I have a lot of garlic and I'm wondering what the best way to keep it would be. I have a nice, cool, dark area of my basement to keep it, but I need to do something with it soon, as I've had it for a couple of months and it's beginning to show its age. I'm not going to freeze the raw cloves, as I know (from experience) that they are disgusting when thawed. I am an experienced canner and will not can it due to the botulism risk. The only thing I can think of doing is to roast it, spread it into a paste with olive oil and freeze it in a sheet from which I can break off pieces to add to recipes. Any thoughts?
Too much garlic
- Thread starter velochic
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powerplantop
Executive Chef
We frezze a lot of garlic. We chop it up almost to a paste wrap in plastic, put it in an air tight container and freeze.
Bigjim68
Head Chef
I freeze garlic in whole heads. The color darkens, but the flavor remains the same.
I also think they will keep a while if strung and hung
I also think they will keep a while if strung and hung
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I vote for a cool dark place with air circulation. Perhaps a wire basket or a mesh bag in the cellar.
Claire
Master Chef
I, too, have an excess of garlic at the time. Husband is roasting some as I type. If it looks like it is going south, I'm going to do just what you mentioned, roast then freeze. If you can or do other freezing, just buy (or if you, like me, grow) a lot of tomatoes and make lots of garlicky Italian red sauce or Mexican red sauce/salsa to freeze or can. Luckily, all of my friends and family believe there's no such thing as too much garlic!
Snip 13
Master Chef
Puree the garlic and mix with butter then freeze. You can add this too meat, fish, chicken and veggies etc. Add a few chopped herbs too if liked.
You could also dry the garlic in slices in a food dehydrator and use as is or grind the dry slices to make garlic powder.
If you add some olive oil to crushed garlic before freezing it will defrost better.
You could also dry the garlic in slices in a food dehydrator and use as is or grind the dry slices to make garlic powder.
If you add some olive oil to crushed garlic before freezing it will defrost better.
The leg of a pair of pantyhose makes a perfect "sleeve" for hanging storage in a cellar.
Roast it all off, pack into small mason jars, cover with good oil, and can like you would anything else. Always nice to have some roasted garlic on hand.
danbuter
Senior Cook
Give some to the neighbors.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, canning garlic has no established safe canning process. Not an option for me.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uc_davis/uc_davis_garlic.pdf
They are already stored in pantyhose. They just are reaching the end of their life... harvested this spring and need to be used.
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I know the issue with raw garlic, but I wouldn't have thought that for roasted, butter soft garlic cloves. . .
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
There are sources that suggest that roasted garlic can also pose a botulism risk, but I would imagine it depends on how its roasted.
I just cover the clovers with enough oil to, well, cover, and bring to 300 degree. Let rest for an hour. Basically, Garlic Confit. And it keeps forever.
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It's the sulfur content in garlic that makes it so dangerous to keep in oil, even refrigerated and even roasted. The guidelines are that you can keep it roasted and covered in oil up to three weeks. Not forever. Then again, each person has to do what they feel is in their own best interest. For my family, I will roast it and use it in a day or two, but won't keep it that way for any period of time. (In my defense, I did almost lose my mother and niece to botulism many years ago.) I was looking for a safe long-term solution to preserve them. I may have to make my 40 garlic clove chicken a few times over the next few weeks.
velochic -
if you are going to preserve garlic you should read up on the factual dangers. I got the impression from your earlier post you had done that.
sulfur has nothing to do with "danger" - it's the botulism that is problematic for garlic and indeed all those cute "herbs in oil" things. botulism spores are endemic in the soil; plants - all kinds of plants - get "contaminated"
the botulism spores are completely harmless. it's when they multiply that things go from bad to deadly. a byproduct of botulism reproduction is a toxin - that's the nasty.
botulism requires two conditions to flourish and reproduce: low acid and no oxygen.
submerging it in oil satisfies the "no/low oxygen" part.
commercially canned/jarred garlic & other herbs are treated by additives to be not low acid. in the jar, oxygen is lacking - same as with "home made"
refrigeration slows down reproduction, does not stop botulism reproduction.
you can kill the botulism spores by hold it at a temperature of 240'F or higher for 10 minutes.
nice, but sorta turns it to mush.
curiously the _toxins_ are if fact 'disabled' / rendered harmless by boiling - 10 minutes or more. if you care to take that chance.
storing "home done" fresh garlic/herbs in oil - under refrigeration - in a "not sealed" container - can be done with reasonable safety for periods typically cited as 1 - 2 weeks.
if you are going to preserve garlic you should read up on the factual dangers. I got the impression from your earlier post you had done that.
sulfur has nothing to do with "danger" - it's the botulism that is problematic for garlic and indeed all those cute "herbs in oil" things. botulism spores are endemic in the soil; plants - all kinds of plants - get "contaminated"
the botulism spores are completely harmless. it's when they multiply that things go from bad to deadly. a byproduct of botulism reproduction is a toxin - that's the nasty.
botulism requires two conditions to flourish and reproduce: low acid and no oxygen.
submerging it in oil satisfies the "no/low oxygen" part.
commercially canned/jarred garlic & other herbs are treated by additives to be not low acid. in the jar, oxygen is lacking - same as with "home made"
refrigeration slows down reproduction, does not stop botulism reproduction.
you can kill the botulism spores by hold it at a temperature of 240'F or higher for 10 minutes.
nice, but sorta turns it to mush.
curiously the _toxins_ are if fact 'disabled' / rendered harmless by boiling - 10 minutes or more. if you care to take that chance.
storing "home done" fresh garlic/herbs in oil - under refrigeration - in a "not sealed" container - can be done with reasonable safety for periods typically cited as 1 - 2 weeks.
dcSaute - please go back and reread my posts. I don't think you really read what I wrote. You are actually repeating me (and the link I referenced). Foods that are high in sulfur tend to be low in acid... that makes them more PRONE to botulism, which was my only point in mentioning the high sulfur content. You've not posted anything that I didn't know already. Of course I've done my homework, and my posts reflect that... which is why I said I don't want to can the garlic, but want to extend its life otherwise. I don't need a lesson, thank you very much. I've been canning and been involved with my homemakers extension office for nearly 25 years. My point was that the reason there are no USDA guidelines for canning garlic is because they do not have a safe method developed... because garlic is so, so low in acid, you cannot safely can it without destroying it (unless it's pickled)... and if you don't destroy the flavor and texture, you have not canned it to a temperature/duration that ensures its safety.
I've been canning and been involved with my homemakers extension office for nearly 25 years. My point was that the reason there are no USDA guidelines for canning garlic is because they do not have a safe method developed... because garlic is so, so low in acid, you cannot safely can it without destroying it (unless it's pickled)... and if you don't destroy the flavor and texture, you have not canned it to a temperature/duration that ensures its safety.
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
To be safe it has to be brought up to and maintain a certain temp for a period of time. I'd suggest some research to make sure your method is safe.
Botulism is absolutely nothing to take lightly.
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