Little tricks on how to store spring garlic at home until spring

Growing a good harvest of spring garlic or purchasing good quality heads does not mean providing yourself with a healthy product for the whole winter.

To preserve its beneficial properties, you will have to resort to the tricks of experienced summer residents, who claim that properly prepared products can be kept suitable for consumption until the new harvest.

Read the article on how to properly store spring garlic.

Preparation for storage

Proper preparation of spring garlic for long-term storage is the most important condition, which includes compliance with harvesting deadlines and rules.

You can determine the timing of product readiness using the following criteria:

• yellowing of plant leaves at the base;
• softness of the root collar;
• condition of the scales - if they are smooth and strong, then the crop is ripe.

Harvesting and preparation technology

Long-term storage is also ensured by compliance with product cleaning rules. Compliance with them is the key to high shelf life and quality:

1. Harvesting is important in dry and sunny weather.
2. It is better to dig up ripe heads with a fork, since using a shovel or pulling them out of the ground can damage the bulb.
3. The harvested crop must be dried for a week in the beds or under a canopy along with the tops, spreading the produce on burlap in one layer.
4. After drying the bulbs, clean them of any remaining soil.
5. As it dries, cut off the roots, leaving 2 - 3 cm, leaving the stem at least 15 cm.
6. To increase shelf life, the roots can be burned over a candle flame.
7. Damaged heads should be immediately discarded; they are not suitable for storage.

Ignoring these stages of preparation leads to early spoilage of spring garlic and loss of its beneficial properties. High-quality preparation is the key to the safety of products until the next harvest.

How to save as long as possible?

The desire to use fresh garlic for as long as possible is understandable. After all, it is in it that the taste and pungent smell are preserved, protecting against germs and viruses.

The easiest way to store products is in the basement, cellar or garage. But if these premises do not exist, then you should not despair. There are effective methods that ensure long-term storage of fresh garlic throughout the winter.

In a refrigerator

The refrigerator would be the best place for long-term storage of spring garlic, if not for the high humidity. It is the high level of humidity that provokes the germination of cloves, after which the product loses its properties.

But there are effective methods that help prevent spoilage by placing it in the refrigerator. Here are some of them:

Using cling film

You can keep garlic heads fresh for 2-3 months using a simple method:

1. Select well-dried heads without damage.
2. Wrap each onion tightly in 2 to 3 layers of cling film.
3. Place in the vegetable compartment or on the shelves in the door.

As you use the garlic cloves, the film will have to be changed. Otherwise, moisture ingress during unwrapping may lead to damage to the remaining slices.

Plastic containers

Place the garlic heads in 1-2 layers in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Place each layer with paper towels or napkins. They are used to absorb excess moisture.

Instead of a container, you can use plastic bags with a sealed closure. Products are stored on the lower shelves of the refrigerator. The storage period is 2 – 3 months.

Paper bags

This method involves storing both whole heads and individual cloves. If you sprinkle them with dry onion peels, the products will not spoil for 5–6 months.

In the freezer

The main advantage of freezing garlic is the compactness of the workpiece. To store products in the freezer, proceed as follows:

• the cloves are peeled, crushed in a blender or ground in a meat grinder;
• You can put the garlic mass in its pure form into ice molds and, placing it in the freezer, wait until it freezes completely;
• Place the frozen cubes in a plastic container and close the lid tightly;
• You can add herbs and vegetable oil to the crushed mass, then freeze it as described above.

This rational method has its pros and cons.

Advantages:

• storage duration compared to other methods;
• preservation of all useful microelements;
• 100% guarantee of antibacterial properties;
• compactness;
• ready-to-use seasoning.

Among the advantages, storage duration should also be mentioned. The shelf life of the frozen mass is 8 months. After this time, the product becomes completely useless.

Flaws:

• the sharpness of taste changes;
• when defrosted, it loses its attractive appearance;
• no specific aroma.

This video will show you how to freeze garlic for the winter:

At room temperature

In the absence of a basement and an insulated balcony, there is a place for dry garlic heads in the kitchen. Products can be hung as decoration if the garlic is braided, or place it on cabinet shelves, having previously placed it in containers with tight-fitting lids.

In banks

Glass containers are an excellent option for storing garlic indoors. Jars from 0.5 to 1 liter are suitable for this. You can find out more about storing garlic in jars here.

There are several ways to store the product in containers that fit perfectly in kitchen cabinets:

1. Even peeled garlic cloves placed in a tightly screwed glass jar will last for one and a half to two months.
2. You can store peeled garlic cloves for up to 3 months if you cover them with vegetable oil - olive or sunflower. At the same time, for cooking you can use not only the cloves themselves, but also oil with the smell of garlic. This garlic should be stored in the refrigerator.
3. By sprinkling the garlic cloves with salt or flour, you can keep them in excellent condition for 4–5 months.To do this, you need to lay them in layers in a jar, sprinkled with rock salt. Fine iodized salt is not suitable for this method.

The video will show you how to store garlic in a three-liter jar:

In braids

In the kitchen, spring garlic can be stored braided. For this:

• tie a large head with twine or twine, leaving two free ends on the sides and placing the stem from the main garlic head in the middle;
• then they weave in other bulbs one by one, picking up their stems along with the ends of the twine and intertwining them with the main stem;
• Having finished weaving the braid, the remaining stems are trimmed, and a loop is made from the twine so that the braid can be hung;
• you can do it simpler - tie several onions with twine and hang the bunch in the kitchen;
• Instead of braiding a braid, you can put the heads of garlic in a nylon stocking, however, you will have to hang the garlic in the stocking in a place hidden from prying eyes.

other methods

If desired, you can resort to reliable methods such as canning or drying products. Among the advantages of the method is that it does not require much storage space. Plus, you always have seasoning on hand, ready to use.

Conservation

To prepare, you will need to sterilize small glass jars. Requirements for containers include tight-fitting lids.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg garlic;
• 200 ml vegetable oil;
• black pepper and salt to taste.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Divide the garlic heads into cloves and remove flakes.
2. Grind with a meat grinder or blender.
3. Add pre-boiled and cooled oil.
4. Season with spices.
5. Place into jars and close tightly.

Store hot seasoning in the refrigerator. The same composition can be placed in a container with cells and frozen.

Salting and pickling garlic for the winter, video recipe:

Drying

For lovers of dry spices, there is another recipe. To do this, dry and grind spring garlic.

Ingredients:

• 200 g parsley root;
• 300 - 400 g garlic;
• ground pepper and salt - according to taste preferences.

Preparation:

1. Cut the garlic and parsley roots into thin slices.
2. Place on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 50°C.
3. Grind into powder using a coffee grinder.
4. Add spices and mix thoroughly.
5. Place the finished mixture in a dry glass container and store in a dry, dark place.

Garlic prepared in this way retains all its properties. And does not lose them until 12 months.

This video will show you how to dry garlic:

How long does it last?

When creating a comfortable temperature from 12 to 15°C and moderate humidity not exceeding 60%, spring garlic properly prepared for storage retains its presentation and beneficial properties from autumn to May.

At room temperature, the products also do not spoil for a year, but the beneficial properties last only 8 months. The same periods are recommended for storage in the refrigerator and freezer.

Difference in timing for spring and winter

Spring garlic is stored better and longer than winter garlic. Wherein winter germinates less often, but its cloves dry out after 5-6 months and become empty.

What to do if it sprouts?

There is no point in storing sprouted garlic. If you process it in time, the cloves will not lose their sharpness and piquancy of taste and aroma.

Therefore, if green sprouts are found, it is recommended to make a canned product from such a product for the winter, freeze the ground mixture, or prepare a dried spice.

Adviсe

If desired, you can use original methods of storing spring garlic. Here are some tips to take note:

1. You can dip the dry heads into melted paraffin, then lay them out on a flat surface until they harden. This garlic should be stored in drawers and boxes with holes.
2. Instead of salt, use sifted wood ash to sprinkle the heads.
3. To eliminate the effect of high humidity on garlic, you can sprinkle it with onion peels.
4. You can extend the shelf life of spring garlic by placing the heads in cloth bags soaked in salt.

The mentioned methods allow you to keep products fresh. Spicy, piquantness and full value are guaranteed.

Conclusion

Growing garlic has its challenges. But it is no less difficult to preserve ripened products until the new harvest. However, existing methods of storing and processing the product allow you to enjoy the beneficial properties and pungent taste of garlic almost all year round.