Does Garlic Go Bad?

Garlic is a very old crop used for the bulb that forms at the base of its leaves. It is highly appreciated as a condiment for its strong and characteristic flavor, and it is a widely used ingredient, especially in Mediterranean cuisine.

Once you start tasting garlic, it is very easy to get used to its tasty flavor, and you may be interested in the idea of starting to add several to your dishes for that very reason.

If this is the case and you want to buy large quantities of garlic for cooking, but you don’t know how long it will last in good condition or how to store it so that it lasts in the long term, then don’t worry because it will teach you everything you need to know on the subject.

How to Store Garlic

If you don’t want them to lose their flavor and freshness, you must keep the garlic in the best possible conditions. It will help maintain its benefits and properties better, as there are many advantages of this food.

Buy fresh garlic heads that are hard and go with their skin, as this will help you to be able to keep them for longer. Besides, you can follow the following tips to help you know how to keep ahead of garlic in excellent condition. Avoid placing garlic in humid areas, much less in the refrigerator. It causes them to soften and rot sooner.

To preserve garlic optimally, always look for a dark and dry place. These are the essential conditions to preserve them. You will see that they last much longer and will retain all their properties.

Get a container to keep the garlic. These containers are specially created to maintain them, so they are the best option to preserve them properly. It consists of a small ceramic jar with holes that allow keeping the garlic head in a dry and dark place, but with some air so that they do not dry out.

You can also create your conservator out of a paper bag. Put the garlic inside, close it and keep it in a dry place. Another option is to prepare the canned garlic. It is not so recommended because you do not keep the garlic in its natural state, but it is a good technique to keep the garlic and make it last longer without spoiling.

To do this, you must clean the garlic cloves and cook them and, once they are soft, place them in a container filled with olive oil. If you make sure to follow all these tips properly, we guarantee that you will be able to keep your garlic in good condition for a long time, and you will be able to use it in any dish that your recipe calls for.

Can You Freeze Garlic?

If you are considering long-term options, you may be interested to know that garlic can be frozen, but you must peel it first. It will be enough to wrap them in kitchen paper once they have been peeled and put them in the freezer stored in an airtight container.

So you can use them as you need them. Of course, two months after freezing, the garlic will begin to lose its aroma and properties, so it is better to consume them before this time. I do not know they will spoil, but for practical purposes, you will not be able to count on all the power of its flavor, and for that situation, it is preferable to get fresh garlic.

How Long Does Garlic Last

As you should already know, you can keep garlic in good condition for some time to use it in the dishes you want, but this amount of time in which they are kept in storage is not indefinite.

An aspect that plays a determining role in preserving garlic is how processed it has been. Depending on how many processes it has gone through, it can last more or less time. In general, a whole garlic head that is completely fresh can last up to six months in good condition.

Garlic heads need to breathe, so we should keep them in a pantry or a cool, dry place away from light in an open container and, whenever possible, away from other foods.

In this way, we make sure that the garlic lasts longer since if we put them in the fridge, the excess cold will make them sprout. Although a well-preserved head of garlic can last more than eight weeks, keep in mind that we can keep it for between a week and ten days once broken.

How to Tell If Garlic Is Bad

When garlic shows that some roots have grown on it and green, we think it is in bad shape. If the garlic is sprouted, it indicates that it has been stored for a while, but it doesn’t mean you should toss it out. Removing these grown roots is necessary as they are hard to digest.

If you don’t know if the garlic is already spoiled, you should look if black spots appear on the skin and inside, a soft and moist texture, and if it has some fungi. Those are clear signs that can tell you if the garlic has gone bad. Although only some garlic has these conditions, any other garlic that has been stored with the ones that are infected or damaged should be discarded due to the possibility of being harmful to consume. The best thing you can do to avoid these situations is to buy the amount you will use at the moment or consume it as quickly as you can. If the garlic you have does not present any of these signs, then it is perfectly safe to consume them, and you can use them without any fear when you may want to prepare a dish with them.

Sources:

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