Fresh Ground Ginger

Hello,
Let's make some Ginger powder...Powdered Ginger...Ground Ginger! I'll be using it quite a lot...and I'm thinking so will others this time of year. I love Sandra Lee's concept of simi-homemade, but if you have a large family and aren't a super great organizer(but improving) like me...let's just say you'll have to make it yourself. Some ingredients are easy to make yourself and some take gobs of time! When you run out of butter and notice the heavy cream, that got pushed to the back of the refrigerator...you're knowledge of knowing how butter is made saves you a run to the grocery store, extra money buying at a convenience store or nixing that dessert from you menu!

Since introducing myself to the Food Industry, I've learned how to plan more efficiently but life's little distractions happen and before you know the spices didn't get a turn over. Then low and behold there I am wanting to make a pastry and as I go thru my pantry, preparing my Mise en place...there in the back corner is a huge jar of ginger. I've forgotten all about! I'm so excited i didn't buy anymore. I open it and give it a whiff...smells like chalk! tastes even worse. Why did I buy such a large container and forget all about it? No matter I'll have to skip over to the store and buy a small jar. A jar that's been sitting in a warehouse for who knows how long? Me. So I think hmmm let's look it up on line and see who's made it and maybe it's not that hard to make...and it's not.

Ingredients
Ginger
running water
The sun, a dehydrator or a (microwave) Oven

Here's the link to How to make ground ginger, how to pick the best ginger for grinding and uses. I'm using mine in the brown sugar muffins.

       Homemade Ginger Powder Steps 

• Take fresh ginger root in a bowl and soak it in water for 3 to 4 minutes and wash nicely under running water to remove the dirt completely. 
• Now cut it into small pieces using a sharp knife, the smaller the pieces, the faster it will dry out. 
• Now you can dry the ginger spread on a plate either under hot sun or in a dehydrator if you have one.  I put mine in the microwave on 60% 5 min. Then 80% 5 min.  (checking in each min.) See the video below.
  
  
• Once completely dry, grind in grinder or bullet.
  
  
  while the pieces are still crisp from sun drying to a fine powder.
• Sieve the powder and let the powder cool to room temperature before storing it an airtight box ... 

Pick a snappy ginger, mince, dry and grind! Easy?

                             Easy!

Happy Baking :)