How to properly store peeled garlic in the refrigerator?
Before putting garlic in the refrigerator, you need to remember the main storage rules, the implementation of which will help preserve not only the product, but also the beneficial properties included in its composition.
- it is necessary to take only healthy and high-quality cloves, free from the slightest sign of rot, diaper rash and unpleasant odors;
- Even garlic that has been prepared taking into account all the tricks may become unsuitable for consumption over time, so it is necessary to inspect it regularly and, without pity, throw away the one that is affected by putrefactive bacteria or fungus;
- It is strictly forbidden to keep fresh garlic in plastic (including a bag) without ensuring an influx of fresh air, because accumulated moisture will most likely lead to the appearance of mold.
It is best to put the heads or slices in a paper bag, without blocking the air supply, and place them in the far corner of the refrigerator. This way, peeled garlic can remain fresh for a month and wait its turn. It should be remembered that neighboring products run the risk of absorbing the specific aroma of such a preparation.
How to freeze: ideas
The easiest way to keep garlic healthy is to freeze the heads whole. But the taste and shape of thawed cloves will be significantly inferior to fresh ones. Heads of unpeeled garlic are placed in a chamber, wrapped in cling film.
You can also store peeled cloves. Once removed, they will be immediately ready for use. There's no need to defrost them; just place them straight into salads, soups, and other dishes. Use freezer bags or containers for storage. And in order not to mess around, chop or grate the cloves in advance and send the ready-made aromatic additive to the food into the chamber.
Tip from Miss Clean magazine: You don't have to freeze vegetables; there's a place in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator for them.
Another idea for storing garlic in the freezer allows for maximum flavor, aroma, and crunchiness by chopping the garlic cloves and adding them to the sauce.
Here is one of the most popular recipes:
- Take vegetable oil (refined or aromatic sunflower, olive, sesame oil - whatever you like) will do.
- Add fresh chopped parsley, dill, cilantro or any other.
- Peel the garlic, cut the cloves, finely grate or press using a garlic press.
- Mix the sauce thoroughly, add other seasonings if necessary.
- Use small serving containers or clip-on bags for storage.
- Add this mixture to side dishes, soups, and salads as needed.
You can come up with your own recipe for garlic sauce based on butter, sour cream and other products. Approach the issue of storing garlic creatively, and your winter menu will always delight your family.
The easiest way to keep garlic healthy is to freeze the heads whole. But the taste and shape of thawed cloves will be significantly inferior to fresh ones. Heads of unpeeled garlic are placed in a chamber, wrapped in cling film.
Freezing garlic is a great idea for those who love spicy, savory dishes. It will preserve the taste, aroma and your budget. All that remains is to figure out how to prepare the aromatic vegetable correctly.
Garlic keeps well fresh at room temperature. But in such conditions, within a few weeks it dries out and becomes unusable. Freezing eliminates such problems.
Storing garlic in a jar
This is perhaps the most effective way to keep garlic tasty and healthy for a long time.
For this you will need:
- glass jar;
- vegetable oil (you can use other types: olive, flaxseed, etc.);
- a dark place where the sun's rays do not penetrate.
The following is the procedure:
- The jars must be thoroughly rinsed with hot water and detergent, removing any dirt and foreign odors; then let them dry completely.
- Afterwards you should peel the garlic. You can send both whole heads and slices for storage.
- Place the garlic in a dry jar and pour in oil so that it completely covers the cloves.
- Place this preparation in a dark place; use the product as needed.
A pleasant bonus is that the oil will gradually absorb the specific garlic aroma and can be used to prepare various dishes. For example, for dressing salads. This is a simple and convenient method that does not require cost, time or effort.
Peeled garlic
Many people are interested in how to store peeled garlic, because it spoils very quickly. It turns out that this can be done using vegetable oil.
- Wash and dry the quart jar.
- Peel all the cloves.
- Place them tightly in the jar.
- Pour in sunflower or olive oil.
The closed jar should be kept in the refrigerator. If necessary, garlic is taken out and used in salads, sauces, and hot dishes. Oil can also be used, because it will not be spoiled by the garlic, but will only acquire a peculiar smell. Young garlic is often preserved this way.
But you can prepare a young, tasty vegetable in another way. So, green shoots are finely chopped and ground with salt one to one by volume. The seasoning goes well with borscht and some sauces and can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. Young garlic is pickled and rolled into jars; there are a huge number of marinade recipes.
In general, young garlic is very useful to eat fresh, adding to salads, boiled potatoes, and pasta. It gives dishes an incomparable aroma and piquant taste. The young heads are also baked in foil in the oven and served as an appetizer with olive oil and salt.
Frozen garlic
Can garlic be stored in the refrigerator? Of course you can; and it’s better to do it frozen. This is a quick and easy way to ensure long-term storage of the product without harming its taste.
The action plan is extremely simple: take a clean, new plastic bag, food container or foil. Place garlic in it and place in the freezer. It is best to set the temperature as low as possible. When the housewife needs to take a few cloves, they can be broken off from the total mass and left to defrost at room temperature. It is highly not recommended to use boiling water in this case - it will kill vitamins and other beneficial substances (for example, phytoncides)!
Can garlic be stored in the freezer?
Freezing garlic for the winter is not recommended. This is explained by the fact that under the influence of low temperatures the structure, taste and smell of the vegetable changes. After defrosting, the hot spice will acquire a mushy consistency and lose most of its beneficial properties.
If you still have to store some garlic in the freezer, we recommend using the following recipe:
- peel the garlic heads, disassemble them into cloves, select undamaged specimens;
- grind the vegetable cloves in a garlic press, blender or meat grinder, adding your favorite herbs: dill, parsley, rosemary;
- pour a little olive oil into the crushed mass;
- Divide the mixture into ice cube trays and place in the freezer;
- After hardening, the ice cubes can be poured into bags for more convenient storage.
It is recommended to keep the garlic mixture in the freezer for up to 6 months. It can be used as a seasoning for many first and second courses.
Storing garlic is quite easy if you create the right conditions for it. It is better to place spring varieties at room temperature, and winter varieties - in the range of 0˚…+3˚ Celsius. When planning to put away the stock of vegetables in the refrigerator, you need to carefully sort through them and remove damaged specimens. When using any of the storage methods described above, it is important to periodically review your stock and remove heads that have begun to rot or mold. If all requirements are met, the shelf life of fresh garlic can reach 6-8 months, and dried garlic - up to 12 months.
Video: storing garlic
Storing garlic. The garlic seems to have just come from the garden.
Watch this video on YouTube
Video: 7 ways to store garlic
7 WAYS TO STORAGE GARLIC!
Watch this video on YouTube
Do you want to understand better than others?
- How to properly store red caviar in the refrigerator and freezer - Red caviar can decorate any holiday table. Experienced housewives prefer to purchase it in advance, before the upcoming celebration and price increases. So that after long-term storage...
- Is it possible to store honey in the refrigerator: 5 optimal ways - Honey is a natural product that not only improves health, but also promotes a speedy recovery from many diseases. When exposed to high temperatures...
- Rules for long-term storage of cranberries in the refrigerator and without it - Cranberries are a storehouse of useful substances that need to be preserved throughout the winter. It is important that cranberries do not lose their beneficial properties when frozen and long-term storage at home...
- Shelf life of boiled squid in the refrigerator - Squid is a popular seafood product that acts as a source of protein. Necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. All protein foods, in particular all seafood...
- Features of storing flowers in the refrigerator and in room conditions - The life of flowers does not stop after cutting, but without a root, the decay of organic substances begins in them. The death of the plant depends on the speed of the process. To make it last as long as possible...
Storing in jars of flour
To do this, you will need a glass jar with a lid (iron or plastic), previously thoroughly sterilized and dried. Peeled garlic is placed at the bottom. Sprinkle flour on top, making sure there are no worms or other parasites in it. Next, close the jar with a lid and place it in a dry place (room temperature is quite suitable for this storage method). You don’t have to worry about flour either - the phytoncides contained in garlic will repel all parasites from it. True, it will acquire a specific smell.
How to store garlic: proven methods
Garlic planted in spring will be well preserved in a warm room (up to twenty degrees Celsius). Winter garlic planted in the fall should be stored in a cold room (no more than one to three degrees Celsius).
Often, summer residents and gardeners choose a storage location based on the amount of harvest. A small harvest can be stored in an apartment. Usually not much of it is needed, only as an additive to dishes or as a seasoning. If you have a large family and everyone loves garlic, and the harvest exceeds one box, then you will have to use a cellar or balcony.
Storage location is of no small importance for garlic. The room should be cool (from three degrees Celsius to three degrees below zero) and humid (up to eighty percent). Place a large harvest of garlic in cardboard, wooden, or wicker containers
Place a large harvest of garlic in cardboard, wooden, or wicker containers.
If your family only needs a small amount of garlic, then use one of several ways to store garlic in your apartment. Objects and materials from our everyday life are used to store it.
Storing garlic in braids and bunches
Dried garlic stems and heads are woven into a tight braid and hung from the ceiling in the pantry (or in another dry, dark and cool room). This storage method allows you to save space in your home, but it takes some time to create high-quality weaving.
Storing garlic in a net
Garlic is poured into nylon nets with large cells and, as in the previous method, hung closer to the ceiling.
The negative side of these two methods is the possibility of garlic growing and drying out. Therefore, you will need to occasionally sort it and remove the spoiled one.
Storing garlic in salt
As a container, you can take a sterilized glass jar (3-liter) or a small wooden box with small holes for air exchange.
You need to pour a two-centimeter layer of salt on the bottom of the jar, then fill it almost to the top with garlic, and all the voids between the garlic heads must be filled with salt. You also need a layer of salt on top, the same as at the bottom of the jar.
You need to place the garlic in the box in layers - a layer of garlic, and then a layer of salt, and so on until it is full. This garlic will keep well all winter.
Storing garlic in flour
This method involves using a container with a lid. Sprinkle a small layer of flour on the bottom, then place the heads of garlic as tightly as possible, having first rolled them in flour. Then add a layer of flour again and cover with a lid. Flour absorbs excess moisture well, so the garlic will remain fresh until the summer.
Storing garlic in sterile jars
Prepare liter or two liter glass jars, sterilize them and dry them well. They say that garlic can also be stored for a long time in such prepared containers without additional fillers.
Storing garlic in ash
Storing garlic in ash is similar to the salt and flour method. Take a cardboard box and place it alternating a layer of ash and a layer of garlic. The top and bottom layers are necessarily ash. The box can even be stored in the kitchen.
Storing garlic in onion skins
Garlic is stored well in onion skins. You can use any boxes, crates, or even small bags as storage containers. And it’s better to store everything somewhere higher.
Storing garlic in cling film
This film will prevent the garlic heads from drying out. They need to be tightly wrapped in cling film each, preferably in a double layer.
Storing garlic in paraffin
Take regular paraffin candles and melt them in a water bath. Dip each garlic head into hot paraffin and allow excess liquid to drain. When the paraffin has hardened, you can put all the garlic in small cardboard boxes or baskets.
This storage method does not allow moisture to evaporate, as it is prevented by a protective film that covers the entire surface of the garlic. In addition, the film will not allow any pathogenic microbes to penetrate into the vegetable.
Storing garlic in a fabric bag
The bag should be made of any natural material. Soak it for a couple of minutes in a very strong salt solution. Dry it thoroughly. Fill with garlic and leave it on for storage.
In this way, the treated bag will protect the garlic from mold and various diseases.
Useful information Tips for beginners
Storing garlic in salt
Salt is a preservative given by nature. It has long been used to store various products. You will need any container: jar, food container, etc. Sprinkle salt on the bottom, put garlic in it and add plenty of salt again. This way you can make several layers. It is better to store such a workpiece in a dry place out of direct sunlight; and take out the fragrant slices when you need them.
Garlic salt
Another interesting storage option is to make salt from garlic, which can then be used as an aromatic seasoning for meat and fish dishes. To prepare it, you should thoroughly clean each clove and dry it. Then the resulting raw material must be crushed in any convenient way (for example, using a coffee grinder). The resulting powder is mixed with salt and various seasonings (basil, ground pepper, curry, celery, etc.) in a 1:1:1 ratio until smooth. Store in a dry, tightly closed jar.
Garlic puree
Puree is a great example of how to store garlic in the refrigerator without compromising its taste, smell and beneficial properties. True, it will already be in the form of a sauce that can be served with meat and fish dishes. The garlic cloves should be crushed to a paste (a blender or a special press will do the job perfectly), and then mixed with extra virgin olive oil. This sauce will taste amazing! However, it is not recommended to store it for more than a week.
You might be interested in
- How to store packages: ideas
- Rules for long-term storage of flour
- Storing garlic in the apartment
Storage Features
To keep garlic fresh and flavorful for a long period of time, it is important to find the right place for it. It must meet the following requirements:
- have a comfortable temperature;
- be out of direct sunlight;
- well ventilated;
- have favorable humidity.
The optimal storage temperature for garlic differs depending on its variety:
- Sowing of spring varieties of vegetables is usually carried out in the second half of April, and harvesting - in early August. They have good shelf life and can be stored throughout winter and spring. The most suitable temperature for storage is from +16˚ to +20˚ Celsius. Air humidity should be between 50-60%.
- Winter garlic is usually planted in late September - early October. The harvest takes place in July. This variety of vegetable is quite finicky in storage and rarely lasts until spring. The most suitable temperature regime is 0˚…+3˚ Celsius, air humidity is 70-80%.
To ensure the preservation of the taste and beneficial properties of hot spices, it is necessary to select healthy, ripe heads without signs of damage for storage. The husk should fit tightly to the teeth and be strong.
Before storing garlic for long-term storage, it is necessary to prepare it:
- If you dig up a vegetable yourself, you should dry it in the sun for several days;
- dry stems need to be trimmed, leaving no more than 5 cm;
- To prevent the crop from sprouting during storage, experienced housewives recommend scorching the stems on a fire or stove.