Chefs store garlic to last 12 months: yours is soft after 3 weeks

Some people love it, others can’t get enough of it. Still, garlic is a staple in kitchens across the world. Not only does it add an unmistakable flavour to dishes, but it also has many health benefits. The problem arises, however, when the cloves start to shrivel, sprout or mould before they can be used up. How to store garlic properly so that it lasts more than a few weeks without losing its strength and aroma?

The answer can be found in a few proven methods that will help you keep it fresh for an incredibly long time.

What are they?

How to store fresh garlic

The secret to a long shelf life starts with whole, unpeeled drumsticks – the key is to store them in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. A pantry, cupboard, but also a mesh bag or wire basket are great for this. Avoid plastic bags, which suffocate the garlic and encourage mould growth.

Temperature is also important, ideally between 15-18 °C. Storing it at lower temperatures (4-15 °C), for example in the fridge, will speed up germination and soften it.

Once the head has been split, use the cloves within a few weeks as their shelf life is significantly reduced. That’s why chefs recommend keeping the heads whole and peeling them just before using them. It’s a simple trick that alone will extend shelf life by up to several months.

What to do with peeled cloves?

In the modern kitchen, it’s often useful to have garlic prepared in advance, but it’s the peeled cloves that are prone to spoiling quickly. They will last for about a week in the fridge in a sealed container, then they start to lose their flavour and firmness. Professionals therefore advise preserving them in a different way: pickled in vinegar or wine, or frozen. In an acidic environment, the growth of bacteria stops and the garlic retains its distinctive flavour for several months.

Methods for long-term preservation

If you have a large quantity of garlic that you know you won’t be using anytime soon, there are effective methods that can preserve it for several months.

The following techniques will remove the moisture and prevent it from spoiling.

1. Freezing

You can freeze garlic in several forms – whole unpeeled cloves or even those already stripped of their skins. Simply place them in freezer bags. However, for the peeled ones, it is ideal to freeze them individually on a tray first and then put them in a bag.

You can also prepare a garlic paste. Simply blend the cloves with a little water, pour the paste into ice cube trays and freeze. It will keep for up to six months in this form. Remember, however, that you must wrap the garlic tightly even in the freezer to prevent its strong aroma from spreading to other foods.

2. Drying

Slice the cloves thinly and dry them in a food dehydrator until they are crisp. You can store the dried slices in an airtight container in a cool, dry place where they will keep for up to a year.

If you like, you can even grind them into garlic powder or make homemade garlic salt.

Watch out for the oil!

Many of us are familiar with some of those recipes for oil-cured garlic, but caution is needed here – raw garlic cured in oil and left at room temperature is an ideal environment for the growth of a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum, which can be deadly.

If you still want to prepare it in this way, you should acidify the garlic beforehand or store it exclusively in the fridge and use it within four days. Again, freezing is a safer option – the garlic oil can then be used just as conveniently but without the risk.

If you generally prefer liquid forms, storage in vinegar or wine is more reliable in this case, as the acidic environment prevents bacterial growth. Moreover, the procedure is very simple: dip the peeled cloves in undiluted vinegar or wine and store in the fridge. This not only preserves the garlic, but also gives you flavoured vinegar or wine that you can use in cooking.

By using these simple and proven methods, you’ll never have to worry about your garlic ending up in the trash sooner than it should. You’ll always have it on hand, at full strength and quality, just like the best chefs.