How To Store Garlic

Whether you buy garlic from a vegetable market or pluck it fresh from your garden, you make sure that only the large and aromatic garlic bulbs go into your cooking. But it is not always possible to visit the market to get a few fresh bulbs. Nor is it likely that the garlic plant will give you those flavorful bulbs on a regular basis. A few days after you store the garlic in your refrigerator, the bulbs start fading and losing their color and texture only to give you dried unsavory pods. What can be done under such circumstances? Wondering how to retain the flavor and texture of plucked garlic? The answer is proper storage. Garlic should be properly stored to preserve its original taste and aroma. But how can you achieve this considering garlic cannot keep well for long? Let us examine all what you need to do to store garlic and retain its freshness for longer periods, with the help of some useful tips listed herein.

Storing Garlic

If you’ve harvested fresh garlic from the vegetable garden, wash the bulbs and roots thoroughly. Hang them from their stalks and allow them to dry completely. This will keep the flavor intact.
As for store-bought garlic, you can keep it fresh and flavorful for months by storing whole bulbs at room temperature in a dry, dark place with sufficient ventilation. Once you remove the garlic cloves from their bulbs, their life starts decreasing.
Keep the garlic in a wire-mesh basket inside a cupboard or under a small overturned clay pot to preserve its color and texture.
Transfer all the garlic in a paper bag, egg carton, or mesh bag and place it anywhere with lots of dry air and some light to slow down sprouting.
You are cooking your hubby’s favorite chicken recipe and you have hurriedly minced more garlic than the required quantity. Instead of worrying about disposing off the extra garlic, transfer into an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator until further use.
Markets have introduced specially designed containers with holes allowing the air to circulate throughout the garlic cloves. Purchase one and fit in all garlic bulbs possible.
Roasting garlic and storing it is another way to preserve its flavor and texture. Peel off the papery cover from the garlic cloves and slice off the top portions of each clove. Place them on a baking dish and drizzle some olive oil. Wrap the dish with foil and bake at 400 °F for 45 minutes. Remove and separate the cloves. Store them in an airtight container until required.

Other Tips

Avoid refrigerating garlic or storing them in plastic bags. Doing so will lead to growth of mold.
Never freeze garlic as it loses its flavor and texture too soon. Most people freeze garlic to keep it in its original state, but it is not recommended.
Never ever store garlic in oil. The dangerous toxins so formed at room temperature can cause botulism and even death.
Garlic bulbs and cloves when stored in the refrigerator by themselves, are likely to turn soft and moldy.

By following these garlic storage tips, you can make the most out of it when cooking. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and add that extra flavor to your dish.

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