You've Been Storing Fresh Ginger Wrong Your Whole Life

You never know how much ginger you'll need until you've bought one and taken it home, only to realize that you have waaaaaay more than you'll need — at least for now. While you may be tempted to wrap it up and pop it in the fridge, that may not give you the results you're hoping for next time you need to use it in a recipe.

To keep your ginger from becoming your kitchen's wilted-produce-of-the-week, All Recipes suggests you might want to try storing your ginger in a jar and submerging it in spirits such as vodka, sake, dry sherry, or rice wine. The cooking site says the method is tested and guaranteed to yield a crisp, intense piece of ginger that's still perfect for cooking even after you've kept it pickled in your favorite spirits for a while. The ginger even lends its flavor to the alcohol, turning it into the perfect base for a gingery, boozy drink.

All Recipes suggests that before you store the ginger in alcohol, peel the rhizome with a paring knife, vegetable peeler, or the edge of a spoon, and to make sure you also remove any dried out or bruised areas. Once you've cleaned your ginger, you can either keep the piece whole, or cut it into portions to fit your jar. Add the alcohol to your ginger and store. To use the ginger, just remove, pat dry, and prepare the root according to your recipe's instructions.

To use the ginger-infused spirit, All Recipes recommends you taste the liquid from time to time to make sure the flavor doesn't get too intense. Thus far, the site says only the vodka infusion is best to use as a mix for a gingery cocktail.

But The Spruce Eats warns that the ginger won't keep forever this way, and you'll have to check it from time to time to make sure the alcohol stays clear. Once the alcohol looks cloudy, it may be time to dump the ginger and the alcohol, as mold or bacteria may have decided to take residence.