Can you freeze garlic

Answer 1

Sure, as long as you're going to cook it anyway!I have grown garlic for years, and at first I used other storage methods like braiding it, or storing it in a mesh bag. That works fine for six months, but after that it either rots or withers up. But two years ago, I broke the bulbs into cloves, put them in a freezer bag, and waited to see what would happen. The result? The flavor is almost perfectly preserved, but the texture becomes much like other frozen vegetables. The flesh is still firm but translucent. It keeps in the freezer for many months. I did not peel the cloves before freezing, which protected against freezer burn; I just broke up the bulbs and left things the way they were. To sum up, frozen garlic tastes great, and is fine for roasts, soups, spaghetti sauce or other cooked foods. And oh yes, frozen garlic is much, much easier to peel! YesYes you can freeze garlic. I get the big container of the fresh peeled garlic at Costco and I place it on a baking sheet and drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and soft. I blend it in the food processor until it is a paste and place small amounts in those little snack size zip-lock baggies and place in the freezer. This is great for all kinds of recipes. Yes, but...Why on earth would you want to freeze garlic? If you have a huge crop of it in your garden, give some away. If you practise the false economy of buying fresh foods on 'special' and keeping them for a rainy day, don't. The only reason to freeze fresh foods is if you live a long, long way from civilization and make only sporadic trips to the stores.

Otherwise, buy just as much garlic in your weekly grocery shop as you think you'll need. If you've a few cloves over that are starting to sprout, stick them in your garden.

Actually...No, when certain compounds in garlic get below 35 they denature. The garlic will not taste the same. It will be harsher than fresh garlic. Some people don't mind and they use refrigerated or frozen garlic but most really picky cooks feel the time spent preping fresh garlic for each recipe is worth the more complex flavour. Sure - I do it all the time, with oilI spend no more than half an hour every six months or so peeling 250g garlic as soon as I buy it, while it is still crisp and fresh. Press each clove with a knife to make it easier to peel. Then peel them, and then chop them up just a bit and put them through a blender with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil.

It makes a nice smooth mush which I then store in a jar with a good lid, and place in the freezer door for easy access. It can be prised out with a knife in suitable chunks quite easily and thaws in no time. There is absolutely no waste.

Prior to trying this, most of my garlic went limp and started sending out shoots before I could use it.

PLS NOTE: A lot of websites warn that storing garlic in oil can cause botulism. So be very cautious about doing it.

As with most seasonings and vegetables, freezing in air tight containers or plastic wrap for a few weeks at a time should have no ill effects. However, it would be best to leave the garlic in clove form, minced or chopped garlic should be ok if not too moist at the time of freezing (helping with freezer-burn / off taste.)

And as with onions, Arm & Hammer helps keep garlic odors down.