Buzz
No matter how you store fresh garlic, it will eventually dry out and spoil. To extend its shelf life, pickling garlic is an excellent solution. Pickled garlic offers a distinct flavor that slightly differs from fresh garlic while retaining its characteristic taste. Whether you're a garlic enthusiast or simply using it to ward off evil spirits, this guide provides a simple method to pickle garlic effectively.
Ingredients
Basic Ingredients
- 0.5 kg of dried garlic
- 300 ml of white wine vinegar (can be substituted with apple cider vinegar)
- 170 ml of water
- 1 tablespoon of table salt or pickling salt (fine salt may cloud the brine)
- 4 chili peppers (optional, preferably pre-pickled)
- Half a lemon
- 4 jars with a capacity of 500 ml
Ingredients for Pickling
- 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon of peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon of cloves
- 1 tablespoon of ground coriander seeds
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 4 bay leaves
Steps
Preparing the Pickling Solution and Garlic
Prepare the jars for pickling. Before starting, ensure that the jars are thoroughly sterilized. Even a small trace of dirt can spoil the entire batch of pickled garlic, so it’s crucial to sterilize the jars properly. After sterilization, place the jars on a clean towel on the kitchen counter to air dry.
- Perhaps the easiest way to sterilize is to wash the jars and lids in a dishwasher on the "sterilize" setting. If you don’t have a dishwasher or it lacks a sterilization function, boil the jars and lids in water for 10 minutes to sterilize them.
- Use clean tongs or jar lifters to handle sterilized jars if needed. Bacteria can transfer if your hands touch the jars or lids.
- Avoid using old jam or candy jars for pickling, as they may not preserve food properly. Instead, opt for jars with airtight seals. If you still wish to use old jam jars, store the pickled garlic in the refrigerator and consume it within 3 months.
Place the clean jars into a pot and heat gently over low heat. You can let the jars warm up while preparing the garlic and the pickling solution.
Peel the garlic. If you have a large amount of garlic to peel, it can feel overwhelming. Looking for an efficient way to peel garlic? Here are two basic methods to peel multiple cloves quickly:
- Shake vigorously. Separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves and place them in a metal bowl. Cover with another metal bowl of the same size, creating a seal. Hold tightly with both hands and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. The skins will come right off!
- Blanch the garlic. Submerge the garlic cloves in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove and immediately transfer to cold water to cool. Peel the garlic while submerged. The skins will slide off easily after blanching.
Prepare the pickling solution. Combine water, vinegar, and salt in a pot and simmer over low heat. Remember to stir until the salt dissolves.
- Use stainless steel, Teflon, ceramic, or glass pots. Avoid copper pots, as excess copper can cause the garlic to turn green or blue.
Pickling the Garlic
Add the spices and herbs you desire into the jars. Four airtight jars with a 500 ml capacity can hold 0.5 kg of garlic. In each jar, add a quarter of the spices along with a sprig of thyme and one bay leaf.
Divide the garlic evenly into the jars. Be careful not to overfill – all the garlic needs to be fully submerged in the liquid.
Pour enough pickling solution into each jar, then add a slice of lemon on top to keep the garlic submerged. Wipe any spilled solution from the jar rims. Seal the jars tightly but not excessively. The heating and cooling process will create a vacuum seal.
Heat the jars of pickled garlic. Gradually increase the heat of the pot until the water simmers. Use jar lifters to place the jars into the pot.
- Add boiling water to the pot if needed to raise the water level to 2.5 cm above the jar rims.
- Place the jars on a metal rack at the bottom of the pot to prevent direct heat exposure, which could cause the jars to crack.
Leave the jars in the pot over low heat for about 15 minutes. The heating and subsequent cooling process will create a vacuum seal at the jar openings, preserving the garlic.
Remove the jars from the boiling water and let them cool completely. Be careful not to tilt the jars when removing them. Ensure proper sealing with these tips:
- After cooling, press the center of the jar lids to check for a slight indentation. If it doesn’t pop back, the jar isn’t sealed properly.
- Reheat any unsealed jars if you can’t consume them immediately. Use new lids and boil for an additional 15 minutes.
Tips
- Pickled garlic may turn blue or green if the garlic is not fully mature or sufficiently dry. Red-skinned garlic varieties can also change to blue or green when pickled. This color change does not indicate spoilage, and the garlic remains safe to eat.
Warnings
- If, after heating the jars, you open them and do not hear a vacuum seal release, do not consume the contents. This indicates improper pickling, which could lead to food poisoning.
