Pickled garlic: A flavorful twist for your winter pantry

Usually, garlic cloves are added to homemade preserves, but for a few seasons now, I’ve been making jars filled with just this vegetable. In winter, when I pull out another jar from the pantry, I congratulate myself. In this version, garlic tastes delicious, and the method is really simple.

Pickled garlic is a healthy and tasty addition to many dishes. Thanks to pickling, the garlic becomes more delicate and easier to digest, and its flavor blends perfectly with salads, sandwiches, and meat dishes.

The choice of garlic is important: use fresh, undamaged garlic to get the best taste and texture. Storage also matters: after pasteurization, store the jars in a cool, dark place. Pickled garlic tastes best after a few weeks when the flavors have melded. Most importantly, you can experiment with this recipe! Add other spices to the brine, such as allspice, cloves, or chili to enrich the garlic flavor.

Ingredients for pickled garlic

It’s best to pickle garlic when making other preserves. That way, it’s easier to adjust the number of cloves to specific jars.

Ingredients:

              
• Garlic (a few heads, peeled)
• Vinegar (about 2 cups)
• Water (about 2 cups)
• Sugar (4 tablespoons)
• Salt (2 tablespoons)
• Bay leaves (a few pieces)
• Peppercorns (a few pieces)
• Mustard seeds (1 teaspoon)

Preparation:

      
1. Preparing the garlic: peel the garlic cloves and wash them thoroughly.
2. Preparing the brine: in a pot, mix water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaves, pepper, and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil.
3. Pickling the garlic: place the garlic in sterilized jars. Pour the hot brine over them, ensuring all cloves are completely submerged. Seal the jars tightly.
4. Pasteurization: place the jars in a large pot, fill with water to 3/4 of their height, and pasteurize for about 10 minutes.

This pickled garlic recipe is an excellent way to prepare this aromatic vegetable for the winter months. It is healthy and perfect as an addition to many dishes. This recipe combines simplicity with exceptional flavor, and preparing jars of garlic is a great way to preserve its freshness and flavor qualities all year round.