Garlic Help!!!

[JennieAtkinson]

HELP - some of my stored garlic is beginning to sprout Can't see it lasting until next Spring.

Has anyone ever bought "Cheats Garlic" - chopped garlic in olive oil? I wondered if anyone had any great tips for storing garlic like this? Or any other ideas .......

Thanks

[Waffler]

I might be wrong, but I've got it in mind that garlic is not great kept in oil or vinegar - I think it has some kind of bacteria in it that turns the oil/vinegar to poison ( may be a little melodramatic!) or just sends it off.
I'm sure someone else will be able to clarify this or indeed tell me I'm talking rubbish as usual!

[Lesley Jay]

Not you are right Waffler. Garlic and veggies stored in oil can be deadly.

[Lesley Jay]

Jennie I have just had a look in my books and AWT has instructions for making garlic powder. Slice garlic thinly and cook in a low oven 150c/300F/Gas 2 until dry and brittle. Blend to a powder in a coffee grinder and pass through a fine sieve into an airtight container. That sounds good.

[Earthbabe]

Ooh that sounds good. Will have to remember for next bumper crop. That wasn't this year. Fingers crossed next year will be better.

[Waffler]

That sounds great LJ!

[dexterdoglancashire]

OK, I admit it! I use jars of the stuff! much easier than peeling and chopping your own! Mind you, when my own garlic grows next spring I'll of course, be using that! DDL

[Earthbabe]

Once you've used your own DDL you won't want to go back. The flavour is much more intense.

[nick the grief]

why not mince it up & store it as freezer cube Jennie? then substitue 1 cube for a clove.

[bramble]

What about the smell. surely it will taint the other food in the freezer.

[Mrs Dobby]

Put the ice cube tray inside 2 layers of ziplock plastic bags, with a little parsley mint and lemon zest sealed in the outer one, it usually works to neutralise most of the smell!

[nick the grief]

What about the smell. surely it will taint the other food in the freezer.

Never had any trouble myself Bramble

Put the ice cube tray inside 2 layers of ziplock plastic bags, with a little parsley mint and lemon zest sealed in the outer one, it usually works to neutralise most of the smell!

That sounds like a good Idea Mrs D

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks alot everyone - great ideas. Might try both the drying and freezing. Will let you know how I get on.

Had a great idea of planting some, so put two heads in the polytunnel this afternoon. But I have another ten heads that are sprouting. It was a good year for garlic! (Got about another 40 hanging in the shed).

[dexterdoglancashire]

Did I mention the garlic flavoured choc ices I gave some friends? I'd just thrown some garlic cloves in the freezer (no plastic bag or anything!) and they'd landed near some choc ices. It wasnt until my friends faces turned a strange shade of green whey they were eating them that I realised what had happened!! DDL

[Mrs Dobby]

That sounds like a good Idea Mrs D

Thanks Nick!