Dried garlic: methods of preparation and storage - how to dry garlic for the winter at home

How to dry garlic after harvesting

Before harvesting this vegetable, you should avoid watering it for several days so that the soil remains dry and crumbly. If it rained heavily the day before, then you should also wait a while with cleaning.

Having pulled the heads out of the ground, they are laid out in one layer on the ridge and allowed to dry for 3 to 4 hours. After this, the crop is harvested under a well-ventilated canopy and dried there for 5 to 10 days.

After the green part of the plant dries, it is partially cut off, leaving a small stump of 5–6 centimeters. The garlic heads are placed in mesh boxes in a small layer and stored in a cool, dry place.

If you plan to store garlic in bundles or braids, then the tops are not cut off, but used for fastening. Bunches of garlic are hung at some distance from the ground in a dry room.

Watch the video from the “Useful Tips” channel - How to dry garlic

How to dry garlic cloves

Before you start drying, you need to prepare the main product. The head of garlic is disassembled into individual cloves, each of which is then peeled. If the slices are darkened or damaged, they should be cut off with a knife.

There are several ways to chop garlic:

• Grind the garlic through a coarse grater. This method is not desirable, since when chopping, too much juice is released, which interferes with high-quality drying. In addition, the aromatic substances from such a product will disappear much faster.
• Grind with a food processor. The disadvantages of this method are the same as in the previous recipe.
• Cut the garlic cloves into thin slices. This is the optimal grinding option for drying in ovens and electric dryers.
• Cut the cloves in half lengthwise. This method is ideal for drying garlic in the fresh air.

Natural way of drying

Garlic cloves cut in half are laid out on a flat surface, cut side up. The pallet is placed in a dry and very well ventilated area. An important rule: drying should not be exposed to sunlight. Drying in the shade will help preserve the maximum amount of nutrients.

From time to time, garlic cloves should be checked for readiness. On average, the entire process takes from 10 to 14 days, subject to dry, warm weather.If the garlic cloves were initially large, and the weather was not good during drying, then you will have to wait much longer for the product to be ready.

Dry in the oven

Chopped into plates, the garlic is placed on a baking sheet. To keep the dishes clean, the bottom of the container is first covered with baking paper. The oven is heated to a temperature of 50 - 60 degrees and the garlic is sent there. To avoid excessive overheating and to provide access to fresh air, keep the oven door ajar.

40 minutes after the start of drying, the baking sheet is removed and the slices are turned over. After the garlic has cooled completely, it is sent back to dry.

The total oven drying time is approximately 3 – 6 hours. This mainly depends on the thickness of the original product.

How to dry garlic in a vegetable and fruit dryer

Garlic petals are laid out on drying racks in one layer. The heating temperature is set on the unit to 55 - 60 degrees. You can’t go higher, as excessive heat will destroy all the aromatic and beneficial substances of the vegetable.

The average drying time is 4 – 6 hours. This largely depends on the size of the cut and the humidity of the room in which dehydration is carried out.

The Ezidri Master channel in its video will talk about how to properly dry garlic

How to make garlic powder

Well-dried garlic can be used to make an excellent seasoning in powder form. To do this, garlic chips are placed in a blender or coffee grinder and beaten for 1 - 2 minutes. The crushed mass is sifted through a sieve in order to achieve a uniform consistency. If you grind the product for less time, you will get a coarse granular powder. It will be more noticeable in the finished dish.

How to store dried garlic

Fragile, crumbly garlic cloves are stored in jars, preferably made of dark glass, under a tightly screwed lid. This preparation is stored in a dry, dark place for a year, until the new harvest.