Fermented Garlic
Fermented garlic is one of the most flavorful and versatile ingredients you can add to your kitchen. Unlike fresh garlic, which can be harsh and pungent, fermented garlic is rich and mellow, with a deep umami flavor. It's perfect for adding depth to stews, sauces, and marinades, and it's also delicious on its own. Best of all, fermenting garlic is easy to do at home with just a few simple ingredients; fresh garlic cloves and high quality salt!
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 garlic bulbs
- 2 cups water room temperature
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare for fermenting by washing a pint-size jar and lid. It does not have to be sanitized or sterilized but should be washed well with soap and hot running water. Set aside to dry.
- Peel 5-6 heads of garlic and pack the cloves into the prepared jar, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- In a bowl, combine 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt and room-temperature water. Whisk until the salt is completely dissolved.
- Pour the salt water brine over the garlic and ensure each clove is covered. Weigh down the garlic with a fermentation weight or a crumpled piece of parchment paper covered in brine. It is important to keep the garlic submerged. Place the lid on the jar.
- Each day, you'll need to open the lid and burp your ferment. This allows built-up C02 to escape the jar and is necessary to do if you're using a standard lid. You will not need to burp if you're using a pickle pipe or airlock lid.
- Place your jar in a cool place to ferment for at least 3 weeks. Begin tasting the garlic at the 3-week mark to see if the flavor is how you like it. Continue fermenting for up to 5 weeks.
Notes
Batch:
This recipe as written fills a pint jar, but it can easily be doubled to fill a quart jar. Or more. If you LOVE to ferment garlic and don't mind peeling garlic cloves, you can make as much as you like! Just keep the brine ratio the same. 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water.Storage:
Store finished garlic in the fridge or in a cold room with temperatures near 37f or 4c. These low temperatures don't kill the bacteria in the ferment but they slow them down drastically ensuring the quality of your hard work stays for a long time. These temperatures are the sweet spot between ensuring the microbes stay alive but dormant, without worrying about contamination from molds or other bad actors.