved in the refrigerator, it is ok to use it even past the best-by date. However, most of the time, it will not be marked with the date. In this case, ginger can be used for a year.
Ginger can be placed in the pantry. It won’t turn bad for a week and will probably last 3 or 4 days. However, when stationed in the refrigerator, it will stay for months without eventual spoilage.
Chopped ginger lasts a few days, while a whole ginger chunk can be stored for a few months together. The cut, minced, or grated ginger tends to lose flavor sooner than it is supposed to.
How To Tell If Ginger Has Turned Bad?
It is quite easy to identify whether the ginger has turned bad. Fresh ginger looks firm and sturdy. The flesh will be bright yellow and quite shiny in nature.
The smell is very attractive, with a punchy aroma that immediately attracts us. Bad ginger is bound to have lost all these qualities or any one of them.
As the ginger becomes spoiled, the color and thickness will vanish. Although the taste may not have disappeared totally, ginger would have a wrinkled surface and soggy texture.
The discoloration is definitely another major sign of ginger turning bad. The surface of ginger would look gray with moldy spots on the surface, which may have also lost its flavor.
Can We Eat Spoiled Ginger?
It is a personal choice that differs from people’s opinion about consuming rotten or moldy foods. If the ginger has developed molds, cutting off the molds and trying to eat the fresh ginger would serve the purpose.
Again you have to ensure that the rest of the ginger is fresh enough to be consumed.
If the whole ginger is rotten beyond any help, it is a good time to toss it out without looking back. Rotten ginger is supposed to emanate many poisonous chemicals and toxins, such as carcinogens.
So it is better discarded than given a chance to keep us away from the risk of catching a disease.
How To Store Ginger?
Storing ginger is a preliminary aspect that actually extends the shelf life to a large extent. As soon as you buy it from the shop, it has to be refrigerated.
It can be kept in the pantry if you are going to use it at a fast pace. If you plan to prolong its stay, refrigerating or freezing it would be the right approach.
Another way to store ginger is just immersing the ginger in alcohol or a preservative liquid of some kind. Some popular options include vodka, vinegar, sherry, or other clean spirits that can keep the ginger for a long time.
Ginger preserved this way lasts for months together without considerable flavor loss. Just find a closed and sealed jar to place the ginger into it. Pour enough acids into the jar and place the lid tightly. Let it sit in the fridge until you finish it day by day.
You have to make sure that ginger preserved this way is rinsed and stripped off the odor of the liquid it was preserved. The flavor of the liquids in the ginger could also tamper with the taste and smell of the recipe.
How Long Does Ginger Stay In The Fridge?
Ginger stays in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. It has to be preserved right to enjoy a longer shelf life. It has to be kept in a zip-lock plastic bag with all the air squeezed out.
It is then added to the vegetable crisper to get good airflow. Peeled ginger may not have that long shelf life.
Can You Freeze Ginger?
If you want to further prolong the shelf life, freezing would be the right choice. Frozen ginger stays for 6 months without any problem.
Ginger might get soggy when it is thawed, and the flavor might also get diluted. It is best to use it in smoothies or juices where the intensity is not so required. Freezing entails grating the ginger root and preserving it in a sealed ziplock bag.
Conclusion
Ginger is a famous spice that has forever enjoyed a reputation as a healthy ingredient. Storing it right and consuming it with all its potential deems important if you need to enjoy the health benefits of ginger.
This article is a nice guideline to show you the good practices of storing ginger and how long it lasts. Following the timelines and being wary about maintaining it right will give you good results to consume it for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does ginger last?
Fresh ginger, ginger roots, ginger root pieces, grated ginger, and minced ginger can last up to a week in the pantry. Ginger paste has the ability to last for a month. Ginger has a longer shelf life in the fridge. It can last for 3 months in the fridge provided you follow all the right storage protocols intact.
How to tell if ginger has turned bad?
It is quite easy to identify whether the ginger has turned bad. Fresh ginger looks firm and sturdy. The flesh will be bright yellow and quite shiny in nature. The smell is very attractive, with a punchy aroma that immediately attracts us. Bad ginger is bound to have lost all these qualities or any one of them.
Can we eat spoiled ginger?
It is a personal choice that differs from people’s opinion about consuming rotten or moldy foods. If the ginger has developed molds, cutting off the molds and trying to eat the fresh ginger would serve the purpose.
How to store ginger?
Storing ginger is a preliminary aspect that actually extends the shelf life to a large extent. As soon as you buy it from the shop, it has to be refrigerated. It can be kept in the pantry if you are going to use it at a fast pace. If you plan to prolong its stay, refrigerating or freezing it would be the right approach.
How long does ginger stay in the fridge?
Ginger stays in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. It has to be preserved right to enjoy a longer shelf life. It has to be kept in a zip-lock plastic bag with all the air squeezed out.
