How to Mince Ginger? And Store it For Later Use

Minced Ginger is quite popular in multiple cuisines and dishes as it enhances the flavor.

You can mince ginger by using a grater, food processor, or a Mortar and Pestle based on your use and convenience.

Minced ginger refers to ginger that is very finely chopped with a food processor or by hand. Consider it as a thick and chunky paste.

It is ready to use, reliable, easier to store, and generally long-lasting. The use of a preservative can make it last even longer though can create a change in ginger purity. It could compromise on taste and final ginger quality as well. 

Types of Edible Ginger – Use and complete details

Prepare for Mincing Ginger

Prior to mincing ginger, you need to remove the brown peel. The process is known as peeling ginger.

To do this, you should start by soaking the ginger in water for a few minutes. It will help peeling ginger easier as it loosens up the peels and makes them swell (expand).

You can then use a spoon or a knife to remove ginger peels to reveal the clean yellow flesh that people love so much. Remember this flesh cannot be stored and should be consumed soon.

If there is any delay, you need to be aware of the signs of ginger root going bad. 

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Methods of Mincing Ginger

Clean ginger can be sliced, minced, grated, kept whole, or in chunks. The decision is yours and it makes the most sense to choose the option that is most convenient for you.

Think about your daily use of ginger and how long you would need the ginger to make your decision.

1) Mincing Ginger Using a Grater

This is the best option to mince ginger if you do not own a food processor. A grater is a kitchen tool with which you can create long but thin shreds of ginger.

Step 1: Choose the Best Ginger 

Select large ginger rhizomes and peel them using a knife or spoon. Make sure no peel is still on as this may hinder the grating process.

Step 2: Place it Over Your Grater 

Take the clean ginger uncut and hold it over your Grater. Make up and down movements to make sure the fleshy rhizomes are actually being grated into fine gratings.

Step 3: Adjust the ginger piece, direction, and intensity

Throughout the grating process, adjust the ginger piece and direction to make sure no gratings are too long. Also, you can increase intensity when you reach thicker portions of the rhizome. 

Step 4: Remove Excess Water (optional)

To keep its flavor longer, you can remove extra liquid from the minced ginger. Do this by pouring the gratings into a large colander and squeezing the mass. 

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2) Mincing Ginger Using a Food Processor

A food processor is an invention that cuts down prep time by doing boring jobs at a much faster pace. Chopping and mincing are two of the most popular uses of food processors. 

It can be really helpful for folks who have sensitive skin (ginger can burn skin). 

Here are easy steps to mince ginger using a food processor.

Step 1: Cut Peeled Ginger

You can start by choosing ginger. Clean and chop it into evenly sized ginger chunks. Small rhizomes are best since they will be cut into smaller pieces again before you process them.

Step 2: Assemble Your Processor

Keep your food processor ready and by this, we mean to choose the right attachment and blade. Remember, we want minced ginger not completely liquidized ginger paste! 

Step 3: Put the Ginger in, bit by bit

To make sure you get the right consistency, make sure you add small ginger amounts at a time. Only run the machine for a few seconds to ensure the right size of ginger shred.

3) Mincing Ginger With a Mortar and Pestle

Mincing Ginger With a Mortar and Pestle

A mortar and pestle is an old tool that was used before food processors became popular. Here are easy steps that you can follow.

Step 1: Chop up Ginger Chunks

To facilitate the process and make it easier, make sure you chop the ginger into small parts. Then place them into the mortar.

Step 2: Grind Away!

Once everything is set and the chopped ginger is in the mortar, use the pestle to mince the ginger. Use brute force or a regulated motion to do this. The end result is minced ginger. 

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4) Mincing Ginger by Cutting Crosswire

Mincing can also be done by hand. Though we warn you it is a tiresome job!

This method will probably yield less mushy ginger. 

Step 1: Clean and Slice Ginger

Go ahead and follow the same step as in the above methods, peel your ginger. Then proceed to cut the ginger into equally thick ginger coins (circular ginger discs). 

Step 2: Make matchsticks 

From your coins, cut them into sticks. Try your best to make sure each stick is equal in width so that the final product is also equal in size. This helps to create uniformity and lets them all cook at the same pace.  

Step 3: Collect and Cut the Matchsticks

Group the matchsticks together and hold them in place carefully with your fingers (accidents could occur here). Using a sharp knife make strong strokes to get extremely small chopped squares of ginger. 

Step 4: Store Well 

These hand-chopped ginger blocks are increasingly prone to spoilage as they dry out fast! To avoid this, you will have to store them well. 

Complete Guide to Storing Peeled and Unpeeled Ginger

Facts to Know About Minced Ginger

  • Minced ginger requires refrigeration. It cannot be stored outside at room temperature conditions. 
  • Minced ginger constantly loses moisture and this is one of the factors contributing to its lower shelf life.
  • Adding preservatives to your minced ginger can help to extend its life for example oil. 
  • Keep your jar of minced ginger at the back of the fridge since this is the coldest part of the fridge that experiences consistency. 
  • When you have to use some minced ginger, use a clean utensil to remove and then place it back in the refrigerator as soon as possible to avoid contamination. 

Storing Mincing Ginger

Once you have minced ginger as the final product, you can’t expect it to keep well on its own. Ginger needs effective storage methods for keeping it edible longer. How you store minced ginger and where you store it will affect its longevity and quality.

Here are 4 factors that can affect the longevity of minced ginger.

Container

Not every container is geared up to keep its contents safe and fresh forever! This is true for ginger and other fresh spices such as garlic as well.

Generally, airtight containers such as zip lock containers and air-tight Tupperware are the most effective storage ware. They prevent ginger from coming in contact with atmospheric air which can induce faster rotting.

Any other casual container will allow air that can affect your ginger. Air degrades stored ginger since there are microbes invisibly present in the air. 

Labeling

As time passes by, you could lose track of how old your ginger mince is. To make sure this does not worry you, paste a paper label on the side of the container. On the label, write what is in the container and mention the date of creation to stop you from forgetting.

After a few months have passed and you notice the taste has greatly decreased, you can refer to the date it was made. If it has passed 3 to 4 months and has very poor taste or an unappetizing appearance, you can choose to discard it. 

Storage Method 

Once you have chosen a container and have attached labeling, decide where to keep your minced ginger. The best places that will help your minced ginger to keep well for longer are:

  • Freezer
  • Refrigerator

Both these options have low temperatures that hold off the growth of microbes and delay the spoilage of your ginger mince. Keeping it out in room temperature conditions will almost definitely result in very fast rotting.

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Uses of minced ginger

  1. Marinating meats and bringing out the flavor of the meat (acts as a tenderizer) 
  2. Added to the tea (unleashes unique flavor and beneficial properties of ginger)
  3. Forms the base of curries (improves the overall taste of the dish)
  4. Added to desserts (gives a sweet yet spicy tinge to desserts like smoothies and cookies)

As you can see, ginger mince or ginger paste is quite a versatile ingredient that makes a huge impact even in minimal quantities. Its taste is definitely distinct and addictive! 

FAQs

Is minced ginger the same as grated ginger?

Minced ginger and grated ginger are similar but NOT the same. They are both derivatives of fresh ginger but commonly differ in two aspects; texture and appearance. Grated ginger has a thick rough texture while ginger mince is fine and smooth. 
Appearance-wise, grated ginger can be identified as fine gratings while minced ginger is almost like a thick paste. The colors of grated ginger and minced ginger are different as grated ginger is lighter and minced ginger is darker.
Also, grated ginger is purer than minced ginger. This is because when we mince ginger, we usually add a preservative such as oil, vinegar, etc.

Can you use a ginger press to mince ginger?

Yes, you can use a ginger press to mince ginger. This tool simplifies the process without the need to get your hands involved! Meaning you will not have to deal with intense ginger burn and smell on your hands. It is a fast and effective method of getting the job done without spending too much time and energy. 

Do you have to peel ginger before mincing?

Often Yes, mature ginger needs to be peeled before grating. But if you are using young ginger, the peel is inconspicuous and almost appears as ginger flesh. Therefore, simply washing young ginger is enough before mincing or grating.  

References

  1. https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201014435573478.page