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Many vegetable growers are faced with a problem - they have grown the harvest, but they do not know how to preserve it. Garlic heads are no exception. From a large harvest until winter, it is sometimes possible to save hardly a third. Bulbous crops do not have a good ability to long-term storage, they quickly rot and mold. Even in winter, they begin to wither and germinate. What can we say about the spring months, when you so want to pamper yourself with vigorous garlic. However, there are ways to preserve the harvest until spring.
Why choose a bank
To store garlic according to all the rules, you must understand the main condition. It will lie in excellent condition for a long time if you stop the access to it of microbes and air. When storing in banks, the necessary conditions are created. To extend the shelf life, the jars must be pre-sterilized and dried thoroughly.
Before considering different ways how to store garlic in the bank, a few words about the general rules of storage. Not only the jar is thoroughly dried. The heads themselves must also be dry.
Therefore, if time permits, it is better to postpone the harvesting of garlic for a not rainy day.
Both peeled and unpeeled garlic can be stored in glass containers. Some housewives, in order to save space, disassemble it into cloves.
Methods for storing garlic in glass jars
Method number 1 with separate cloves
Storing garlic in glass jars begins with disassembling the head into cloves. Each of them must be carefully examined, remove all segments with rot, mold or damage.
Before taking away garlic for the winter, it must be dried within 5-6 days. Do not put it near a battery, in which case it may dry out. The best option is in the room, on the floor.
The cloves are placed in jars and sent to a dry place. They must not be covered with lids.
Method number 2 Whole heads
Garlic is not always disassembled into slices, it is also stored in whole heads. As in the previous method, it is necessary to decompose the garlic husk, cleaned from dirt and the top layer, in glass jars. Moreover, you do not need to fill them with anything else.
The disadvantage of this method, in contrast to the first, is the fact that a little garlic will enter the jars with large heads. In addition, without disassembling the garlic into small pieces, you can skip the rot inside it. In this case, the garlic in the jar will start to rot.
Method number 3 With salt
There are many reviews and comments on how to preserve garlic throughout the winter on different forums. Many people write: "we store garlic in salt." The effectiveness of this method has been proven over time. Various vegetables are stored with salt, as it is an excellent preservative.
Salty layers between layers of garlic should not be less than 2-3 cm.General actions are as follows:
- The heads (or teeth) are properly dried. It is important that they remain fresh and vigorous.
- To prevent mold from forming in the cans, they are sterilized.
- Salt is poured into the bottom of the container. It should be ordinary rock, iodized salt is not used in the workpieces.
- Layer by layer alternate garlic and salt. Finish with a layer of salt.
To decide how to store garlic, you must carefully read the terms and conditions and choose a method to your liking.The video suggested at the bottom of the article will help you better understand and understand the intricacies of cleaning and storing in glassware.
Many growers store garlic with onions. These two cultures feel great with each other. They both require the same conditions to preserve.
Method number 4 Milled garlic
If, despite all the efforts, the garlic begins to deteriorate, urgent action is needed.
- Good teeth are separated from the bad ones, cleaned.
- With the help of a meat grinder, they are ground (you can also use a blender).
- A little salt is added to the resulting gruel.
- The mass is transferred to the banks prepared in advance and closed with lids.
Store such garlic in glass jars only in the refrigerator. Garlic mass is used in cooking. The disadvantage is that such a mass cannot be stored for a long time.
To extend the shelf life, the mass is poured from above with sunflower oil. By forming a layer of liquid that does not allow air to reach the product, it allows it to retain its taste for a longer time.
Method number 5 With flour
The method is very similar to the previous ones, with the difference that flour is used as an insulator of one layer of garlic from another. It prevents the heads from touching each other and picks up excess moisture. A large layer of flour is placed at the bottom and top of such a "puff cake" - 3-5 cm. The shelf life of the product using this method is quite long.
Method number 5 In sunflower oil
Only peeled cloves are stored in sunflower oil. They are stacked in rather dense layers in pre-prepared cans, and then filled with small ones. The can is shaken lightly so that the liquid fills in all the gaps and is evenly distributed. From above, all slices should also be covered with oil.
While the garlic is stored, the oil is saturated with its aromas. Therefore, it can also be used in cooking. To make it even more aromatic, many housewives add peppercorns, various herbs and salt to the jars.
Method number 6 In wine
Garlic infused in wine is often used in Mediterranean cuisine. Cloves, peeled from the husk, are placed in the jar. Unlike the previous method, do not tamp them too tightly. Wine is added to the container. Only dry wine can be used. But red or white - at the discretion of the hostess.
Method No. 7 Dry
The garlic cloves are cut into thin slices and dried. Garlic chips are obtained. You can store them in bags or glass jars. Just do not close the jars with lids. Such chips are used in the preparation of meat dishes, soups. They retain all the flavor and useful properties of the product.
A Few Tips for Preparing Garlic for Storage
Before you figure out how to properly store garlic, you need to understand how to harvest it correctly. The heads are dug out in dry weather, when the tops are almost dry.
- Every grower should know that you cannot get rid of garlic stalks. This crop is one of the few that is dried along with the stems.
- After drying, the roots are removed. It is more convenient to do this with large scissors. Although some gardeners scorch the roots on fire. The specimen retains moisture well, in which the roots are not completely cut off, but a length of about 3-4 mm is left.
- The next step is to select a preserving temperature regime. Garlic lies for a long time in temperature ranges - 2-4 degrees or 16-20.
The bulbs can be disinfected before harvesting. For this 0.5 l. sunflower oil is heated over a fire. 10 drops of iodine are added to it. The solution is thoroughly mixed and removed from heat. Each head is alternately dipped into the solution, and then sent to dry in the sun. This simple procedure will allow the hostesses to forget about rot and mold on the garlic. Bulbs harvested in dry weather should not be subjected to this procedure. They will be perfectly stored anyway.
It is important to dig up the specimens correctly.In order not to chop the heads, many vegetable growers use a pitchfork. Having slightly dug them up, they connect their hands further. After pulling the garlic out of the ground, rub it with a glove to remove its remnants. The roots are lightly shaken off to clean them.
Regardless of the method chosen, storage in banks is perfect for those who do not have their own basement or a place to hang garlic braids.
