Preserved Garlic, Two Ways

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Garlic has excellent antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. I like to incorporate more garlic into my diet during the cold and flu season as a delicious, preventative precaution. These simple recipes help to make raw garlic more palatable. The sweet preserved garlic can be used as a tea and the savory preserved garlic can be used to make dressings, soups, or a stir-fry.

Sweet Preserved Garlic
Ingredients:

• 1 cup garlic cloves
• 1 medium claw of ginger, peeled & sliced into thin strips
• Local, raw honey

Procedure:

1. In a sterilized pint mason jar add garlic and ginger.
2. Pour in just enough honey to cover all cloves and pieces of ginger. You may need to stir slightly.
   
3. Cover the jar and set aside in a dark, cool place for at least 1 month. Garlic and ginger pieces may float so if feel free to use a fermentation weight to press pieces down. 
   
   

Savory Preserved Garlic
Ingredients

• 1 cup garlic cloves
• ~8oz red miso, divided

 


Procedure:

1. Mix all but 3 Tbsp miso with garlic in a non-reactive bowl.
2. In a sterilized quart mason jar pack in miso garlic mixture. Try to make sure that there are no air pockets. Spread remaining 3 Tbsp of miso on top.
   
3. Store in a dark, cool area for a minimum of 6 months. If the garlic cloves are large then it is best to let the mixture sit for a year. 
   

Note:

• Both of these just get better with age. They become more nuanced and rich, particularly the savory.