Stem Ginger in Syrup

[Tropicalsenior]

Stem Ginger in Syrup

 

I'm a sucker for fresh ginger. Whenever I see it in the store I just have to buy a pound or so. Whatever I don't use immediately I save by making stem ginger.

It is great to have on hand for baking. I much prefer it to crystallize ginger. The syrup is an added bonus. It is good in all types of beverages. It makes a great ginger tea and is delicious stirred into a glass of carbonated water. I even use it as part of the liquid in recipes to give an added ginger kick.

 

12 oz young ginger (if you can find it)*

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

 

Peel the ginger and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the peeled ginger into a saucepan and cover with cold water.

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes (the liquid will be reduced by about half).

Drain the ginger and reserve the liquid.

Mix two cups of reserved liquid (add more water if necessary) and one cup of sugar in the saucepan. Dissolve the sugar over medium low heat, stirring constantly.

Add the ginger and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

Place the ginger in sterilized jars and cover with the ginger syrup. Store in the refrigerator.

 

Notes: I like to make this with the fresh young ginger. To make peeling easier, you can put it in the freezer for a couple hours. You can peel it with the tip of a teaspoon and the skin will slide off better.

The original recipe said that you can keep this for a year in the refrigerator. I prefer to keep most of it in the freezer and take out what I will use in a month or so.

* if you can't find young ginger, get ginger that is firm and not wrinkled.

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[TdeV]

TropicalSenior, when you freeze this ginger, is it submersed in liquid?

 

Also, how big is "bite-sized" ?

[Tropicalsenior]

5 minutes ago, TdeV said:

TropicalSenior, when you freeze this ginger, is it submersed in liquid?

 

Also, how big is "bite-sized" ?

No just pop it on a tray or in a plastic bag and just for a couple hours. You don't want it frozen all the way through.

When I say bite-size they can be all different sizes just nothing bigger than an inch long. If they are too big they won't cook through in that length of time.

[Katie Meadow]

Thank you @Tropicalsenior. Just this week I've been thinking of branching out when it comes to gingerbread cake and have a couple of recipes that use stem ginger in syrup. Yours and other recipes look easy enough. The commercially made stuff available on Amazon is pricey! Mid to late summer previous years there was an Asian grower who sold at the farmers' market. Her ginger was so fresh it still had the leaves attached. Lovely and yummy.

[Tropicalsenior]

36 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Just this week I've been thinking of branching out when it comes to gingerbread

You won't be sorry you did and yes that is the very best type of ginger to make this with.

Once you have it made, make  

Sparkling Gingerbread Cake. I've made it both ways, with  stem ginger and with @liuzhou's homemade crystallized ginger.

Edited July 2, 2023 by Tropicalsenior (log)