Note to city residents: is it possible to store garlic in the refrigerator and how to do it correctly?

There are many ways to preserve large quantities of garlic, for example, for the winter.

For residents of private homes, the ideal storage place would be a dry basement or garage. For city apartment owners - a refrigerator.

It is in it that the necessary temperature and humidity indicators are maintained, allowing the taste and nutritional value of the product to be preserved for the longest possible period of time.

Whether it is possible to store garlic in the refrigerator and how to do it correctly, we will tell you further.

Should you keep vegetables in the refrigerator?

There are two types of garlic: winter (large cloves are arranged around the arrow - the stem in one row) and spring (small cloves are arranged in a spiral around the center of the bulb).

For storing spring garlic, the optimal indicators for long-term storage are: air temperature +16°C, humidity 50-70%. If urgently needed, spring garlic can be stored in the refrigerator.

Winter varieties cannot be stored at home at temperatures above +5°C and here's why - a violation of the temperature regime leads to very rapid drying out of teeth.

How long does it last?

Provided all preparation rules are followed, garlic heads retain their nutritional value and taste in the refrigerator for three to seven months.

In the refrigerator for storing garlic the best place is the bottom shelf or vegetable drawer.

Ignoring the preparatory stage and failure to comply with optimal temperature and humidity parameters reduces the shelf life to seven to ten days.

Proper storage organization

Before storing, regardless of the method, it is important to properly prepare the garlic. Unpeeled heads are cleaned of soil residues, the roots and dry stem are cut off, rotten, deformed cloves are sorted out, and thoroughly dried in the sun.

Crude

There are several ways to store unpeeled heads of garlic in the refrigerator.

In film

Sorted heads prepared for storage are wrapped in several layers of cling film, after which they are sent to the bottom drawer of the refrigerator.

In a paper bag

The sun-dried heads are placed in a paper bag, which is stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. To make the teeth dry out less, you can mix them with a small amount of salt.

In this form, the product retains its taste and nutritional properties for four months.

In a fabric bag

Linen bags are moistened in a strong saline solution of salt (per liter of water you need to take at least 3 tablespoons of table salt), dry.

Place dried garlic into prepared bags.In this form, the product can be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (in the vegetable drawer) or in a dry, cool place, away from direct sunlight.

Salt, as a protective barrier, prevents bacteria from penetrating inside the bag, while at the same time maintaining the air exchange process necessary for long-term storage of garlic.

In flour

The secret of this method is that flour (as an option, you can use ash or sawdust) absorbs excess moisture as an absorbent, thereby blocking the process of rotting of the vegetable. What should be done:

• put a layer of flour on the bottom of the jar (pan);
• Dredge each head thoroughly in flour;
• pour garlic into a jar. Sprinkle with flour and cover tightly.

In this form, the vegetable is stored without damage until the end of spring and beginning of summer.

Purified

Peeled garlic cloves are a product that releases a specific aroma. To prevent foods in the refrigerator from becoming saturated with a specific smell, garlic is stored as follows:

1. Cleaned, carefully sorted cloves are placed in a clean, dry glass jar.
2. Vegetable oil (olive or flaxseed oil can be used as an option) is poured into the jar so that the teeth are completely covered.
3. The prepared container is tightly closed with a lid and stored in a dry, dark place.

How to extend the shelf life?

There are several ways to maximize the shelf life of garlic cloves.

Drying

Carefully sorted cloves are cleaned of scales and cut into the thinnest possible slices (a vegetable shredder will speed up the cutting process). After the finest The slices are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet and dried in the oven. at a temperature of 30-40°C.

Dry garlic is ground into powder, which can be stored in a glass, airtight container for up to twenty-four months.

An option for drying garlic - in the video:

Pickling

The garlic is peeled, damaged, rotten cloves are removed. The prepared product is very finely chopped with a knife or ground in a meat grinder through a large mesh.

The crushed product is mixed with table salt (proportion 1:1), compacted into a glass jar. In this form, garlic can be stored for up to a year in a dry, cool place (air temperature should not exceed +8°C).

How to cook spicy pickled garlic - on video:

Freezing

Clean, slightly dried cloves are placed in plastic zip bags or plastic containers with an airtight lid. When frozen, garlic retains its beneficial properties for up to seven months (it is not recommended to store vegetables in the freezer for longer).

The video will show you how to store ground frozen garlic:

Adviсe

Only healthy (without signs of spoilage, black spots or deformation) teeth are suitable for long-term storage in the refrigerator. The bulbs must be strong and not overripe, with tightly fitting scales.

Conclusion

Keeping garlic in the refrigerator for as long as possible is not a problem.The main thing is to properly prepare the product, monitor compliance with the temperature regime and air humidity.