Where would we be without garlic? Well, the Kangaroo Island Fresh Garlic team would be lost, but everyone else would also be missing a key ingredient in almost every meal! Garlic adds a delicious level of depth to everything from bread to roasts.
Garlic is a kitchen staple, but true, bulb-y fresh garlic will only keep so long before it starts sprouting or going bad in your pantry. Proper prep and cold storing can help you get months longer out of your fresh garlic, so here's how we recommend you store your fresh garlic to help lengthen its life.
Storing Garlic in the Fridge
First, a whole bulb will not keep in the fridge. That's a direct line to sprouting. Don't do it. But you can keep peeled and chopped garlic in the fridge.
If you've peeled more cloves than you needed, you can pop those bad boys in the fridge. Just make sure they're not going to be in contact with the fridge air - your biggest concern with fresh garlic is to keep it from drying out and aging. So, make sure you wrap them up or put them in a sealed bag or container first. Peeled cloves should last about a week in the fridge.
Thinking of prepping a bunch of chopped garlic for use in a day or two? That'll keep in the fridge too. Keep chopped fresh garlic in the fridge in a sealed bag or small jar for up to three days. If it starts to discolour, it's started going bad and you'll need to bin it.
Garlic confit can also be kept in the fridge. (Actually, it needs to be kept in the fridge.) Garlic confit is where you cook the garlic before storing it in olive oil. Confit can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer. Just remember – don't store uncooked garlic in oil, that's a surefire way to develop botulism.
Freezing Fresh Garlic
Chopped or peeled garlic can last up to 12 months in the freezer – making it the ideal way to store your cooking garlic until the next season.
When stored in an airtight container, sealed bag, or vacuum-sealed pack, peeled garlic cloves will last 6-12 months in the freezer. But make sure they're peeled, because you'll never get the garlic paper off a frozen whole bulb!
We find that the best way to store garlic in the freezer is actually in ice trays. Get your garlic prepped by finely chopping each clove and then freezing the chopped garlic with a little water in the ice tray. That way, if you need garlic in a recipe, you can just pop out a cube and add it straight in.
Ultimately, cold-stored garlic isn't going to be quite as strong as fresh chopped garlic, but it's a great way to make your stash last well into the winter months.
