freezing garlic

[CIVANO]

We grow enough garlic for a years use but after 6 or 7 months it is sprouting if it is taken out or the fridge or turning brown if stored at 55-60 degrees in the dark. I found this and wondered if any of you have tried it. I would assume you could grate the frozen garlic cloves. It would extend the garlic use if it works

 

[Dogbreath]

I like to freeze roast Garlic that way didn't know it was so easy to do regular cloves.

 

[absolon]

I buy 5 pound bags of peeled raw garlic from a restaurant supplier and vacuum pack it in roughly 1 cup quantities. I keep the open bag I'm using from in the freezer in a zip lock bag along with all the sealed packs and it keeps just fine for more than a year. I do make sure to get it packed and frozen as soon as I get it.

It can be sliced or chopped but texture isn't quite the same so it's best put through a garlic press into what ever is getting cooked.

 

[CIVANO]

found this short video on garlic puree. I am going to try this on some extra garlic we grew this summer

 

[sly_karma]

I've withdrawn my post about preserving garlic in oil. Although I've not had any issues personally, I've been made aware of possible botulism development in such products.

 

[CIVANO]

I've withdrawn my post about preserving garlic in oil. Although I've not had any issues personally, I've been made aware of possible botulism development in such products.

I looked at that and in olive oil no more than 4 days in refrigerator because of botulism. Freezer it said 4 months. My freezer is minus 8 F.

 

[CIVANO]

KNOWLEDGE ARTICLE
Research performed by the University of Georgia confirmed that mixtures of garlic in oil stored at room temperature are at risk for the development of botulism. Garlic in oil should be made fresh and stored in the refrigerator at 40 °F or lower for no more than 7 days. It may be frozen for several months. Package in glass freezer jars or plastic freezer boxes, leaving ½-inch headspace. Label, date, and freeze. For more information, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Foodborne Botulism.

 

[fishforfun]

We grow a ton of garlic as well, but we get a fair bit of spoilage over the winter despite best efforts

Now we blanch the cloves, remove the skin, mince in a food processor, dehydrate, then back into the food processor. Fair bit of effort but the dried garlic is excellent and lasts forever

 

[absolon]

Any botulism microbe that might be in or on garlic is inactivated by freezing and vaccuum packing in small packages is an effective way to do so. If frozen garlic is used immediately once removed from the freezer the risk is minimal.

Problems arise from what is done with it after thawing. Thawing it and storing in the fridge for later use, particularly in oil, is not a good idea. Botulism requires an anerobic environment and warmer temperatures to multiply and does so at rates similar to other food-borne microorganisms.

That being said, it's up to each individual to understand it and decide if the risk level is acceptable.

 

[M1SF1T]

We hang our crop in a mesh bag in a cold cellar. Keeps well until the next summer. summer varietals are better than others.