Recently, trying to find fresh ginger or garlic that is not already dried out or bad has been a big difficulty. When the chance to buy fresh ginger came up and using only a small portion with the rest left, the need to preserve this ginger was necessary. Use a dehydrator to dry ginger and garlic and then never buy a bottle again!

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Published November 21, 2022
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Cost breakdown for this recipe

Buying ginger fresh is a great way to increase flavor in your dishes. However, ginger can go bad if not preserved the right way. Instead of throwing out that unused fresh ginger, you too can then have the ability to dry the ginger, and also garlic, and use them through the winter when availability is low.

Below is the cost involved for the fresh ginger and fresh garlic that was dehydrated today.

8-oz Ginger $2.19
3 heads Garlic $1.09

The weight of the ginger, once peeled, was 7.3-ounces, making it cost $0.30 per ounce.
The weight of the garlic, when peeled, was 2.8-ounces, making it cost $0.38 per ounce.

Fresh ground ginger from ALDI costs $2.99, or $1.07 per ounce and then weighs 2.8 ounces. If the ginger that was peeled was then minced, it would be like having 2 1/2 tubes of fresh ginger, costing $7.47 if bought at the store.

However, instead of keeping the ginger fresh, it will be placed in a dehydrator and then ground into powder. This way, the fresh ginger, in powdered ginger form, can be preserved for up to 2 years.

Recipes to use ginger

There are so many recipes to use powdered ginger. For instance, this recipe for Ginger-Scallion Steamed Cod is fantastic and packed with flavor.

Ginger-Scallion Steamed Cod Recipe

Additionally, a recipe that uses powdered ginger is Egg Roll Bowls. Making an egg roll bowl takes under an hour and is such an amazing dinner or lunch idea for under $20!

Egg Roll Bowl – a quick recipe to satisfy a craving

Which Dehydrator was used?

Many years ago, we purchased this NESCO Dehydrator. It is square and has many extra trays that are great for small bits and gels.

Benefits of this Dehydrator:
* Dries evenly
*Adjustable thermostat
*Even heat distribution
*Expandable up to 8 trays
*Includes 1 Clean-a-Screen, 1 Recipe Instruction Book, 1 Jerky Seasoning & Cure Sample
*Uses for jerky, fruits, vegetables and herbs
*Dishwasher safe parts
*Manual included
*Size: 15.25 x 10.25 x 15.63 inches

For this recipe, using the mesh tray was essential to not lose any of the small bits. As the Dehydrator works best with the foods on the screens, having them fall through would be unhelpful.

Click the link to see this same Dehydrator on Amazon and see how you can add extra trays!

I would have to say, this NESCO Dehydrator is basic. It is bare-bones and simple to use.
Lately, I have seen SO many varieties of Dehydrators being sold online. For example, COSORI is a higher-end brand that makes other awesome electronics like friers and ovens.

Prices for Dehydrators can vary depending on the number of trays and settings it can have.

COSORI Benefits:
*6 Stainless Steel Trays, 1 Mesh Screen, 1 Fruit Roll Sheet, 1 Manual, and 1 Recipe
*Stainless Steel
*Easy to use
*Digital Read
*Quiet and under 48dB
*Turns off when timer ends
*48Hour programable
*6 trays dishwasher safe

If you are starting in the Dehydrating Garlic and Ginger game, it is recommended to buy a baseline brand like the NESCO. This way, if you love it you can then invest more later. If you do not end up liking this amazing kitchen gadget, you then would not be out a potential $200 for the elite brand.

Elephant Garlic

At a local grocery store, there was this Elephant Garlic for sale. The entire clove was as big as my hand. This one piece! It was so large, that one clove was plenty for making a lasagna for dinner last night.

Recipe

Ingredients for Dehydrator Ginger and Garlic

Garlic
Ginger
Knife
Vegetable peeler
Sink Colander
Cutting board
Dehydrator

Directions to Dehydrator Ginger and Garlic

Directions to Dehydrate Ginger

1. Firstly, in a sink colander, rinse the ginger.

2. Secondly, use a sharp vegetable peeler and peel the skins off of the ginger, making sure to get off all of the skins and dirt.

3. Then slice the peeled ginger into thin slices, thinner than 1/8-inch. The thinner the slices, the better the slices will dry.

4. Place the sliced ginger on the Dehydrator rack.
For small pieces, use a mesh tray so the ginger can stay and not fall through the rack. There are two separate tray inserts that help with small pieces. One is solid and the other is a small mesh.

5. Set the temperature to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and let the ginger dry for 4-8-hours.

6. Dry the ginger for 4-8 hours, or until completely dry.

7. Once fully dry, grind the ginger into powder and then store in a container for up to 2 years.

Directions to Dehydrate Garlic

1. To prep the garlic, peel off the skins on a cutting board.

2. Then cut off the ends of the garlic and slice the garlic 1/8-inch thin. By slicing the garlic thin, it will then dehydrate more evenly.

3. Once sliced, place the prepared garlic on the Dehydrator racks.

4. Dry the garlic for 4-8 hours, or until completely dry. The time to dry can depend upon how many slices and moisture is in the garlic. Check the dryness at around 6 hours, and then continue to check for doneness.

5. Once completely dry, grind the garlic into a powder and then store in a container for up to 2 years.

Recipe for Dehydrator Ginger and Garlic

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