Garlic confit works for me. Cloves of Garlic cooked slowly in olive oil for about 45 minutes. Cook under a very slow flame. Add any herb you like (Thyme, Rosemary). When cooled pour into container - oil, herbs and garlic. It lasts for weeks. Far longer than raw garlic stored in oil. But, I use both with the raw garlic and oil being a really good rub for chicken and pork marinades.
I don't know if this will help you, but I've recently started to streamline my weekly cooking. One of the things I used to do every single day is chop garlic, so I figured I should just save some time by doing it once a week. I get 2 or 3 heads of garlic, peel all the cloves (the 2-bowl method works well enough), chop the whole lot, then put them into a small, wide-mouth jar, then cover with olive oil. When I need garlic, I scoop out about 1 teaspoon for each clove required. I only buy enough garlic for the week, so it won't help if you're trying to store a large amount, but it sure is nice to have pre-chopped garlic that's not yucky like the store bought stuff.
SKK, those garlic shoots get my fingers itching to get seedlings going under the grow-lights. But it's really too soon, even though we're having an unusually snow-less and warm winter here.
Just a cautionary word: no amount of correct storage (dark, cool, dry) will save garlic, a bulb, whose internal clock eventually tells it: "Time to grow!" It's impossible to know (unless you're buying from a local grower) when garlic was harvested. The garlic I harvested last August and stored in a covered box (inside a closed cupboard!) in a cold pantry "knows" that spring is coming, despite the lack of light. I can see little green shoots when I cut it open. I don't bother to cut out the shoots; I don't find them to be bitter.
Always start with the best garlic knowing where it comes from and that it is fresh. A friend gave me a tera cotta garlic keep 30 years ago. (Don't read anything into this about my age - I could have been 6) This keep has worked wherever I find myself, at whatever altitude and whatever climate. Always keep it in the refrigerator. That gives dark, cool. And if the garlic is good to begin with this really works. I am attaching a picture. It looks like an unglazed version of what Mr_Vittles sent as a link.
There are several types of garlic keepers on the market, and most are equally good. I personally like my vampire garlic keeper. ;). As long as it shields the garlic from light and has air holes to allow air to circulate, you are good. It is important to keep the garlic in a cool dry place. Therefore, above the stove is not a good place as the hot air from the kitchen rises. I keep mine in the pantry, and that seems to help.
10 Comments
But, I use both with the raw garlic and oil being a really good rub for chicken and pork marinades.