Garlic has a highly appreciated flavor and aroma in world gastronomy, in addition to multiple health benefits. For these reasons, this food has become an essential ingredient in our kitchen.
But, when it comes to conservation, garlic can become a headache if it is not in a suitable environment, since it rots or sprouts very easily and in a few days. With this in mind, we select the best alternatives for you and teach you how to preserve garlic, so you can taste it all year round.
How to keep fresh garlic?
Many kitchen experts agree on the idea that it is better to keep fresh garlic, especially for a quality issue, since this way it maintains its properties better. The truth is that garlic is very sensitive to temperature changes, its main enemies being humidity, direct sunlight and poor ventilation. Based on this, here are the keys to keeping garlic fresh longer:
- Select quality garlic. You’ll know the garlic is fresh by its firm texture, papery dry skin, and no sprouts. Skip the cloves that are soft, wrinkled, yellow, hollow, sprouting, full of dirt, or from the refrigerated food section of stores. Consider that mild garlic is already very ripe, so it will expire soon.
- Wash the garlic. If you want to keep the garlic from the garden that you yourself have planted, wash them and remove the soil.
- Dry them very well. Moisture is the enemy of most foods and this condition includes garlic. So after washing it, you should let it dry really well before storing it. One way to dry garlic properly is to let it hang on the stem for a week. To hang the garlic you can braid them or tie them to a rope (air must always circulate between them). Drying this food before storing not only prolongs its freshness, but also enhances its flavor. If it’s garlic you didn’t plant, you can dry it with kitchen towels (the absorbent kind).
- Purchase a garlic preserver. Before putting our garlic in a strategic place in the kitchen we need to get them a container. There are containers on the market specially designed to preserve this food in optimal conditions. Generally, they are ceramic containers with holes that favor a controlled environment: dry, dark and ventilated (thus the garlic does not dry out or get wet). Other alternative containers are mesh or wire baskets, or any that have holes for ventilation, you can even improvise your own preserver using a Kraft paper bag. Remember that the air must always circulate between the garlic, whether they are heads or cloves.
- Store them in a suitable place. What are the ideal conditions for storing garlic? A ventilated, fresh, clean, dry and dark place. For example, a shady corner of the kitchen. The worst places to store garlic are unventilated or humid spaces, a place where direct sunlight is reflected, and especially the refrigerator.
- Store them at room temperature. The ideal temperature for storing garlic should be constant and hover around 60°F (15°C). Garlic is very sensitive to changes in temperature.
- Use the garlic soon if you have already split the bulb. When you pull a tooth out of the bulb, a countdown begins. An intact bulb can be kept for up to 8 weeks (well stored). The cloves separated from the bulb last between 3 and 10 days.
Tip: When you take the garlic out of the jar, use a clean spoon and do not mix it with other foods.
How to keep garlic all year round?
If you want garlic to never be lacking in your kitchen or you bought too much and want to keep the leftover garlic, this very simple recipe is for you. Undoubtedly, a very effective trick to preserve garlic throughout the year is to prepare a garlic paste. This will save you time when it comes to cooking later and allow you to enjoy those leftover garlic cloves for a long time. Take note of the following ingredients and follow the steps of this recipe, you will love it!
Ingredients and materials
- 1 cup of garlic
- 2 cups oil (olive, canola, or sunflower)
- 2 bay leaves (or other herbs or spices of your choice)
- Glass jar (clean and sterilized)
Steps to preserve minced garlic
- Buy good quality garlic (firm, dry, without buds or wrinkles, not yellow, etc.).
- Wash the head of garlic and dry it. Remove any dirt and dry the teeth very well with absorbent kitchen paper. Wash and dry the bay leaf as well.
- Peel the garlic. To make your job easier, use a glass jar; simply close the container and shake the garlic until they loosen their skin. You can also peel them manually.
- Pour the oil and garlic into the blender. Crush the mixture, stir if necessary with a wooden spoon until you get a paste with a homogeneous consistency. Add more oil if you consider it adequate.
- Put the obtained paste inside the glass jar and close it. It must be hermetically sealed.
- Identify the bottle by writing down the name of the product and the date of packaging.
- Refrigerate the garlic paste. The approximate duration is between 6 months and 1 year.
To ensure that the garlic paste is kept in perfect condition, sterilize the jar once closed by placing it in a saucepan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes.
You can use this garlic paste to make any garlic recipe, like these:
- Garlic Potatoes
- Garlic artichokes
Tip: White garlic has a short life and purple garlic lasts longer than the previous one.
How to preserve garlic in olive oil?
Preserves in oil isolate food, which prevents it from coming into contact with microorganisms that accelerate its decomposition. In addition, this type of preserve does not modify the organoleptic characteristics of the food. On the other hand, you can customize this preparation by adding spices and/or herbs.
To carry out this trick and learn how to preserve garlic in oil, you only need to get the following ingredients and follow the indicated steps.
Ingredients and materials
- 1 head of garlic (chopped into small pieces)
- 4 or 5 pepper balls
- 2 bay leaves (also works rosemary, thyme, coriander, basil, parsley, among others)
- Extra virgin olive oil (canoe or sunflower is also used, but the flavor of the preserve varies this way)
- Glass jar (clean and sterilized)
Procedure for preserving garlic in oil
Before going into the details of the preparation, a few tips never hurt, so take note:
- Always keep the garlic covered in oil after each use. This prevents the remaining garlic that is exposed from being damaged.
- Boil the garlic after peeling it. If you prefer garlic with a milder and less aromatic flavor, after peeling it you should boil it for 1 minute. Once boiled, strain them and pass them through cold water (1 or 2 times), dry them very well and, finally, start with the recipe. This is optional.
- Preferably choose olive oil that is used for frying (in case you use the oil during some preparation). Keep in mind that apart from garlic, you can use this aromatic oil for any recipe.
