Homemade Stem Ginger
Homemade Stem Ginger is so easy to make and so much better than shop bought. Chop finely and add to ginger cakes, puddings or biscuits for a real ginger hit. The syrup makes a delicious ginger cordial.
We really love ginger here at the Kitchen Shed and often use our Homemade Stem Ginger in savoury recipes too. It adds warmth to a sticky glaze for roast pork and takes our sticky ribs marinade to the next level of tastiness.
Homemade Stem ginger is the perfect recipe to try if you’re new to preserving or jam making. Having said that, it’s even easier to make than jam since there’s no thermometer required. You simply cook peeled ginger in water until tender and make a syrup with sugar.
There’s a slight sense of sadness here at the Kitchen Shed as we pack things away for the winter and wind down the freezer contents.
I thought I’d pretty much worked out how to use up all our frozen food until I discovered a bag of ginger which was way too much for a stir fry or curry for two.
Seemed to me there was only one thing to do, make some stem ginger and take a jar or two with us to Guernsey to enjoy over the winter.
What Is Stem Ginger ?
Stem Ginger is the preserved fresh young roots of the ginger plant. The roots are are peeled, sliced and cooked in sugar syrup.
How To Buy Fresh Ginger Root
You can buy fresh ginger roots from supermarkets as well specialist stores in the UK.
Choose pieces of fresh ginger root with firm, unwrinkled skin that is thin enough to scrape away with your fingernail.
Tough, thick skin is a sign the ginger is old and dried out.
Any root that feels light in weight or has a wrinkled skin should be avoided as no amount of simmering will soften it.
How To Make Stem Ginger
Stem ginger is much easier to make than you might think – it’s a case of peeling and slicing the ginger into chunks, covering with water and cooking until tender.
Although some recipes use an “all in one” approach, I prefer to drain the cooking water from the ginger and use it to make a syrup – this way you have greater control over the quality of your syrup because of the more accurate water to sugar ratio.
The ginger is added back to the pan with your syrup and simmered for twenty minutes before transferring ginger and syrup into a sterilised jar.
How To Sterilise Jars
I like to sterilise jam jars in the microwave.
Simply clean them as normal and rinse but whilst they are wet, pop them in the microwave for two minutes on full power.
Remember the jars will be very hot, so remove with care.
Alternatively, wash jars in the dishwasher on a hot cycle.
Always sterilise more jars than you think you will need.
Top Tips For The Best Stem Ginger
Buy fresh young ginger roots.
Freeze overnight before cooking.
A note on Sugar Syrup:
Make sure the sugar is dissolved before bringing to the boil.
To test if the sugar is completely dissolved scoop out a small amount of the syrup with a spoon.
You should not be able to see any sugars crystals in the liquid.
Do not stir the sugar syrup once the sugar has dissolved or the sugar will crystallise.
How Long Does Homemade Stem Ginger Last ?
Stem Ginger will last up to 12 months stored in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 2 months.
Ways To Use Stem Ginger
Stem Ginger adds a fiery ginger hit to all manner of desserts, tarts, puddings, cakes and biscuits.
The syrup can be used in cocktails, drinks, or added to ice cream and salads.
You’ll find Stem Ginger in savoury dishes too. From sticky ribs, roast pork and chicken to steamed fish. In fact, the list is endless.
Homemade Gift Ideas
I love making gifts for friends and family and Homemade Stem Ginger regularly finds its way into our Christmas hampers. Here’s some of my reader’s favourite homemade gift recipes.
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Homemade Stem Ginger
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- 2 x 500g Preserving Jars or equivalent
Ingredients
- 650 g fresh ginger root
- 600 g caster sugar or superfine sugar
- 1.5 litres water reserve 600 ml of liquid after cooking
Instructions
- Freeze ginger overnight.
- Remove the ginger from the freezer.
- Peel the ginger and cut into 2 cm thick slices.
- Add the ginger to a pan and cover (by a couple of centimetres) with water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about an hour and a half to 2 hours until nice and tender.
- Drain the tender ginger pieces and reserve the cooking water. Set to one side while you make a syrup.
- Measure 600 ml of the ginger cooking liquid and add back to your pan along with the sugar.
- Return to a gentle heat and stir to dissolve the sugar – once the sugar has dissolved stop stirring. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes until you have a nice thick syrup.
- Add the cooked ginger back to the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes before transferring ginger and syrup into a sterilised jar and sealing. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Video
Notes
Pin Homemade Stem Ginger For Later
I’m entering Homemade Stem Ginger into Corina’s food challenge Cook Once Eat Twice over at Searching for Spice.
Love this recipe to make your own stem ginger, definitely saving this one. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Cate, it’s a pleasure to share the recipe.
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this one.
Thanks Katie, do let me know how you get on.
This is brilliant! I have a lot of farms near me that are always selling fresh ginger and I think this would make a wonderful Christmas gift!
Thanks Jessie, how lucky to have local farms selling ginger nearby. Stem Ginger does make a great gift anytime of year but don’t forget to save yourself a jar 🙂
I’m thinking of all the delicious things I could make right now with this and its syrup! Ginger is so healthy too…definitely need to make this to have on hand especially with the holiday season just around the corner!
Stem Ginger is a versatile ingredient to have at hand. Thanks for popping by Tammy, look forward to hearing how you get on.
HI – I live in the US and have never had stem ginger but needed it for a key lime, ginger tart recipe that I wanted to try from the Great British Bake Off. In any event, I used very fresh ginger and froze over night as instructed. The syrup never did thicken and there was not enough to cover the ginger so I made more which also never thickened. The cooked ginger was very bland and I could not even detect it in the finished tart. Is stem ginger supposed to have a strong flavor or one that is very subtle? I have no point of reference… Thanks for any suggestions you might have.
Hello Jeanie, the ratio of sugar to ginger cooking liquid is enough to give a medium syrup so I’m not sure what happened. Stem ginger has a strong flavour although it isn’t as hot as fresh ginger. Maybe next time check and have a taste of the ginger before cooking? When you make the syrup, try turning the heat up a little and use a bigger pan. Hope this helps, do let me know how you get on.
Hello Sarah, I found your blog whilst searching for quantities for a preserving syrup.To my delight I found this recipe for preserved ginger – next on my preserving list.
You may be interested to know I have been just been preserving Green (ie unripe) figs. My daughters allotment in North London is awash with them. They are a bit of a faf – they have to be boiled and squeezed 4 times, each time in fresh water, to get rid of the sap and then boiled n the prepared syrup. They are so worth it especially during the current circumstances when the time is available.
THANK YOU!
Hi Moxy. Was really interested to see you pickled your green figs. Would it be possible to send me the recipe for this? We are heading over to our house in France next week and I expect our fig bushes will be laden. Not sure if we will get back again for when they are ripe so pickling unripe would be brilliant.
Many thanks
Linda
Should I freeze the ginger in the root or is it ok to peel chop and freeze. I made a small amount for rhubarb jam without freezing at all as I was in a hurry and it turned out great so I am now making a batch to have in stock and I would like to try freezing.
Hello Patricia, freezing the ginger in smaller pieces makes it much easier for when it comes to making the stem ginger. I tend to leave the skin on as I find it easier to peel when it’s frozen.
@sarahj,
Hi Sarah, great fan of ginger (tonight chicken with spring onions and ginger, and just marinated jerk chicken including fresh ginger). Not at all sure about freezing before scraping, normally do not scrape for savoury dishes but freezing before scraping just cold hands. Use the side of a metal spoon. Looking forward to trying this. Many thanks.
Hi Ian, happy to hear from a fellow ginger fan. It’s fine to peel before freezing, it’s just a personal preference to freeze without peeling. The side of a metal spoon does help with cold hands. Please let me know how you get on with the recipe.
Ohhh I am definitely going to give this a go today – I adore ginger 🙂
I have to say that this was stunning! I was never a real ginger person but i an now converted. I made this yesterday and today i used it to make stem ginger icecream. Heaven. There wasnt enough syrup for me especially as you will wanted to use the syrup itself as a topping for icecream so would make more next time!