Turmeric is very much a super spice, and itās highly sought after. While most of us pick up a jar of turmeric to store in the pantry, others opt for fresh turmeric root that looks a little like ginger. So, if you have fresh turmeric, whatās the best way to preserve it?
Can You Freeze Fresh Turmeric?
Yes, you can freeze fresh turmeric for up to 3 months. You should cut or slice it to size before wrapping it up and placing it in a freezer-safe bag. Once sealed, you can drop the fresh turmeric in your freezer.
Do Does Fresh Turmeric freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Fresh Turmeric? No
How to Freeze Fresh Turmeric
Before you even start, getting some gloves on can be a good idea if you don’t want to turn your hands bright orange! Ready? Here’s the method:
- Clean the Root
Rinse the turmeric root under a cold tap and remove dirt or debris. You might also want to trim it slightly at this stage to remove any flaky pieces of root. Then, dry the root thoroughly using paper towels.
- Slice
While you can freeze a whole turmeric root, itās best to slice it into smaller pieces to easily remove what you need at any given time. This means you donāt have to thaw the entire root at once.
- Wrap
Wrap the sliced fresh turmeric in tin foil, ensuring no rips and tears in the wrapping. You need to keep them as protected from the air as possible.
- Bag Up
Place your wrapped turmeric inside a freezer-safe bag and press out as much air as possible before sealing.
- Label and Freeze
Write todayās date and the use-by date on the front of the bag and place your fresh turmeric in the freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Fresh Turmeric?
You can freeze fresh turmeric for around three months. Freezing it in small portions is the best way to preserve fresh turmeric, as it only lasts for three weeks in the fridge.
However, if you want a supply of turmeric that lasts much longer than this, itās best to buy it in the form of powder, as you can keep jars pretty much indefinitely in your pantry.
This way, you donāt need to worry about preserving fresh turmeric roots.
You can keep fresh turmeric in the fridge for up to 3 weeks when kept in a bag or sealed container.
How Do You Defrost Fresh Turmeric?
When itās time to thaw your fresh turmeric, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge and leave it in its current wrapping. It will then thaw in time and be ready to use in any way you choose.
This being said, you can use frozen turmeric directly in some recipes, so you donāt necessarily need to thaw it in advance. Just consider how you plan to use it before thawing it.
Can You Refreeze Fresh Turmeric?
We wouldnāt recommend refreezing fresh turmeric. This is because moisture is the biggest threat to the quality of fresh turmeric, and it can easily go mouldy.
The more you freeze and refreeze turmeric, the more likely it is to spoil.
So, itās for this reason that we recommend slicing your turmeric before freezing it in the first place, so you can easily control your portion sizes in the future.
Does Fresh Turmeric Freeze Well?
Overall, fresh turmeric freezes really well, making it a great way to preserve this super spice. Just ensure you clean and slice it beforehand and protect it from freezer burn by wrapping and bagging it up.
If you follow these simple steps, your frozen turmeric should be perfectly fine when you use it in the future.
