I think my all-time favorite tea is ginger. There is something so crisp yet so spicy and warm about it. Plus it’s got lots of great health perks.

I used to buy store-bought ginger tea but once I started making fresh, there was no going back. The dried stuff is fine in a pinch, but in comparison, it so mild and flat. I found myself often adding too much sweetener to jazz it up. But when I make it fresh, it has such a burst of flavor that sweetness isn’t necessary. (Though, I’ll admit it is nice to add a little!)

So today, I’m going to share a super simple recipe/how-to for fresh ginger tea.

FRESH GINGER TEA (ICED OR HOT)
You’ll need:

+2 quarts of water (about 8 cups)
+between 5-8 ounces of fresh ginger root (depending on your strength preference)
+lemon juice (optional)

Also: a sauce pan/pot, mason jar or glass jar(s)/pitcher(s)/containers(s) for storing, fine strainer, funnel (if necessary), knife or spoon

(Alternatively, you can boil 8 cups of water in a kettle and then steep in a bowl or pitcher, voiding the need for a sauce pan. And I’m sure you can use a tea bag or tea ball and void the need for a strainer.)

This recipe makes a strong flavored tea. I like to think of it almost as a concentrate. It usually put ice cubes in mine or add a little water, which is why I prefer a strong base. I’ve found I’d rather have it too strong (and scale it back) than too weak.

First off, start heating up your water in a saucepan. I use two mason jars to store my tea in the fridge, so I fill them with water then dumped that water in the pan to measure.

Then you want to rinse off/wash off your root. For a size reference, you’ll probably need one or more rhizomes equaling about the size of your palm.

Next you remove the skin. My preferred method is similar to peeling a potato: I hold it in my hand and peel it with a paring knife. However, because ginger roots can be so knobby (and the skin so thin), some folks swear that the edge of a spoon is best to get in all the nooks and crannies.

Now you don’t want to drop the whole meaty chunk into water. Instead you want to slice the knob into thin slices. You basically you want to create as much surface area as you can to suck as much of the flavor out as possible.

Now I drop those in the water in the pot. (You can also add a little splash of lemon juice, if you’d like.)

Bring to a rolling boil.

Turn the heat off but leave the pan/pot on the burner. Leave the lid on.

Set the timer for about 10 minutes.

After that I remove from the burner and take off the lid and let it cool for a few minutes.

Next I run it through a fine mesh strainer and a funnel into my mason jars. (this is how I rig my set up.)

Now let them cool on the counter until they are safe enough to put in the fridge. (I put the lids on when they are hot and it actually creates a vacuum seal.)

I usually drink mine up with one to two weeks so I can vouch for that fridge-life. Beyond that, I’m not sure how long it’ll last.

I always end up with a little sediment in the bottom each time. I pour/drink until I reach that and toss it. I don’t see how it could hurt but I’m not too interested in it.

Serve in a glass with ice and a little sweetener, if you wish. Or reheat at any time for a warming, spicy tea.

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