How You Should Really Store Ginger, According To Rachael Ray

Even though it's been used for millennia in Indian and Chinese medicine, ginger isn't something that many people are super comfortable using and storing. There's a lot to like about ginger: The root of this flowering plant is rich in antioxidants, and is also believed to potentially lower the risk of developing truly unfortunate health issues like cancer and diabetes, per Medical News Today.

A lot of people turn to ginger for its health benefits, or simply to add some much-needed zing to a meal or cup of tea. In fact, ginger tea is a popular option for people suffering from nausea, like that associated with sickness or chemotherapy. This stomach-soothing root is also low in calories, although it's also light on helpful vitamins and minerals.

Although people of all cultures enjoy whipping up their own Indian and Asian-inspired meals involving ginger, many still aren't sure exactly how to handle and store this zesty root properly. If you count yourself as one of those people, celebrity chef and longtime Food Network staple Rachael Ray might just have the answer for you.

Although not as exorbitantly priced as many exotic cooking ingredients, the cost of ginger went up by more than double from 2020 to 2021, says ABC News Australia, which attributed the jump to a "worldwide shortage." So naturally, it's vital to squeeze every last bit of value out of the root.

To make the most of every last bit of ginger, Rachael Ray explained how it should be peeled and stored in a recent Instagram video. First, she says to clean the root using a teaspoon, rather than a vegetable peeler because, "you're going to throw away half of the ginger that you just bought," otherwise. Once that step is complete, she advises fans to store the ginger in the freezer. If you leave it in the refrigerator, she says, it will turn, "all gnarled up and moldy." If the ginger is kept whole and frozen, Ray says it then "grates up easily," making it convenient to use as needed.

Per Eat This, Not That!, fresh ginger can be stored in the freezer "practically forever," provided it's stored in a freezer-safe container. That's definitely a step up from the paltry one month it'll stay good in the fridge.