ISO help preserving garlic

[mija]

My husband has grown lots of garlic. I can't use it all fresh and would like to preserve it in jars (a bit like the jars you buy in supermarkets). How do I do that? Do I need to blanch/boil it? Can I puree it? Would lime/ olive oil/salt help?

 

[Hoot]

You can certainly store it in the fridge for a fairly long period of time, minced in olive oil, You can also store the bulbs, in the paper, in a dark, fairly dry spot too. I am certain that there will be more suggestions soon. There are a whole bunch of some of the best
minds in the world here, when it comes to food ....Welcome to D.C.!!!

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

Here are some links with methods for preserving garlic:

Preserving garlic
Preserving Garlic | eHow.com
Preserving garlic

I really liked the idea of mincing it and mixing it into butter and then freezing the butter.

The FDA has stated that garlic in olive oil is not safe for long term storage unless stored in the freezer. It can be used for short term storage if it's refrigerated. You can find out more about it here:

FCS8743/FY487: Herbs and Garlic-in-Oil Mixtures: Safe Handling Practices for Consumers

On a side note, the FDA's document on this is not a fun read. I only sort of tried it and realized quickly I didn't have the attention span for something that wordy.

 

[blissful]

An easy way to get the wrappers off of each clove, is first break the bulb apart and take off any dirt and the root. Blanche them for about 1 minute in boiling water (a few cups at a time), let cool. The wrappers will just slip off and you won't have crushed garlic cloves (like you would if you tried to take the paper wrappers off by smashing the clove with a knife).

I put them in a brine and put them in the fridge. I used some salt, vinegar, sugar as the brine. Mine are still beautiful and taste good, and are crunchy--I made them last fall.
You can add herbs and spices to the brine if you like. I have not tried to can them for long term storage.

I've cleaned up ginger and garlic and run it through the food processor, then frozen the mixture in small zip lock bags, pressed flat. When I need the garlic ginger combination, I just break a small piece from the flat chunk and put it in my stir fry or dish and return the rest to the freezer.

You can do the same thing with just garlic, or garlic and oil in the freezer. Remember though, do not refrigerate or leave garlic and oil at room temperature, it's a recipe for disaster.

 

[blissful]

If you are going to can pickled garlic, follow a University Extension recipe that has been tested safe for canning. Here is one:
http://county.wsu.edu/chelan-douglas/health/Documents/Pickled Garlic.pdf

 

[Rocklobster]

I just peel and freeze them. Done. No jars, oil, sterilizing or chance of failure. They turn dark and mushy when thawed, but there is no tase difference. I usually end up mincing them while they are still frozen anyway.

 

[jennyema]

I freeze garlic. I dont bother to peel them, as the skin just slips off when thawed.

Storing garlic in oil is dangerous.

 

[Bigjim68]

I freeze garlic. I dont bother to peel them, as the skin just slips off when thawed.

Storing garlic in oil is dangerous.

That works for me. Just toss whole heads in a ziplock and freeze. I find the color darkens in the freezer, but the flavor remains.

 

[mrs.mom]

I mince the garlic and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pack it in a jar and store it in the freezer. The salt does not allow any color changes in the garlic. But the problem is with the smell. Frozen garlic gives a garlic smell to everything in the freezer even if the jar is properly sealed

 

[jennyema]

That works for me. Just toss whole heads in a ziplock and freeze. I find the color darkens in the freezer, but the flavor remains.

That's exactly what I do. If you use it while stil frozen it doesn't turn as dark. I find that it loses a bit of pop, so I usually use more.

My freezer doesn't smell of garlic.

 

[Trish0630]

I like your food processor idea and I'll give it a try. I also stored my garlic in a cool dark place and it lasted almost all winter. It was still very useable even at the end.

 

[EatLoveMove]

I just peel and freeze them. Done. No jars, oil, sterilizing or chance of failure. They turn dark and mushy when thawed, but there is no tase difference. I usually end up mincing them while they are still frozen anyway.

How dark do they go once thawed? Are they still crisp?

 

[EatLoveMove]

That's exactly what I do. If you use it while stil frozen it doesn't turn as dark. I find that it loses a bit of pop, so I usually use more.

My freezer doesn't smell of garlic.

I think the garlic only makes a freezer smell when its been minced, not put in as whole cloves.