Preserving garlic, also called pickling garlic, is one of the easiest ways to save your garlic harvest. There’s nothing better than having fresh garlic ready to use all year long.
About ten years ago, I found myself with a huge harvest of hard neck garlic and no possible way to use it all before it began sprouting. I love garlic and cooking with garlic but even so, I knew I needed to figure out how to preserve garlic.
While I’ve canned fruits and vegetables before, I’d never thought to try preserving garlic. My brother Miles visited us last week and was kind enough to spend a couple of hours showing me how to can it.
As it turns out, it is almost ridiculously simple. It’s so simple and so effective that I wish I had learned to do it a long time ago.
We all love having garlic ready to use now in the refrigerator and I’m excited to share my findings with you!
This garlic tastes FRESH. If you’ve ever bought a jar of minced garlic or peeled cloves in oil or vinegar, this doesn’t resemble any of those things. I have used the preserved cloves in a couple of recipes already and the taste is exactly the same as fresh.
How to Preserve Garlic
Raw, dried garlic can be kept for months in a cool and dark environment. However, here in the very warm southwest, it rarely lasts over a month in my home before it sprouts. Preserving it with this easy pickling method helps keep it fresh for months.
Wondering if this method yields garlic with a pickled, vinegary taste? It doesn’t. The natural oils of the garlic prevent the vinegar from being absorbed into the cloves! Handy, right?
To use your preserved garlic, just take out the number of cloves you need, rinse quickly with water, and use as desired. If you want a slight vinegar bite to the garlic, or if you are using it in a recipe that also calls for vinegar, simply use the garlic without rinsing.
Also called pickling garlic, this method is one of the most common ways to save your garlic harvest. At any given time, you’re likely to find a row of jarred garlic tucked in the back of my refrigerator.
Why Does Garlic Turn Blue
Updated 9/19/12 to answer multiple questions regarding, Why Did My Garlic Turn Blue? If your garlic does turn blue, it is still safe to eat.
This can happen when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent smell. I’ve seen this happen a few times over the years and apparently, it is fairly common.
Selecting Garlic
If you don’t grow and harvest your own garlic in a home garden, follow these tips for selecting the best and freshest heads of garlic from your farmer’s market or grocery store to use in your preserved garlic recipe:
First, look for heads of garlic without sprouting. Sprouting is an immediate indicator that the garlic is no longer fresh and not worth your money.
Next, give the garlic a quick “sniff and squeeze.” If it smells mildewy or moldy, give it a pass. That’s an almost sure indicator that the garlic has gone rotten.
Fresh garlic cloves should never be soft or squishy. A fresh head of garlic will be firm to the touch and not yield with a light squeeze.
How to Peel Garlic
Arguably the most time-consuming part of the process of preserving garlic is peeling it. Of course, you can just use your fingers and peel away but if you’re looking for a faster process, or run into a stubborn clove whose skin just won’t peel, here are a few popular tricks.
I’ve tried all of these methods and it really just depends on how much garlic you need to peel, how you plan to use it, or if you’re preserving it.
The method below requires just Two Metal Mixing Bowls and it is my favorite.
- Take your whole head of garlic and place it in a large metal bowl.
- Place another bowl the same size on top of the first bowl so that you have an orb shape.
- Shake the two bowls very hard for about 30 seconds.
Keep in mind that this method works best with older garlic where the skin is already a little loose. Vigorously shaking the garlic in the bowls allows the skins to just break and fall away from the cloves. This method works best when using large quantities of garlic to smash into each other and help the process along.
Likely the most well-known method of peeling garlic cloves in a flash is by hitting the clove with the flat side of the knife. This is handy when cooking, but for this recipe, we want to preserve whole cloves intact so be careful not to smash your garlic if you try this method.
Similar to the bowl method above, you can also place the garlic cloves in a glass jar with a closed lid and then vigorously shake to loosen the garlic skin. This is definitely effective but, the amount of garlic you’re able to process this way is limited.
You can also use the microwave or warm water to heat the garlic slightly, making it easier to peel with your fingers.
Preparing Garlic
Depending on when your garlic was harvested you might notice some brown spots on the cloves. This is perfectly normal and doesn’t mean your garlic is rotten.
After rinsing once, I used a small paring knife to trim off brown spots on my garlic cloves. After all the brown spots are removed, rinse the garlic bulbs a second time and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Storing Garlic
If you use the method outlined in the recipe, you’ll need to store your jars of preserved garlic in the refrigerator to make them last. Designate one side of a shelf or a shelf on the inside of a drawer for your garlic jars. They should stay fresh for several months and even up to a year.
Sticking with this basic refrigerator canning method is by far the easiest and more reliable way to preserve garlic.
While there are multiple sources online that claim pressure canning works, I’ve removed this information, based on a reader review that doing this destroyed her garlic. I stick with my recommendation of preserving garlic in vinegar in the refrigerator. According to the USDA, “Canning of garlic is not recommended. Garlic is a low-acid vegetable that requires a pressure canner to be properly processed. Garlic loses most of its flavor when heated in this way. For this reason, adequate processing times have not been determined for canning garlic.”
How to Use Preserved Garlic
Now that you know how to preserve garlic, you can use that garlic anywhere you’d use the fresh stuff. And believe me when I tell you it maintains all the same aromatic, flavorful goodness of a freshly harvested garlic bulb.
Sauteed garlic is a must-have for countless savory recipes. We use it in everything from Garlicky Ginger Stir-Fry for a quick and easy weeknight meal to Sauteed Zucchini Ribbons.
Preserved garlic (rinsed and patted dry) is also amazing roasted! Use it in Roasted Garlic Quinoa with Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic and Bacon Guacamole and Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip and be everyone’s new best friend.
I also love garlic as an ingredient in salad dressing, sauces, marinades and savory spreads. It’s just divine in Beer and Garlic Marinade, Mojo Marinade, and in Homemade Ranch Dressing. This Chipotle Garlic Sauce served with roasted fingerling potatoes are a garlic lovers’ dream.
True garlic fanatics NEED to try the Garlic Lover’s Potato Salad. That recipe alone is worth “putting up” a big batch of garlic so you have it on hand anytime a craving strikes.
Give preserving your own garlic a try. I guarantee you won’t be sorry! It’s an easy and money-saving way to ensure you always have garlic on-hand anytime you need it.
I encourage everyone to learn about preserving and pickling vegetables. One of our favorites is pickled daikon radishes.
Kitchen Tip: I use this pot and these jars when preserving garlic.
Kitchen Tip: How To Preserve Garlic
Ingredients
- Garlic heads broken apart and cloves peeled
- Distilled vinegar
- Large pot for boiling the vinegar
- Jars for storing the garlic
Instructions
- Break apart your heads of garlic and peel the cloves. Place the peeled cloves of garlic in a large mixing bowl and fill with water. Use your fingertips to scrub any dirt off of the cloves. Once the cloves are cleaned, transfer them to a large strainer and rinse well.
- Depending on when your garlic was harvested, you might have very few brown spots on the cloves. My garlic was harvested late this year, so the ends were quite brown with some spots on the cloves as well. Use a small paring knife to trim the spots and then transfer the cleaned and trimmed cloves back to the strainer. Rinse again.
- Bring the vinegar to a boil in a large pot. For several hundred cloves of garlic, I used about 8 cups of vinegar. Place the clean garlic cloves into small jars. (I prefer to use small vs large jars to avoid contaminating a huge amount if the jar is open for too long in the refrigerator.) I filled 10 half pint jars with garlic. Once the vinegar has boiled, pour it over the garlic and screw the lids on tight.
- Let the jars come to room temperature on the counter overnight and then store in the refrigerator. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a year. Enjoy!
Nutrition
{originally posted 9/14/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/10/22}
Dre says
Hi! It’s been about a week an a half to two weeks that I followed your receipe. The vinegar in the jars have turned a pretty green color??? Is this normal??
Mary Younkin says
If your garlic turns green or blue, it is still safe to eat. This can happen when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent smell. I’ve seen this happen a few times now and apparently, it is fairly common.
Annmarie says
If I didn’t boil the vinegar and poured it over garlic bulbs in mason jars in fridge , will they keep ? Or did I have to boil the vinegar?
Mary Younkin says
You do not need to boil the vinegar, Annmarie. It will be fine.
Didi says
Why do you boil the vinegar?
Mary Younkin says
Hi Didi, I was initially taught to boil the vinegar, however, as I’ve mentioned in multiple comments now, I’ve done this without any issues at all simply covering the garlic in vinegar and then refrigerating it.
Karen says
I just tried this and my garlic is turning blue as it’s cooling down on the counter
Mary Younkin says
If your garlic does turn blue, it is still safe to eat. This can happen when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent smell. I’ve seen this happen a few times now and apparently, it is fairly common.
Diana says
Hi I seen where you said it was ok if the garlic turned blue, thank goodness because I woke this morning and found some that had blue spots haha. My question is though are the lids supposed to seal? Mine didn’t so I was wondering.
Mary Younkin says
The jars won’t seal on their own, Diana. That’s why they are stored in the fridge. Enjoy the garlic!
Michelle says
Hi! Can I use apple cider vinegar? May I ask why we are using distilled vinegar?
Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
Sure, you can use apple cider vinegar. I use distilled because it doesn’t contribute any flavor to the garlic.
Sandra says
Will wild cleaned garlic stay firm and fresh if preserved in a solution of half cold water and half cold vinegar. Keeping jars in the fridge. How long will they keep fresh and eatable.
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never added water to the jars, Sandra. I just cover the garlic in vinegar.
Nargis says
Hi,
Do you put the hot boiled vinegar in the jars instantly and put the lid on the jars over night till it becomes room temperature before storing in the fridge? Or do you boil the vinegar then wait for it to cool down a little before putting it in the jars with garlic?
Thank you
Mary Younkin says
Either way works fine, Nargis.
megan mccarter says
can i use peeled garlic i bought at bjs for this recipe?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, that will work perfectly, Megan.
megan mccarter says
hi megan again. do i have to use a mason jar or will any small jar work?
Mary Younkin says
Any small jar will work nicely, Megan.
Stephanie Lopez says
My Garlic turned blue after I did this… I’m assuming this isn’t normal
Mary Younkin says
If your garlic does turn blue, it is still safe to eat. This can happen when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent smell. I’ve seen this happen a few times now and apparently, it is fairly common.
Byra Burke says
Thank you for sharing this about garlic. I love having a jar on hand!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad it was helpful, Byra!
JEANNETTE BARHOUM BARHOUM says
Hi Mary…… do you add water to the vinegar to boil or just plain vinegar? And pouring boiling on the garlic will it not cook the garlic??
Thank you
Mary Younkin says
You do not add water to the vinegar, Jeanette. And I’ve since learned you can use hot or cold vinegar and it will preserve the garlic nicely either way. (Hot vinegar does not “cook” the garlic, it still works beautifully.)
Kristin says
Hi Megan!
Can I chop the garlic before I preserve it?
Thanks!
Kristin
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that myself, Kristin.
Kristin says
Thank you!
Sorry I wrote Megan and not Mary!
My bad!
Kristin says
Hi Mary!
Can I chop the garlic before I preserve it?
Thanks!
Kristin
Sharon says
My grandkids peeled a huge amount of garlic today and read that the jar should be filled with boiling water. Was this incorrect? If so, is it safe to remove water and add vinegar?
Thank you!
Mary Younkin says
If it were my garlic? I would switch to vinegar. I have no idea how the water might work, Sharon.
Kathleen Wiberg says
why do you boil the vinegar since it’s been distilled already? I’m thinking it might work to just pour the vinegar in the jars directy…..?? what do you think?
thank you,
Kathleen
ps: If I get the nerve to try it and chance wasting all that peeled garlic, I’ll let you know next year if it preserved well. (that’s assuming that I have preserved enough memory synapses to remember!)
Mary Younkin says
YES! I’ve since learned that you can just pour vinegar over the garlic. I start using it right away and just work through the jars in the refrigerator.
Linda says
Why do you boil the vinegar when storing garlic in it?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve since learned that you can just pour vinegar over the garlic. Either way works fine. Some people are just more comfortable boiling the vinegar first, Linda.
Deborah Wilkinson says
If using a pressure canner how much pressure do you use. And how long do you cook it.
Mary Younkin says
I do not pressure can the garlic. Just pour the vinegar over the garlic and store it in the refrigerator, Deborah.
Sonya says
Okay the reason you would boil the vinegar and get it nice and hot it’s because it actually will seal the jars if you do not boil the vinegar and use cold vinegar you’re going to have to use the garlic right away that’s why you boil the vinegar .
Mary Younkin says
While yes, the heat might seal the lids on the jars, Sonya, it isn’t guaranteed. Because of that, I don’t recommend storing the garlic at room temperature. If you want to process in a hot water bath or pressure canner, they can be stored that way. I refrigerate the jars to keep it simple for myself.
Linda J Hughes-Belford says
Do you cure the garlic before this process?
Mary Younkin says
The garlic does not need to be cured or treated, Linda. I just peel it and add it to the jar.
Dana says
Do you mean cure It as in letting it sit and dry after you harvest it? If so, I’d like to know that too. Just harvested garlic and trying to figure out the best way to store it longer term…