Pickled garlic can be preserved to last as long as 3 to 6 months from the day when the fresh garlic cloves were pickled. And if you choose to preserve your garlic clove using the canning method, the canned garlic can last as long as up to 12 months from the day you canned them.
This makes canning pickled garlic one of your must-haves in your home food pantry. So, if you have been hesitant of preserving garlic, rest assured that once you pickle garlic, it will last up to 12 months before it goes bad.
And the good news is that pickled garlic offers numerous health benefits including essential bacteria to the gut and overall body when cultured accordingly.
Rightly so, we pickle garlic for numerous differing reason and that includes:
- Pickling garlic for preservation,
- We pickle garlic to enhance the taste
- We pickle garlic to marinate it so it has a subdued bite when used as a condiment to our food recipes.
While all the pickling tend to present the benefits to our daily use, there is also a growing concern of garlic being less effective when it is pickled. And to that extent, many foodies have questioned if pickles garlic is a good health practice at all…
So, Is pickled garlic good for your health?
Yes! Garlic is at its best good for your health when it is used raw without pickling it and adding vinegar or any preservatives. So, if you are wondering, whether there are better health benefits to garlic the quick answer is that most medical studies insist it should be consumed raw and here is why. …
When Garlic is eaten raw, it releases (the garlic clove) a compound known as allicin.
It’s this allicin found in freshly harvested cloves of unpreserved garlic that is believed the compound with potent medicinal properties able to:
- Combat sickness, including the common cold.
- The Active Compounds in Garlic are also able to reduce blood pressure.
- Garlic improves cholesterol levels, which lowers the risk of heart diseases.
On the other hand, cooked garlic or preserved garlic often lose out on more of these benefits as more or less of the much-needed allicin compound is destroyed when it is either cooked or pickled in vinegar.
But, How long can you keep pickled garlic?
Refrigerator pickled garlic – If you pickle fresh garlic, the only way to keep it for up to 3-6 months before using it is to simply refrigerate it soon after chopping it, place the freshly pickled garlic in a sealed airtight container like Mason jars or re-sealable airtight refrigerator bags.
If your goal is to pickle and keep your garlic long term, make sure to assemble the popular Mason jars you can get and refrigerate your pickled garlic in portions place inside those jars before storing them inside your home food pantry.
If for some reason you want to lower the bite of the garlic, then refrigerating pickled garlic also aids the marinating process inside the fridge. And if you chop cloves of garlic and live it inside your fridge for at least 3 to 4days, the garlic turns slightly sweet and less bite which makes them ideal for your palate for eating garlic sauce. They’ll be stored in the fridge for several months.
How long will pickled garlic last?
Garlic tends to dry out and start to rot no matter how fresh it is. The best way to have your garlic last longer is by pickling it, this method of preserving garlic will give it longer shelf life.
However, pickled garlic is slightly different from fresh garlic in the sense that it has it’s own flavor, although the basic notes all taste the same.
Pickled garlic is mellowed. The cloves lose much of their bite, leaving a softer, sweeter garlicky flavor. They’re not great to use like pure garlic but are great when used more like pickles: to snack on, in sandwiches, in antipasto, on salads.
But if you want to ferment garlic, then that is a different scenario…
So, How long does fermented garlic last?
3 to 4 weeks is how long it takes for garlic to properly ferment. Yes! If you want to use fermentation to bring the flavors out of the garlic, under normal circumstances, garlic cloves usually take at the very minimum several days to a week, but the longer you wait, the better your results and the more numerous and varied your good bacteria. For fermented garlic, the consensus is to wait for 3 to 4 weeks for full maturity.
How to pickle garlic
Most pickled garlic cloves will turn blue a few days after being pickled and preserved. So, if you want to pickle garlic without it turning blue, make sure you are using these two methods in which you can pickle garlic and preserve it successfully without it going blue.
Method one:
To pickle garlic, you will need several jars and they should at least be 4-ounce or 8-ounce jars at the largest. Then wash those jars even if they are new or if you washed them before putting them away last time. Make sure you wash them with hot water.
The next step is to take the garlic and peel the cloves off and then put them inside the jars filling them to about 1/4-inch below the rim, but you should avoid stuffing them.
After that think about whether you want to flavor the garlic. Want a spicy edge to it? Add a small dried hot chili pepper to the jar or just some black peppercorns.
You can use herbs like rosemary, dill, bay leaves, or whatever you like. They’re best if you add one herb or spice rather than a bunch.
Finally, it’s time for the brine. You can use straight vinegar, but it’s common to add a little salt, sugar, or both to it. Red wine vinegar is excellent, but apple cider vinegar and even regular white vinegar work well, too. Experiment with the vinegar for different flavors.
The easiest thing to do is put a bit of salt and/or sugar in each jar with the garlic and any extras you’ve added, and pour the vinegar over it all and then a lid and you’re almost there.
Just refrigerate your pickled garlic for two weeks to allow it to cure before eating it, and keep refrigerated up to a few months.
Method two:
Simply fill each jar with desired spices and herbs, i.e into each of the four jars, place 1/4 of the desired spices, along with one sprig of thyme and one bay leaf.
Fill the jars evenly with the remaining garlic cloves also be careful not to overstuff — all garlic should eventually be fully submerged in the pickling solution and then add enough pickling solution to fully cover garlic in each jar, then top with a slice of lemon to keep the garlic under the pickling solution.
Wipe the mouths of the jars to remove any pickling solution. Screw the lid on securely, but do not over-tighten it. The process of heating and cooling the jars will create an airtight seal.
After that get the canner going. Raise the temperature on the burner under the canner to bring the water to a slow boil.
Put the jars of garlic into the canner using jar tongs and then add more boiling water to the canner if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) over the tops of the jars after that Place a metal standing tray on the bottom of your canner for the mason jars to rest atop.
The mason jars may break if they sit on the bottom of the canner, next to the direct heat from the burner.
The next step is to leave the jars in the canner, on a low boil, for 15 minutes. The process of heating the pickling solution — and then eventually cooling it down — will create a vacuum seal in the headspace, preserving the garlic.
After that remove the jars from the hot water and allow it to cool completely. Take care not to tilt the jars when removing them.
Make sure the jars are sealed properly with this simple trick:
After they are completely cool, push on the center of each jar to see if it pops up and down. If it does, the jar has not sealed properly. Then Restart the canning process with the jars that didn’t seal if you have too many to use up quickly. Use new lids on the jars and leave them in the canner for the full 15 minutes again.
How long pickled garlic lasts
Pickled garlic can last anywhere between 3 to 6 months depending on how you want to preserve it. And to that extent, there are two popular ways in which you can store your pickled garlic, it’s either in the refrigerator or you can just can it and put it in the pantry.
1. Refrigerated pickled garlic
After you are done pickling your garlic, simply assemble the jars and refrigerate them. They will then marinate in the fridge in about 3 days, after that they will be ready to eat or use as a recipe of your choice.
Pickled refrigerated garlic will last for several months still in good condition.
2. Canned pickled garlic:
Canned pickled garlic will last for at least a year in the pantry without getting spoiled.
How to use pickled garlic
If you are a huge fan of charcuterie platters then you will love having pickled garlic in your home food pantry. Preserved pickled garlic is believed to be an amazing add-on to any of the popular charcuterie platters as it is so versatile that many of the fun lovers think it is worth the time needed to peel all the garlic cloves.
So, What should be on a charcuterie platter?
My ideal charcuterie platter consists of preserved pantry garlic garnished with sweet homemade jams and confiture. I also make sure to include foils of sharper flavors and a few acidic and salty items such as cornichons, olives, freshly preserved fruit, and pickled vegetables so they can cut through the fat of charcuterie meats and cheeses.
So, if you think you are hosting a party anytime soon, make sure to use pickled garlic and other pantry savories for your cheeseboards, charcuterie platters, in sandwiches and salads and with grilled meats and seafood too.
You can also use pickled garlic in salad dressings or as part of a pickle plate.
They’re particularly good when drizzled with a bit of fruity oil. During dinner prep, I’ll often coarsely chop the pickled cloves and add them to sautéed vegetables, as they add both flavor and add an acidic punch to the finished dish.
When the jar is all gone, then save the leftover brine and use in homemade bean purees or quickly dressed bowls of salad greens.
As said before, pickled garlic is great in salad dressings or as part of a pickle plate (try drizzling them with a bit of fruity oil). During dinner prep, they’re also great coarsely chopped and added to sauteed greens.
Benefits of eating garlic
Have you been in search of the reasons why you need to add garlic to your diet? Below we have listed 7 reasons why you need to get started eating garlic today.
1. Garlic can help lower LDL
Researchers have found out that garlic can lower LDL levels by about 10%. However, garlic will not help your HDL or triglycerides, but adding it to your diet to help the LDL (bad cholesterol) is certainly a great start. You might try adding garlic to your eggplant and asparagus to help your cholesterol as well.
2. Will help boost athletic performance
Decades ago garlic was administered as an athletic supplement. Garlic oil capsules may help reduce peak heart rates and increase exercise capacity.
Being in top form can help your times and increase endurance. Fatigue after a workout may also be reduced when garlic is added to your supplement regimen.
3. Can help control high blood pressure
Garlic is said to help control high blood pressure but do not try it without consulting your doctor about it first. However, garlic may be as effective as standard blood pressure drugs in reducing blood pressure an average of 10 points!
Polysulfides in garlic may help open or widen blood vessels, which is going to help your blood pressure because it has more room to move.
4. Garlic will reduce inflammation
As said before, garlic reduces blood pressure and bad cholesterol, and those are both helpful in reducing inflammation. Garlic also helps increase the antioxidant enzymes produced by your liver, leading to lower inflammation levels as well as helping to buffer free radicals in the body. Keep your brain and heart-healthy and alert with garlic!
5. Is AID in detox
Do you work in factories or other places where you are exposed to heavy metals such as lead? Or do you have a concern that there is too much in your body? Then add garlic to your meals.
Garlic helps you with free radical elimination, reduces headaches and blood pressure, and relieves symptoms of toxic metals. This is something to keep in mind if toxicity is a concern of yours.
6. Garlic can combat sickness
Garlic has the ability to reduce symptoms of a cold or flu if you do catch them. So adding it to your diet can be beneficial in reducing the number of days sickness knocks you down. Some people even like to eat whole, peeled cloves several times a day to kick the symptoms to the curb.
7. Overall, garlic is highly nutritious
Adding garlic to your diet is highly beneficial, it is very low in calories, but packs a punch. It contains Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium, Fiber, as well as decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1. Which are very nutritious to the body.