Looking for ways to keep your garlic harvest fresh? We’ve got you covered. Learn how to cure and store garlic the right way to prevent mold and sprouting.
Cure garlic by leaving it in a cool, dry, and dark place with good airflow for 2-3 weeks. After curing, store garlic in a well-ventilated container, like a basket, away from sunlight and damp areas. Proper curing and storage keeps garlic fresh longer and prevents mold and sprouting.
Curious about why curing garlic is so important? It’s not only about keeping it fresh; curing also improves the taste and makes cooking with garlic easier.
WHY CURE GARLIC?
Curing garlic before you store it is important if you want to keep it fresh for a long time. The process of curing garlic helps to prevent mold and sprouting, which makes the garlic last longer. Also, cured garlic tastes better and is easier to cook with. Why? I’m glad you asked. Read on.
Curing garlic enhances flavor:
- Moisture Reduction: During curing, the moisture content in the garlic bulbs decreases. This concentration of flavors results in a more potent taste. (Source: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources)
- Chemical Changes: Curing allows the alliinase enzyme to convert alliin into allicin, which is responsible for garlic’s distinctive aroma and taste. The curing period gives these chemical reactions time to complete, enhancing the overall flavor profile. (Source: The Spruce Eats)
- Storage Stability: Properly cured garlic resists mold and decay, ensuring that the bulbs retain their flavor for a longer period. (Source: Oregon State University Extension Service)
Cured garlic is easier to use in cooking:
- Dry Outer Layers: The dry, crinkly outer layers of cured garlic make it easier to peel. Freshly harvested garlic can have a more moist and sticky outer layer, which can be harder to remove.
- Enhanced Flavor: The curing process helps develop and concentrate the garlic’s flavor, making it more robust and aromatic in cooking.
- Firm Bulbs: Firm bulbs are easier to chop, slice, or crush compared to softer, uncured bulbs, which can be more difficult to handle and may not hold their shape as well.
Now that you’re convinced that curing garlic is worthwhile, let’s talk about how to do it.
HOW TO CURE GARLIC:
When the leaves begin to die, stop watering the garlic for several days. This reduces the risk of fungus and gives the papery garlic covering a chance to toughen and dry. Harvest the garlic from dry soil by gently digging it out of the ground. Inserting a trowel or pitchfork next to the bulb to loosen the roots will make it easier to work the bulb out of the soil. After you remove the bulb from the soil, gently brush off the dirt, being careful not to damage the papery covering. It is okay if some dirt clings to the bulb at this point. It will dry and be easier to brush off later. Leave the harvested garlic out of direct sunlight and in a dry, airy place for approximately 4 to 7 days to dry.
Most gardeners leave the long, green leaves on the garlic for ease of gathering and hanging at this stage in the curing process. You can gather the leaves of many garlic plants together to hang garlic in a cluster to cure. If you harvest softneck garlic, when there are still 4-5 green leaves, you can even use the leaves to braid an attractive chain of garlic to store in your pantry. Here is a tutorial for this process:
Do leave the papery covering on your garlic for the curing process. Each layer of papery covering on a garlic bulb corresponds to one leaf. Leaving the papery covering on garlic during the curing process is important for several reasons. The papery covering is a natural barrier that protects the garlic bulb from damage, pests, and disease. This natural layer also helps to stall moisture loss from the bulb so it does not shrivel and spoil. Keeping the papery layers intact allows the garlic to develop its full flavor by protecting cloves while they undergo the chemical changes that make cured garlic tastier.
TO CURE GARLIC: Find a well ventilated place that is cool, dry, and dark, like a garage or a shed. You can hang the garlic bulbs by their stems or lay them out on a rack or screen. Leave the garlic there for about 2 to 3 weeks. In modern times it easy to not forget about your curing garlic because you can set a calendar appointment to check on your garlic in 14-21 days. You don’t even have to figure out which day. Your cell phone can usually obey a voice command, telling it to, “Schedule check on garlic curing in three weeks at nine in the morning.” Voila, you’ll even get a notification from your phone in most cases.
You will know the garlic is done curing when the outer, paper-like layers are dry and crinkly, the stem is dry, the roots are dry, and the bulb feels firm. If the bulb feels soft, you should use that garlic soon because it won’t store well.
Now, let’s look at what we have to do to store our cured garlic.
PREPARING GARLIC FOR LONG TERM STORAGE
Softneck garlic will store in ideal conditions for about 6 to 8 months. This is why you see softneck and not hardneck garlic sold in grocery stores. Hardneck garlic will store in ideal conditions for about 3 to 4 months. Hardneck varieties of garlic are more prone to sprout, go soft, or dry out in long term storage. Now that we’ve covered that information, let’s get storing!
After the garlic is successfully cured it is time to prepare it for storing. Remove remaining dirt from the garlic bulb with a dry cloth or dry tooth brush or paintbrush. Be careful to leave the papery covering intact. Make sure in your zeal to clean the garlic, you do not get it wet. Cut the stem of the garlic to be 1 to 2 inches long. Trim the roots short, to around 1/4th of an inch.
Now you should have a collection of good-looking garlic. Before you put it in a container there is something important you need to do. Look through your garden harvest for your biggest and healthiest bulbs. Set those aside to be your planting cloves for the coming fall so your next crop of garlic will be genetically the best it can be. You can store them with your kitchen garlic, but be sure to separate them from your cooking stash and label them as your seed garlic.
Also note when planning how many bulbs to hold aside for next year’s crop, that every clove in every large, robust bulb is probably not going to be a winner for planting. Many bulbs will have an assortment of large and smaller cloves. You will only be using the largest cloves to plant so you may want to hold out a few extra bulbs to make up for the small ones you will discover when you open your bulbs in the fall for planting.
Whether you’re curing your garlic for kitchen use or planning to use your garlic for a new crop of garlic, leave the cloves in the bulbs and in their papery skin. Cloves will be better preserved for both culinary and garden use if the garlic bulbs are intact.
If you are planning to grow different varieties of garlic and want to keep track of which bulbs are which variety you can gently write on the papery skin of a garlic bulb with a permanent marker. This is a great way to take advantage of that papery skin so you don’t forget which kinds of garlic you have in the fall.
CONTAINERS AND STORAGE SPACE
Now you are ready to store your cured garlic in a well-ventilated container, like a basket or mesh bag. Avoid airtight containers. Good airflow around the garlic as it stores long term prevents mold and decay, ensures the garlic dries evenly, and prevents sprouting.
Keep the garlic away from sunlight and damp areas. The bottom of a dark cupboard, in the recesses of a cool pantry, or in a dry basement are good places to store your garlic. Many types of garlic will store long term at about 60°F for around 6-8 months.
Garlic Storage Cautions:
- As mentioned above, if you’ve given your garlic adequate time to cure but the cloves are not firm, that garlic is not fit for long-term storage. Put un-firm cloves in your cooking circulation sooner than later.
- Many basements have damp air. If your basement is a damp basement, do not store your garlic there. It could mold or rot in such conditions.
- Though your refrigerator is well under 60° Fahrenheit, if you store your garlic in it, when you take your garlic out, it will act as though it has overwintered and it is now spring. Your garlic will likely begin to sprout. Sprouted garlic is safe to eat. However, the garlic has used its moisture to grow the new green shoots and this could make it taste more bitter. Also, the humidity in a refrigerator can cause your garlic to sprout or rot.
- Storing garlic in sunlight can cause it to dry out and lose its flavor.
- Garlic in storage can absorb the flavors of strong-smelling foods nearby.
STORING GARLIC IN DIFFERENT FORMS
We’ve covered how to store intact garlic bulbs long-term. There are some rules of thumb when it comes to storing garlic in other conditions when they are not part of a whole garlic bulb.
- Unpeeled Cloves: Store unpeeled cloves in the same way as whole bulbs of garlic. They can last for 2-3 weeks.
- Peeled Cloves: Peeled cloves should be used as soon as possible or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Minced Garlic: Minced garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. However, it’s best to use it within 3-4 days for optimal flavor and texture.
HOW TO TELL WHEN GARLIC HAS GONE BAD
Persons who store garlic should familiarize themselves with the indicators that their garlic is past its prime. Signs that garlic has gone bad include:
- Soft or Mushy Texture: Good garlic should feel firm to the touch. If the bulbs or cloves are soft or mushy, this indicates spoilage.
- Brown or Yellow Discoloration: Fresh garlic cloves should be white or off-white. Brown or yellow spots indicate decay.
- Sprouting: While sprouting garlic is not necessarily bad, it indicates that the garlic is past its prime and may have a bitter taste.
- Odd Odor: Fresh garlic has a pungent, unique odor. If the garlic smells sour, musty, or off in any way, it has likely spoiled.
- Mold: Visible mold on the cloves or bulbs is a clear sign that the garlic has gone bad and should not be consumed.
The above signs indicate that the garlic is no longer good to use and should be discarded. Proper storage and handling can help prevent these issues and extend the shelf life of your garlic.
TIME TO GET STORING!
Now that you know how to cure and store garlic properly, you can enjoy fresh and flavorful garlic all year round. Remember, curing garlic helps prevent mold and sprouting, making it easier to cook with and more delicious. By following these steps, you can ensure your garlic stays in top condition for months. Happy garlic storing!
