Preserving Garlic

Today, I spent several hours preserving garlic. 

Normally, garlic seems to keep for a very long time, but this lot has started sprouting.  There is no way I’m going to be able to get through 8 bulbs of garlic before it becomes rubbery so I thought about other ways of keeping it.  I also have garlic growing that should be ready soon.

I peeled and finely chopped 3 bulbs and placed it into a small jar.  When it was full, I covered it in olive oil.  As this jar had a metal lid (that seals) with it, I sat the whole jar, without the lid, in a coffee mug of boiling water to gently heat the oil enough to make the button go down on the lid.

I also did another larger jar with whole peeled cloves of garlic.

The oil will keep the garlic from going off and the bonus is that when I’ve used the garlic, I also have garlic infused olive oil.  The other bonus is that when I come to use this garlic, it’s no hassle, just pull out what I need and add it to whatever I’m cooking.  All the preparation is already done.

When I’m preserving, I like to use the jars with the metal lids - jam jars, pasta sauce jars, even the small mustard jars - because they do create a good airtight seal and I know that my hard work isn’t going to be wasted.  The thing to watch with these jars though is whether or not they are coated on the underside of the lid.  If not, then don’t use that jar for a pickle as the vinegar will make the lid rust.

Costwise, I already had the jars and the garlic, the only new thing I used was approximately 1 cup of extra light olive oil.  At about $11.00 a litre, this means it cost me $2.75 for two jars of garlic.

The Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is well-known for its effects on your breath and loved anyway.  Plenty of folk cures for colds and flu contain garlic - from eating it to putting cut pieces on the soles of your feet.  Garlic is a good source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B5 and F as well as containing other essential minerals.

Garlic’s herbal medicinal actions are:

Antibiotic, expectorant, promotes sweating, reduces blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels, anticoagulant and antiparasitic.

For an update on my preserved garlic - see here.