Preserving Gourmet Garlic: Pickling Garlic and Blue Garlic Explained

Reader Contribution by Andrea Cross
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Pickling is yet another efficient way to preserve gourmet garlic so that you will have plenty to enjoy until the next harvest. Garlic is extremely versatile as a pickling vegetable, because it works well with so many other flavors. It is also as easy and straightforward to process as any other vegetable.

Pickling Garlic

As garlic pickles are a high-acid food, the water-bath canning method of preserving is sufficient in terms of both safety and storage life. The garlic bulbs are usually separated into individual cloves and peeled before being pickled, however, I have also seen some truly inspired whole-bulb pickles. Smaller-cloved varieties tend to be better for pickling as, although they take more time to peel than larger cloves, the flavor of your pickling solution will be able to permeate the garlic more efficiently.

Pickled garlic can be flavored with a vast variety of herbs and spices, ranging from the standard fare of mustard seed, bay leaves and cloves, to the more exotic curry and soy-sauce based. Garlic is also extremely complimentary to vegetable additions, with peppers and pearl onions being particularly popular choices. A favorite combination of ours is fresh gourmet garlic, hot peppers and green tomatoes, a tasty snack when paired with a cold beer after working in the garden all day!

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