Garlic is an essential element in the kitchen, but storing it correctly is not easy, and very often we make an unforgivable mistake.
Garlic is an essential in cooking, almost all of us have it in our cupboards. It adds flavor to many dishes. Garlic, candied garlic, minced garlic, crushed garlic… You can use it to season many vegetables, meats or fish. The problem ? It is sometimes difficult to keep it in good condition, and the end of the garlic head still too often ends up in the trash. A mess that could easily be avoided if the garlic was stored properly.
To better preserve it, we still need to know the enemies of our condiment. Garlic actually has three sworn enemies: light, humidity and heat. First point: it is therefore strongly recommended not to store it in the refrigerator, where the ambient humidity will quickly cause it to rot. Don’t think about easily storing it in a basket on the work surface in daylight either. This could cause it to germinate quickly, but also accelerate its wilting. The same result is observed in an environment that is too hot.
The best solution is to store whole heads of garlic in baskets, cloth bags or crates (avoid plastic boxes), in a room with a sufficiently dry atmosphere, and away from light. Generally, it is kept in a kitchen cupboard but a pantry or, even better, a cellar if it is not too humid are also good hideouts. You can also store them in braids and then hang them on the wall in a pantry or closet for several months. Garlic can be stored for up to 8 months. The pod must still be whole. Also keep in mind that once you start removing the cloves, you need to eat the rest of the garlic head quickly.
If you have minced your garlic cloves to get a head start when preparing your dishes, it is also essential to store them well to prevent them from becoming bitter or losing their flavor. Once minced, place your garlic cloves in an airtight container, add a drizzle of olive oil, and place the container with its lid in the fridge. So you can keep them for up to seven days.
Finally, there is an unusual tip for storing peeled garlic that few people know about. Peel your garlic heads and put them in an airtight container with a little water. Close the lid tightly. Your garlic cloves will keep like this for 15 days.