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FrugalCat
May 18, 2020
I was a teenager before I found out that powder was not the natural form that garlic grew in.
MJHansen
May 15, 2017
What a great idea!! Do you have to slice the garlic thin, or can you just chop them in a food processor and lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet to dry? Has anyone tried this with other veges, i.e. red/green bell peppers, jalapenos etc..?
Peggy
May 15, 2017
It works best to thinly slice the garlic but chopping will work as well. You definitely can do this with jalapeƱos or bell peppers but they dry best in the dehydrator. A WORD OF CAUTION: do not dry hot peppers (or garlic) on a dehydrator in the house. The fumes from chopped hot peppers will burn your eyes (yes this is the words of experience talking) I set my dehydrator up in the garage for anything that is pungent in nature as my husband does not like the house smelling like an Italian deli for days on end.
MJHansen
May 15, 2017
Thanks for the quick response Peggy! Have you noticed any foods picking up other flavors when you dehydrate them together? I see pictures of different fruits and veges being dried together, so I am thinking it isn't a problem, but I just wanted to check..
Peggy
May 15, 2017
Honestly those are more than likely staged photos as my experience has taught me that strong flavored herbs and vegetables will transfer flavors. I typically stick to one item when I dry stuff such as all tomatoes, all onions, all garlic, etc. The stronger the flavor the more likely you are to have flavor transfers. I might dry say peaches and plums at the same time but not bananas and peaches as bananas become so concentrated as they dry. Hopefully this helps and does not steer you away from giving it a try! If something has a strong flavor when you are cooking with it the greater the possibility there is that it will have a strong odor when being dehydrated. Good luck!
MJHansen
May 15, 2017
Thanks so much Peggy, for sharing your experiences with everyone!! I appreciate your time!
rinamay
May 14, 2017
Do you think I can use this technique with onions?
Peggy
May 14, 2017
It definitely works with onions as well. One word of caution with the onion powder though, if you do not use it quickly it will form a hard clump, still usable but a pain. To date I've dried my own garlic, onions, leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato skins saved from blanching tomatoes for paste, and fruits. We lived in Alaska for a time and it was an hour drive (one way) to the grocery store during the summer so we only went shopping every two weeks. During the winter it was an even longer drive due to treacherous roads so we only went every 6 weeks. I grew a garden and canned/dried/froze as much as possible so we did not have to buy as much. Now I still keep up the practice but on a much smaller scale.
Peggy
May 14, 2017
I've been doing this for the past 15 years or so and will never return to store bought. The reason I started was due to an overabundant garlic harvest one year (it's crazy easy to grow). I did not want to waste any so I decided to dry it. Now I keep the dried garlic slivers in a 1 quart mason jar and only grind up a small tins worth every few months. It is crazy pungent!!! Typically I use half as much in recipes.
Sarah J.
May 14, 2017
That's so smart to grind as needed! And thanks for the advice in regards to starting with half the amount.
Mary T.
May 14, 2017
I agree that the garlic should be ground on an as-needed basis. Thanks for the tip!
Mary T.
May 14, 2017
I'm trying this soon (with market garlic), so I'll be ready when I harvest my garlic in midsummer!
krikri
May 14, 2017
I like garlic powder for dry spice rubs, or any time I want the flavour without the moisture.
Can anybody tell me why you'd prefer the powder over fresh garlic other times, assuming you have both on hand? Is it just that it's easier?
Can anybody tell me why you'd prefer the powder over fresh garlic other times, assuming you have both on hand? Is it just that it's easier?
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