Unusual canning: how to organize storage of garlic in salt for the winter?

Garlic is a healthy product and an indispensable seasoning. Dishes using it are relevant at any time of the year. Especially in winter, when it is necessary to support the immune system and strengthen the body’s defense against bacteria.

But with normal storage, garlic quickly deteriorates, it begins to dry out, mold, and rot. As a result, the garlic harvest harvested in summer may become unsuitable for consumption by winter.

To prevent it from spoiling, it must be properly preserved. This can be done with salt - the simplest and most reliable preservative.

We will tell you in this article how to organize storage of garlic in salt for the whole winter.

How to store?

There are three main options storing this root vegetable with salt:

• in dry salt;
• in saline solution;
• in the marinade.

It is advisable to remove the upper hard scales from the bulbs. Only completely healthy heads of garlic can be used for harvesting. It is more convenient to store the cloves. They are more compact - one liter jar will fit a supply for a couple of months. Before adding salt, they should be cleaned and sorted.

In dry

To do this you need:

1. Prepare the required number of glass jars or plastic food containers.
2. Pre-sort and dry the prepared root vegetables.
3. Sprinkle a little salt at the bottom of the container.
4. Place garlic in container.
5. Sprinkle salt on top so that it fills all the spaces between the heads or cloves.
6. Cover with paper or leave uncovered.
7. Store in a dark, dry place until the next harvest.

Garlic becomes salty after such storage. The rest of its properties are preserved. It can be used when preparing any cold or hot dishes. This storage method is simple and convenient. But it has one significant drawback.

To play it safe, it is better to store it not with dry salt, but in salt brine or marinade. Without the risk of spoiling the product, you can prepare ground cloves in dry salt.

Mix in a 3/1 ratio (for example, for 300 g of garlic, 100 g of salt). Place the mixture in an airtight container and store with the lid closed on the refrigerator shelf. It must be used within a maximum of 6 months.

In brine

Garlic salted in this way retains its density, freshness, aroma and taste. Procedure for salting:

• Clean and rinse the heads without disassembling the cloves;
• pour cleaned heads with raw water and leave for 3 days (change the water every 12 hours);
• pour water into the pan, add salt (200 grams of salt per liter of water), boil the resulting brine and cool;
• place the infused garlic in a jar, add brine, close the lid;
• store in the refrigerator or cellar until the next harvest.

If the root crop is of good quality, dense, juicy and without damage, you can not infuse it, but immediately pour it with brine. In this case, the jar must first be left uncovered and after 3 days closed with an airtight lid.

To make the pickling more appetizing and piquant, you can add other ingredients. It could be:

1. Dill or parsley (1 bunch per 1 kg of garlic).
2. Red currant berries (150-200 grams per 1 kg of garlic).
3. Beetroot juice (150-200 g per 1 kg).

Pickled garlic is used in the same way as fresh garlic. Only taking into account the fact that it is already salty.

The benefit of pickling is that it keeps the garlic crisp and flavorful. Disadvantage: it is advisable to store it in the cold. If there is no cellar, and the supply of root vegetables is impressive, jars of pickling will take up a lot of space in the refrigerator.

In the marinade

Pickling differs from pickling in that it uses two or three types of preservatives at once. This is salt and vinegar, and often also sugar. Properly pickled and jarred garlic can be stored not in the refrigerator, but simply on a kitchen or pantry shelf.

It can be stored like this for years. But pickled garlic does not last long in an open jar. It is advisable to use it within 2-3 weeks.

There are many ways to marinate. You can use any marinade recipe intended for canning tomatoes or cucumbers. Both garlic heads and individual cloves are marinated. In the first case, the upper hard scales are removed. The teeth clean completely or leave the very bottom layer of film. Only juicy, undamaged root vegetables are used.

You can add:

• bay leaf (1-2 pcs.);
• black pepper (7-10 peas);
• allspice (10-12 peas);
• dill (1 umbrella);
• cloves (2-3 pcs.);
• beet juice (50-70 gr.);
• thyme (sprig).

Usually 2-3 ingredients from this list are added to the marinade.

Benefits of Pickled Garlic: it is a complete snack, the taste of which is shaded with spices or herbs.It is crispy and does not leave the characteristic garlicky smell from your mouth.

It is an excellent dressing for cold appetizers and spicy salads. The downside is that it is not suitable for traditional hot dishes.

Alternative options

There are other ways to keep root vegetables in perfect condition for many months. For this purpose it can be:

1. To freeze.
2. Dry.
3. Place in an empty jar without a lid.
4. Place each head in a paper bag and store in the refrigerator.

Read about storing garlic in glass jars Here, in a refrigerator - here.

Recommendations

Before harvesting for the winter, regardless of the storage method, you need to remove garlic that has become soft, dry, has begun to rot, or has changed color. Only whole, healthy root vegetables should be canned, otherwise the entire pickling may spoil.

It is better to pickle with brine and marinate in small jars, since garlic is not consumed very quickly, and in an open container it will gradually lose its pungency and aroma, and will spoil in a few weeks.

The brine or marinade must first be cooled to room temperature, and only then poured into a container with garlic. Otherwise, in the warm liquid, the root vegetable will soften and will not be crispy, and its taste will suffer.

Video on the topic of the article

This video will tell you about storing garlic in salt:

Conclusion

Garlic is very beneficial for health. At the same time, it is a popular seasoning necessary for the preparation of many traditional dishes. But it is not always possible to preserve it from one harvest to the next.It may begin to dry out, rot, or oxidize.

You can preserve the root vegetable by preserving it with salt. This is done using:

• dry salt (simple, but not the most reliable option),
• salt brine (the garlic turns out juicy, crispy, suitable for adding to any dishes),
• marinade (it makes an excellent appetizer and ingredient for spicy cold dishes, but not the best option for hot dishes).