preserving garlic

[vicki]

Yesterday I harvested a dozen or so garlic bulbs that were ready ( they weree huge!!!) , but, I think because the ground was so soggy, the outer layer of skin has come off some of them completely as I took them out of the soil .
This will mean I can't dry them to store I guess, so does anyone know how else to store it? Could I freeze whole cloves do you think and just take them out as I need them?
Help!

[Alice]

Glad you got such a good crop Vicki. Yes you can freeze garlic but I find the smell gets all through the freezer no matter what kind of container I put it in. I'm sure other grapes said they didn't have this problem.
Maybe somebody else knows a way to preserve them in oil. That would be interesting.

[vicki]

I think its dangerous doing it in oil - botulism? Maybe it can be pickled? I'll have a hunt on the internet - I have to do something soon as my kitchen is decidedly pungent at the moment!!

[vicki]

Might try this recipe I've found for some of it!

This is a very good way of keeping large cloves of garlic. Yummy in the winter.
Peel cloves & pack into clean jars.
Bring to the boil :-
3 cups water
3 cups distilled vinegar
1/4 cup of salt.
Remove from heat
Let stand for 10 mins
Pour over garlic cloves to top of jar.
Leave to cool then refrigerate.

[kernowyon]

check out the latest GYO mag. has a recipe in it for pickled garlic.