Storing Fresh Garlic

[jennyema]

I peel the cloves, put them in a zip lock bag, and toss the bag in the freezer. When I need a clove or two, I take them out and use them.

I freeze garlic too. Just froze 6 heads yesterday.

But I don't peel them first anymore, as the peel comes right off the frozen cloves.

 

[marigeorge]

I keep a small amount in the freezer, but the majority is in a basket on the counter with the shallots.

 

[tanya]

I just store mine in a cupboard... It seems to be doing okay?

 

[Callisto in NC]

Same here, like this from Amazon.com:

Garlic will keep for a week or two in such containers, depending on the humidity and temperature of your kitchen. After that, it may begin to sprout or develop brown spots, and it's then time to toss it.

Best bet is not to buy too much at one time.

Did you mean to say a week or a month? I have garlic bought at the Ren Faire in November that is still fresh, hasn't sprouted, and still very flavorful, you buy it in a sleeve of about 20 bulbs.

I've put garlic alone on the counter and its lasted longer than a week.

Mine is in the back of a cupboard right now because it's cool and dark but not freezing. It's still beautiful.

 

[CharlieD]

A dry cool dark area with plenty of air circulation is ideal. I store mine in a basket in the kitchen or sometimes even on the kitchen counter. It is not dark, but it is dry and usually cool with lots of air circulation.

It's cool in your kitchen? What have you been doing? You quite cooking? What's happening? My kitchen is always hot. Unless I sit here rather than in the kitchen.

I keep garlic stored in refrigerator.

 

[GB]

My kitchen is next to my breeze way which is aptly named. Our breeze way is FREEZING. We do not have a storm door and it is very very draft. The cold air pours into the kitchen even when I am cooking full throttle. At least at this time of year.

 

[Glorie]

I keep garlic stored in refrigerator.

Doesn't it mold in the refrigerator?

 

[Scotch]

Did you mean to say a week or a month? I have garlic bought at the Ren Faire in November that is still fresh, hasn't sprouted, and still very flavorful, you buy it in a sleeve of about 20 bulbs.

I've put garlic alone on the counter and its lasted longer than a week.

Mine is in the back of a cupboard right now because it's cool and dark but not freezing. It's still beautiful.

Depends on how old it is when you buy it. Most of the garlic consumed in this country now comes from China, not the fields of Gilroy, which are now mostly tract homes. And I did mean a week -- I can't speak to longer periods as a head of garlic never survives more than a week in my kitchen.

 

[Callisto in NC]

It's cool in your kitchen? What have you been doing? You quite cooking? What's happening? My kitchen is always hot. Unless I sit here rather than in the kitchen.

I keep garlic stored in refrigerator.

My kitchen has no heater so it's only warm if I run the oven which is rarely. It's also adjacent to my alcove which is open to the elements and where I do laundry. If I want to do dishes on a winter morning, I have to turn the oven on so a cupboard in the kitchen is perfect in my house.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Depends on how old it is when you buy it. Most of the garlic consumed in this country now comes from China, not the fields of Gilroy, which are now mostly tract homes. And I did mean a week -- I can't speak to longer periods as a head of garlic never survives more than a week in my kitchen.

Do you have any statistics that back your China claim up? Gilroy is not the only producer of garlic in this country but I promise you China is not where my garlic is coming from. I even bothered to google your claim and there is no foundation for such a statement.

 

[jennyema]

Do you have any statistics that back your China claim up? Gilroy is not the only producer of garlic in this country but I promise you China is not where my garlic is coming from. I even bothered to google your claim and there is no foundation for such a statement.

There is a very good chance that if your garlic does not specifiy that it comes from CA or somewhere else, that it indeed comes from China.

China produces 75% of the world's garlic and a large majority of the garlic sold in the US.

Garlic grown in California is generally ridiculously expensive, when you can find it at all.]

Here's a Washington Post article detailing it all: Cause for Concern In Chinese Bulbs? - washingtonpost.com

 

[Callisto in NC]

There is a very good chance that if your garlic does not specifiy that it comes from CA or somewhere else, that it indeed comes from China.

China produces 75% of the world's garlic and a large majority of the garlic sold in the US.

Garlic grown in California is generally ridiculously expensive, when you can find it at all.]

Here's a Washington Post article detailing it all: Cause for Concern In Chinese Bulbs? - washingtonpost.com

Mine says California on it. The sleeve I bought at the Faire was Gilroy Garlic guaranteed.

 

[jennyema]

If it says that then you're good. It's very hard to find here. And wicked expensive.

I'd venture to say that most unsleeved garlic comes from China. As does most of the sleeved bulbs, which are labeled with the country of origin (or should be).

 

[Callisto in NC]

If it says that then you're good. It's very hard to find here. And wicked expensive.

I'd venture to say that most unsleeved garlic comes from China. As does most of the sleeved bulbs, which are labeled with the country of origin (or should be).

I bought mine from here: Garlic Festival Foods when they came out for Ren. They do it every year and every year I buy a sleeve.

Interestingly, by the picture in the article, the stuff I saw at Walmart looks like what the article deemed "locally grown" so I googled it. Garlic Home ~ seems I'm in a state where we can get locally grown garlic, which is great because I prefer to support local growers than a country I'll never go to.

 

[jennyema]

I bought mine from here: Garlic Festival Foods when they came out for Ren. They do it every year and every year I buy a sleeve.

Interestingly, by the picture in the article, the stuff I saw at Walmart looks like what the article deemed "locally grown" so I googled it. Garlic Home ~ seems I'm in a state where we can get locally grown garlic, which is great because I prefer to support local growers than a country I'll never go to.

I wholeheartedly agree! But there's nothing growing up here during the winter and there's really no place to buy garlic but farmer's markets in the summer.

 

[CharlieD]

Doesn't it mold in the refrigerator?

Mold? Mold in refrigerator? You must be kidding? Never. It may dry out or stat sprauting in a couple of month or more, but never mold. Even if it is pilled it doesn't. And then usualy I use a lots of garlic when I cook. But never the less i do have garlic I bought couple of month ago, becaus eof this thread I went and checked on it. It started to spraut. But for sure no mold.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I wholeheartedly agree! But there's nothing growing up here during the winter and there's really no place to buy garlic but farmer's markets in the summer.

I asked the guy at Walmart today and he said that their garlic is not from China and that most of the time it is locally grown but when it isn't it's from the US. They actually label it as "grown in the USA" right next to the price.

 

[Asmodean]

We keep garlic in unpeeled head form in a well ventilated terra cotta container at room temperature.

That's exactly what we do too

 

[Dellasue]

I just was given fresh, out of the garden garlic, with stalks intact. How long would you all let them dry out before they are ready to use in cooking?

 

[NZDoug]

Here in NZ, locally grown garlic is 4x the cost of Chinese garlic so supermarkets sell the Chinese.
The Chinese looks white and the local is white/ purpley cloves.
If growing garlic at home, the NZ garlic does better in its natural environment
And we just past the shortest day, so its garlic planting time.