The Best Way to Preserve Garlic
FGF grown Garlic is now available at the Market on the Farm so we thought we would share our favorite way to preserve Garlic, ferment it!
Fermented garlic has many health benefits and is a great way to preserve garlic that you grow or buy locally in a way that will last for many months. Garlic is a good source of minerals, antioxidants, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, manganese, selenium, antibacterial & antiviral properties and also helps to boost the immune system. Fermented garlic contains an intense and enhanced flavoring that makes it excellent for culinary use. You can use fermented garlic anywhere you would use fresh garlic. After being fermented, one clove almost works as well as two. Think of the flavor as a mix between raw garlic and roasted garlic…delicious!
The brine from the fermented garlic can be used in culinary dishes as well like salad dressings, marinades, stir fries, blend with melted butter for quick and easy garlic butter or it also works great in savory cocktails like Bloody Mary’s.
Some studies have shown that fermenting garlic dramatically increases its health promoting properties and its bioavailability. As with most fermented foods, the nutrients in fermented garlic are easier for the body to digest & assimilate and it also adds probiotics to your diet.
Bonus: You can preserve your garlic from your own garden or local farmer for up to two years (kept refrigerated). Also, your garlic will already be peeled and ready for use in recipes and you can add extra brine into your cooking for outstanding garlic flavor!
Just starting to ferment 
Done fermenting
Fermented Garlic
Equipment
- Quart glass jar (sterilized)
- Fermenting lid (we like Nourished Essential Easy Fermenter Lids)
- Garlic Peeler (not necessary but very helpful) we have them at the Market on the Farm
- Nourished Essential Fermenting Weight (not necessary but can helpful)
Ingredients
- FGF garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 tbsp sea salt or Kosher salt
- 4 cups water (filtered water or well water – make sure it does not contain chlorine)
Instructions
- Place your peeled garlic cloves in a glass canning jar. Fill the jar up to 3/4 full with the peeled garlic.
- Mix a ratio of 1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt or Kosher Salt to 1 cup of water. Stir until the salt dissolves into the water.
- Make enough brine to cover the peeled garlic and fill the jar leaving a 1/2 inch air gap at the top of the glass jar for rising and bubbling of liquid that happens during fermentation.It is important to keep your garlic submerged in the salt water at all times or it may spoil. Fortunately, garlic cloves usually sink. If you have trouble keeping the garlic under the water, you will need to weight it down with a Nourished Essential Fermenting Weight.
- Cover glass jar with a Nourished Essential Easy Fermenter Lid and let ferment for 1-4 weeks (until desired intensity of flavor)
- Then remove the fermenting lid and weight (if used) and replace with a canning jar lid and refrigerate. It will continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator, but very slowly. The taste does get a little stronger though as time goes on. Also, the brine and the garlic darken (slightly orangish brown) over time. The flavors deepen and become more intense and it is fine to use! Fermented garlic stored in the refrigerator will last up to two years.
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