How to freeze fresh garlic in three different ways
To freeze fresh garlic, you can freeze it as a bush without removing the skin. Also, freezing minced garlic mixed with oil or cloves in olive oil is another way to freeze these vegetables. Plastic bags are not suitable for this.
Freezing fresh garlic is the quickest and easiest way to preserve this iconic vegetable for a long time; However, it can be said with certainty: the aroma, taste and properties of fresh garlic are much more than that of frozen garlic. Freezing garlic is useful in softening food and speeding up the preparation process, and you can freeze fresh garlic in the ways taught in this article and use it whenever you want in cooking.
Method 1: Freeze fresh garlic with the skin on
The garlic you choose to freeze in this way must be completely healthy and free of mold, with no sprouts to be seen on it. Also, don't use garlic that has softened to freeze. After picking the garlic, freeze it as a bush without removing the skin in the same way in an airtight container or plastic freezer. If you have more time, you can peel garlic cloves and then freeze them.
Method 2: Freeze fresh garlic in minced or mashed form
To freeze garlic this way, peel and crush garlic cloves or make a puree using a food processor and depending on the type of use, store it in a vacuum freezer bag and place it in the freezer. You can also spread fresh garlic thinly (and therefore crunchable) on the surface of a silicone baking sheet. After the garlic puree is frozen, place the frozen blocks and leaves in a container with a closed lid and store it in the freezer.
Method 3: Freezing garlic paste in oil
We will explain this method of freezing garlic, but you should know that the oil should not be put in the freezer, as it is harmful to the skin. However, some people use this method to puree fresh garlic after peeling it with a food processor, then mix the crushed garlic with olive oil, put it in an ice mold, and put it in the freezer. Most importantly, the mold should be with a lid because the smell of garlic makes your freezer space uncomfortable.
We suggest doing the same for storing in the fridge, which is even better! That is, mix garlic puree with oil and store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one year.
Best container for freezing garlic
The wrapping of the packaging that you use to freeze fresh garlic must be moisture-proof and anti-evaporative due to the strong aroma of this vegetable, and must not have holes and prevent the absorption of the taste and aroma of other foods. The best choices are Ziplock plastic bags, airtight plastic containers, and paper cellophane wraps for freezing. But ordinary plastic bags are not only not suitable, but they also cause freezer odor and change the taste and texture of garlic.
Freeze the fried garlic
If you want to use fried garlic for freezing, the best thing is to use hot garlic monthly. After frying, the garlic retains a little of its aroma. Keeping fried garlic in the freezer for a long time leads to the loss of an important part of nutrients and vitamins. Therefore, it is preferable to use hot garlic after frying it or not keeping it in the freezer for more than a month.
The duration of keeping hot garlic in the freezer
After you freeze garlic, you can store it in the freezer for 3 to 6 months. But the best way is to use fried garlic within 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, hot garlic may lose its flavor and therefore has no nutritional value.
Store garlic in soda bottles
The basic design of plastic bottles is that if the water in them freezes, harmful substances get into them due to changes in the polymers of these containers. Therefore, freezing of water in these bottles should be avoided. These containers are only designed to hold water at refrigerator temperature (0 to 4°C); In other words, they're designed for cool and cold conditions, not freezing.
How long does fresh garlic keep in the freezer?
If the freezer temperature is constant, you can store fresh garlic in the freezer for 8 to 12 months. Holding more than this time will have no nutritional value; Therefore, we suggest that after you are done with the packaging, be sure to put a “garlic” label on it and write the date you frozen on the label.
The conclusion
It must be said that garlic is one of the vegetables that many people do not agree to freeze, because many of its properties, texture, aroma and flavor will be lost due to freezing, so we recommend other ways to keep garlic fresh at home and use it to dry garlic or make homemade garlic powder or make pickled garlic . However, this method is a practical one for those with less time to cook.
