Lemongrass is a unique spice or herb used in Asian cooking. As a child, I appreciated its mosquito-repellent properties. As an adult, I am even more impressed by its subtle flavor, which delicately accentuates any dish. Unfortunately, it grows very slowly in my garden and is not always in stock at my local supermarket… storing this precious herb is therefore crucial to my cooking.
The best way to keep lemongrass fresh for a long time is to freeze it. Once frozen or dried, lemongrass will keep for several months, though freezing lemongrass does retain more of the freshness.
Can You Freeze Lemongrass? Yes! Here’s How
Freezing lemongrass is the best way to store it for the long term, up to 6 months. After trimming the stalks, they can be frozen whole, in 2 or 4-inch segments, or even pre-chopped and ready to use. In fact, you can pretty much cut the stalks to your preferred size as it suits you. For best results, spread the stalks on a tray and place them in the freezer prior to transferring them to a freezer-proof container or freezer bag.
Preparing lemongrass for freezing:
- Make sure the lemongrass is totally dry by rubbing it lightly with some kitchen paper.
- Trim off the ends to remove the woody root and top.
- Pull away any tough or old outer leaves.
- Cut the remaining stalks in 4-inch lengths as this is the most commonly used length.
- Place in a freezer bag and put the bag in the freezer to freeze.
- When ready, simply thaw the lemongrass or use it straight from frozen if a whole stalk is required.
Useful tip: If the recipe calls for a bruised lemongrass, simply put the frozen stalk on a chopping board and use a meat tenderizer or a hammer wrapped in a clean cloth and firmly smash the frozen stalk, add to the recipe.
Useful tip: If the recipe calls for lemongrass to be used whole in the recipe, or requires a long cooking process, do not bother to thaw the lemongrass. Just pop it as-in in the pot. Heat and time will do the rest.
Is freezing lemongrass bad?
Freezing lemongrass does not harm its flavor for up to 2 months. While you can freeze lemongrass for longer than that, up to 6 months, the herb will start to lose its delicate yet intense flavor. In fact, freezing lemongrass rather than drying lemongrass allows for the flavor to remain potent for much, much longer.
3 tips for freezing lemongrass:
- Avoid Freezing Whole: Freezing lemongrass whole, or even in pre-cut portions is not the best approach. Rather chop the lemongrass finely (speeds up the freezing and flavor extraction steps or prepare ice cubes from a lemongrass purée.
- Create Flavour Cubes: Get a jump-start on your next dish. Prep flavor cubes by making a purée from lemongrass and complementary spices such as star anise, ginger, garlic, and/or galangal. Place the purée into ice cube molds and freeze. Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag. Just keep track of your icecube trays as garlic-scented icecubes are simply unpleasant. When needed, just take out a cube and pop it in the frying pan or wok.
- Don’t Bother Defrosting: lemongrass is a very robust herb that can be used directly from frozen if careful portion control was adhered to while preparing the frozen lemongrass. The high heat of eastern-style cooking means that it will thaw out in minutes. If you need to chop the stalks or make them into a purée, simply allow them to partially defrost as they are easier to handle that way.
Other storage options for Lemongrass
Lemongrass can also be stored as a purée, by simply passing the trimmed, sliced lemongrass stalks through a blender with a little water and pouring the resulting paste into ice cube trays, and freezing until solid. Transfer the cubes to a freezer-proof container or zip-top bag until needed. Then, when the recipe calls for the lemongrass paste, simply pop a cube or three in the pan.
Lemongrass can also be stored dry by chopping it finely and allowing it to air dry in a cool dark place for a few days. Store the dried lemongrass in an airtight glass jar until needed.
Can I Use Frozen Lemongrass in Chicken Bouillon, Broth, or Stock?
Yes, you can use frozen lemongrass in chicken bouillon, broth, or stock. Lemongrass adds a refreshing and citrusy flavor to the dish. Simply chop the frozen lemongrass and add it to the pot while making the chicken bouillon for a delicious and aromatic twist. Everything about chicken bouillon is enhanced with the addition of lemongrass.
How to thaw Lemongrass?
Defrosting lemongrass is simple. Just place it on a clean plate or tray and allow it to thaw in your kitchen. You could speed up the process a bit by simply placing the plate close to a warm oven or skipping the thawing stage entirely by placing the frozen stalk directly in a soup or stew.
Can you refreeze lemongrass?
No, lemongrass can only be frozen and thawed once. During the freezing process, the water in the lemongrass turns to ice and the ice crystals damage the cell walls of the stalk. Thawing a stalk once will weaken the stalk and make it limp, essentially releasing most of the essential oils in the process. Re-freeing the lemongrass simply yields an insipid, tasteless much, which is not worth eating.
Freezing lemongrass whole (without preparation)
As the outside leaves of lemongrass have lost most of their flavor and the tops and bottom tend to be dried out, it is not recommended to freeze lemongrass whole. This simply delays the inevitable and it is much harder to handle a semi-thawed stalk than simply preparing it correctly from the start.
However, if you are pressed for time, simply make sure that the lemongrass stalk is dry and place it in the freezer, either on a tray or in a freezer bag.
Just make sure to properly thaw the lemongrass and trim it neatly prior to use.
Can I Use Frozen Lemongrass in Cooking Bacon for a Group?
Yes, you can use frozen lemongrass when cooking bacon for a group. Simply thaw the lemongrass and use it in your cooking as you would with fresh lemongrass. The flavor may be slightly altered, but it is still a great option for adding a unique taste to your dish.
Does lemongrass freeze well?
While it is easy to freeze lemongrass, this herb does not thaw too well due to the crystallization that occurs within the leaves as they freeze. This weakens the cell walls in the stalk, leaving it rather softer and mushy. This is perfectly fine and usable as long as one does not expect to make skewers out of the thawed stalks.
Can you freeze lemongrass and ginger together?
Lemongrass and ginger are often used together in a Thai or Indonesian dish. Their flavors are complementary and enhance each other. There are two ways to freeze these two spices together.
- Prepare and freeze ginger and lemongrass according to their individual processes and then combine the frozen spices in a freezer-proof dish or freezer bag.
- Prepare a purée from the ginger and lemongrass in a blender. Place the purée or paste in an ice cube and freeze for later use. This mix can be used directly from frozen if using a hot pan.
Lemongrass Stalks
All the flavor of lemongrass is in the stalks, though these do dry up over time as the essential oils of the lemongrass evaporate. To avoid this, prepare the stalks for freezing as soon as possible, bearing in mind that they will soften up while thawing.
for the best outcomes, simply select stalks that feel firm, smell fragrant, and look fresh. Look for tight bulbs and pale to bright green stems and tops. Overly dried stalks tend to be brown or yellow and appear woody and hard.
The outer leaves and the top and bottom of the lemongrass stalks need to be trimmed prior to using or freezing the stalks.
Lemongrass Leaves
Lemongrass leaves are popular in tea-making. Unfortunately, the essential oils that give lemongrass its unique scent and taste evaporate fairly quickly, leaving dry leaves. These leaves are rather tasteless unless a lot is used at once. It is better to simply use the freshly-exposed stalks of the lemongrass.
