Recommendations on how to properly dry garlic at home

Since dried garlic cloves are a flavorful seasoning for soups, seafood, meat, and poultry, many people wonder how to dry garlic at home. There are several proven methods for drying garlic at home without losing its flavor and nutritional value. Today, you'll learn about preparing the product for drying, drying it without breaking the bulbs, drying it in bundles, storing it as a powder, and whether it's safe to dry garlic in the sun.

Content

1 Preparing for drying
2 Drying in a bundle
3 Drying without destroying the bulbs
4 Storing as garlic powder
5 Can I dry it in the sun?
6 Video "Drying Garlic"

Preparing for drying

You can use the following varieties: Kalininsky, Rostovsky, Kirovogradsky, Starobelsky White, Kreol, Yuzhny Violet, Ukrainian White, and others. In principle, any variety well-known to gardeners can be dried. A few days before the planned digging, stop watering the plant. Since the soil must be dry, it is not recommended to dig up the plant after rain. Don't wait for the garlic to ripen. At this point, the foliage turns characteristically yellow and lies at the surface of the soil.

When digging up garlic at this stage of maturity, both the scales and the cloves themselves will inevitably separate easily from the bulbs. They can become soiled. Washing the cloves is prohibited, as they can become moldy. Digging up unripe garlic is also not recommended, as the bulbs will have a loose and crumbly structure, making them difficult to dry and store. Garlic should be dried in a cool, dry place. Do not remove the roots, leaves, or stems.

Many people practice drying this wonderful product, knowing about all its beneficial properties.

Garlic boosts immunity, exhibits antibacterial and antiviral properties, lowers bad cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

But it also effectively fights worms, helps treat joint pain, and is used as an adjuvant in the treatment of liver diseases.

It is an excellent preventative measure against impotence in men and cardiovascular diseases in any person.

Drying in a bundle

How do you dry garlic in bunches? Pre-drying is done directly in the garden plot. After digging, the garlic is left there for a couple of days. Once the roots and tops are dry and the scales adhere more tightly to the bulb's surface, the harvest can be harvested. If cold and rainy weather prevails, the drying process should be carried out indoors at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and last no longer than 8 days. Garlic and tops are usually braided and hung in a dry, cool place.

Drying without destroying the bulbs

After digging up ripe garlic, you can dry it whole heads without crushing them. Set aside a room with a temperature no higher than 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Next, store the garlic in a single layer for several months. The roots should become wrinkled, and the leaves should turn brown. Remove some foliage and trim the roots. The stem should be cut about 2.5 cm above the head. Store the garlic in stockings in this manner. A dark, dry place is ideal.

You can dry the vegetable peeled. You need to sort out the clean, ripe product. After removing the outer layer, cut the garlic into slices about 6 mm thick and arrange them on a sieve or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, dry in the oven or oven at 50 degrees Celsius. Checking whether the slices are dry is easy. Simply bend one in your hand, and it should snap.

Storing as garlic powder

You can make a fragrant powder from dried garlic. Grind it in a coffee grinder. This powder will retain its aroma and flavor for up to a year. How do you make it? Select good garlic heads and peel them. Grinding isn't just possible with a coffee grinder. Some people like to finely chop the garlic themselves, while others use a food processor. Drying in an oven set to 93 degrees Celsius (205 degrees Fahrenheit) is recommended.

Sometimes this process is carried out in a special dehydrator, where the product is placed for two days at a temperature of approximately 35 degrees Celsius. By crushing the dried garlic and passing it through a sieve, the powder can be stored for about two months.

Can I dry it in the sun?

Drying garlic in the sun is possible if this is necessary to obtain a large quantity of the product during the season and sell it. This method isn't practical for drying on your own, as exposing the vegetable to direct sunlight significantly reduces its shelf life. Exposure to the sun's scorching rays causes the top layer of the vegetable to crack, which negatively impacts the bulbs' quality.

If you still want to use this method, place the dug-up garlic in the shade. This way, its flavor and aroma will not be affected. You can then add your favorite seasoning to various dishes to suit your taste and enjoy its unique flavor. It's also recommended to dry the plants you plan to plant before winter in the sun. This should be done for 3 days.

Video "Drying Garlic"

This video will show you how to properly dry garlic and store it as garlic powder.