Community Chat

[Mellyg]

Funny timing! I froze some the other day; I haven't used any of the frozen yet, so I  don't have feedback on the end result. I understand peeled garlic can be refrigerated (if covered in oil); but, I feel like 2020 would be the year I give my family botulism. So I froze some using 2 different methods.

First was the lazy way. I simply froze the cloves. I did some peeled and some unpeeled (for the sake of sience...and boredom).  I put them in a freezer bag and removed all air, and popped them in the freezer.  Apparently they peel very easily once frozen. This method supposedly takes an hour to defrost and the texture can become "squishy".

The second way was easy and I think will be favorable. I peeled the garlic and placed it in the food processor with some olive oil. (I didn't measure anything, but I had about 5-6 heads of garlic and probably about 1T-1.5T olive oil.). I pulsated it a few quick times until it was a paste like texture. I spread  it out on a silicone mat and placed in the freezer just until frozen. Then I broke into smaller chunks and put in an airtight freezer bag. 

I figured I'd give it a try for time saving meal prep; it can be tedious to chop/mince when I need a tiny amount. 

[Carmie]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

@Cakers3   Garlic in oil stored in the refrigerator is safe.  You cannot store it in oil at room temp.

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@Carmie   No it is not safe even in the fridge.

There is a scientific reason for this; if you have not experienced a bad reaction consider yourself lucky.  Very lucky.

Other posters are agreeing with me. I didn't pull that fact out of thin air.

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My Italian family has been keeping some garlic this was since before I was born.  You can even buy garlic in oil sold at the grocery store.

[Marp]

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@Carmie wrote:

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

@Cakers3   Garlic in oil stored in the refrigerator is safe.  You cannot store it in oil at room temp.

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@Carmie   No it is not safe even in the fridge.

There is a scientific reason for this; if you have not experienced a bad reaction consider yourself lucky.  Very lucky.

Other posters are agreeing with me. I didn't pull that fact out of thin air.

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My Italian family has been keeping some garlic this was since before I was born.  You can even buy garlic in oil sold at the grocery store.

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I don't know about the other brands but Kirkland adds citric acid to their garlic.  The addition of an acid helps prevent botulism spores from blooming.

[NicksmomESQ]

I never freeze garlic.I feel it detracts from it's fresh flavor. I buy fresh peeled garlic & store it in the refrigerator in a lock n lock container. I don't add any oil .

[Cakers3]

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@Carmie wrote:

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Carmie wrote:

@Cakers3   Garlic in oil stored in the refrigerator is safe.  You cannot store it in oil at room temp.

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@Carmie   No it is not safe even in the fridge.

There is a scientific reason for this; if you have not experienced a bad reaction consider yourself lucky.  Very lucky.

Other posters are agreeing with me. I didn't pull that fact out of thin air.

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My Italian family has been keeping some garlic this was since before I was born.  You can even buy garlic in oil sold at the grocery store.

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@Carmie  

And my Italian family has not.

Look at the ingredients in these commercially prepared items:

They use CITRIC ACID to counter the low acidity in garlic which, when placed with low/unoxygenated substances such as  olive oil can be a breeding ground for botulism.  Some even use "preservatives". 

The FDA has warned about this for years.

I knew you would come back with these commercially prepared items; they are no secret in stores but prepared to minimize risk.  I say "minimize" because recalls have happened through the years.

Buon appetito!

[SusieQ_2]

I buy frozen garlic cubes from Trader Joe's. Three ingredients--crushed garlic, canola oil, and sea salt. I've been using this for years. They're great tasting and super convenient.

[Sooner]

I have been wondering about putting some cloves in boiling red wine vinegar and popping it all in the fridge to use both the garlic and the vinegar.

Not a huge batch, just a couple of heads worth of peeled cloves and vinegar to cover. 

Is this safe?  Ever heard of it?  

[HLP]

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@coffee drinker wrote:

Can fresh, peeled garlic be frozen?  How would you do it?

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I just did last week. Minced the garlic with my mincer, put a T in each icecube tray, filled the slots with olive oil, froze them. After a day took them out put in a bag, back in freezer. I needed some the next day, took a cube out and put it in my sauce. They do not stick together, and can even be broken apart ,if you only want a little garlic, My first time doing this but it was successful.

[faeriemoon]

I have frozen garlic in the past but I'm not thrilled at how it defrosts.  Comes out mushy once it thaws, which is fine I guess if you are planning to mince it.  I prefer fresh.

[Still Raining]

The jars from the grocery are actually canned garlic.  They have some acid added and you can tell they have been heat sealed.  Hear the pop.