I absolutely adore turmeric. It only grows in tropical climates and you can almost never find it in grocery stores! But, when I do, I buy it in bulk. Usually because that's the only way that you can buy it. But what exactly do you do with all of that turmeric..? Unless you're going to cook enough curry to last the year, you're going to have to figure out how to save fresh turmeric!
Turmeric is absolutely one of my favorite finds. When I can get it, I always jump at the opportunity because it doesn't come around that often in rural Wisconsin!
What Exactly IS Turmeric?
Turmeric is a root vegetable. It looks almost identical to ginger, but with a bright orange hue. It's often used as a natural dye and will absolutely turn your fingers, knife, cutting board, clothes, carpet, grout, and anything else that it comes into contact with bright orange as well! Unlike ginger, though, it has a warm, earthy taste and isn't plagued by the stringiness of ginger. It has a nice crunch to it and works well minced, without having to be pulverized.
Turmeric is often used in curries and heralded as a superfood the hipster and pseudo-dietitian world over. It is high in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and generally considered quite healthy for you. But so the vast majority of foods that are actually food...! I do make a lot of curry with turmeric, though. And it is an absolutely delicious addition when you can find it!
So, How DO You Preserve Fresh Turmeric?
Technically, you can probably freeze it. But I never have great luck with this! Especially living in a place where it storms quite frequently and loses power with some regularity. Also, I just don't use my freezer that much and freezing things is not my forte. I hear that you can wrap it in paper towels and plastic bags. Then, hope for the best!
Not wanting to risk freezer burning something that I love so much, I don't take this route.
What I like to do with fresh turmeric is preserve it in oil. Oil is a natural preservative. Most of us have at least a bottle or two on our countertops. And it's the quickest and easiest way that I've found to preserve turmeric for future use. Like anything, I'm sure that it would go bad eventually. But I've personally never seen it happen. This will preserve turmeric for months, instead of mere days sitting on the countertop.
Turmeric will Stain ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Orange
Did I mention that turmeric will stain EVERYTHING orange? It will. There is no Photoshop involved here. I didn't adjust any of the photos at all. That is the exact color and contrast that fresh turmeric is. It will stain your fingers, cutting board, knife, and absolutely anything else that it comes into contact with!
It will come out of your fingers in about 2 days and it will probably wash out of your knife in about a week.
But TURMERIC WILL VERY PERMANENTLY STAIN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH!
It's never coming out of your clothes, cutting boards, plastic bowls, plastic measuring cups, carpets, grout, towels, sponges, and really just anything porous that it comes into contact with!
I'm constantly looking for fresh turmeric. When I can find it, I end up with far more than I need for a single meal! Both because I want as much of it as I can get my hands on and it's usually sold in larger quantities. This means that I'm constantly needing to preserve fresh turmeric, which is far less burdensome that it sounds! It's actually incredibly easy and as simple as peeling, mincing, and covering in oil.
turmericminced (I used half a dozen, but any amount will work)
oil(I used about 1/4 c. of olive oil, but you can use any oil, butter, or ghee of choice)
Instructions
Mince the turmeric.
Add to a small bowl with a lid.
Cover with enough oil of choice.
Refrigerate until needed. The oil will solidify when chilled, but you can just spoon however much you need into future recipes!
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
Turmeric will dye absolutely everything orange. I don't recommend storing in anything plastic or equally porous containers or using plastic measuring spoons, unless you want them to be orange forever! Turmeric will also dye your cutting board, knife, clothes, counters, kitchen sink, and everything else that it touches as well!
I don’t tend to speculate on how long things will last because it varies wildly by storage conditions. If you keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator, I’ve heard of it lasting years. I’ve never personally seen turmeric in oil go bad, but I also tend to use it within a couple of weeks. Just look for any unusual change in smell, color, or texture. If you want to keep it for an extended period of time, you can also peel turmeric, freeze it in an airtight container, and then, while it’s still frozen, use a zester to create little turmeric shavings.
Thanks! I grow turmeric and always have a lot when I harvest. I use black or old tea towels on the bench and glad for storing. I recently read the roots should be boiled to release the starches if you want to dry and powder it.
I have successfully stored turmeric sliced and covered with apple cider vinegar, (delicious in salads) made paste using coconut oil and black pepper and cooked turmeric.
Turmeric is very easy to grow, I have potted then and used as indoor plants in a sunny spot during winter. They get a very pretty flower similar to ginger just before they’re ready to harvest.
Amy
January 20, 2023 at 9:50 pmThank you so much for posting! Super helpful information. I love turmeric, as well! Hopefully, my bunch will be gone by next week.
JB
January 26, 2023 at 9:06 amHow long will it last this way?
Thank you.
Catfish Out of Water
January 29, 2023 at 2:08 pmI don’t tend to speculate on how long things will last because it varies wildly by storage conditions. If you keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator, I’ve heard of it lasting years. I’ve never personally seen turmeric in oil go bad, but I also tend to use it within a couple of weeks. Just look for any unusual change in smell, color, or texture. If you want to keep it for an extended period of time, you can also peel turmeric, freeze it in an airtight container, and then, while it’s still frozen, use a zester to create little turmeric shavings.
Monica
April 7, 2023 at 5:15 pmThanks! I grow turmeric and always have a lot when I harvest. I use black or old tea towels on the bench and glad for storing. I recently read the roots should be boiled to release the starches if you want to dry and powder it.
I have successfully stored turmeric sliced and covered with apple cider vinegar, (delicious in salads) made paste using coconut oil and black pepper and cooked turmeric.
Turmeric is very easy to grow, I have potted then and used as indoor plants in a sunny spot during winter. They get a very pretty flower similar to ginger just before they’re ready to harvest.