Canning garlic with tupperware container?

[pengyou]

I love to eat pickled garlic....minced in salads...pureed and spread on bread...even straight. I have looked up some recipes - very simple - but they are full of warnings about safety. Safety is important. I have some glass canning type jars I can use but I would like to make a small batch first -20 cloves or so - and if I like the recipe, I will move on up. I have a rectangular tupperware type container that I would like to use to pickle the garlic. It is big enough to hold 25-30 cloves of garlic and be only slightly more than half full. The recipe calls for storing in the fridge for at least a week, or up to 3 months. Can I use the plastic box (after dipping in boiling water, etc)?

[pepperhead212]

I wouldn't recommend that. Is there a reason you are using Tupperware, as opposed to a glass jar? If this is just some cold pickling method, you could half fill a jar, with no problem. Plus, the plastic containers probably would not keep the garlic odor in, and it will permeate the refrigerator.

[pengyou]

The recipe calls for filling the container to the top of the container...trying to save a little vinegar :( I do have a small mayonaise jar that is glass...it is the right volume. Can I use that?

[pepperhead212]

I save glass jars like that all the time. Most jars I save have rubber seals, but you'd have to keep an eye on them, to make sure if there is any fermentation, pressure doesn't build up in them.

[GotGarlic]

Just wanted to clarify that you are talking about pickling, not canning. Canning involves heating the jars in boiling water for a specific amount of time. You can do this with pickles or with other high-acid foods like jams, chutneys and relishes.