Reena’s Tips of the Week:

There are a number of options to freezing garlic:

1. Peel and chop cloves or leave them whole. Pack them into suitable containers, seal, label and freeze. Grate or break off pieces to use as needed.

2. Leave head unpeeled. Pack in suitable containers, seal, label and freeze. Peel off cloves as needed.

3. Peel and chop cloves or leave them whole. Lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. Transfer frozen garlic to suitable container, seal, label and freeze.

4. Garlic in Oil: This method preserves the flavour of garlic the best. However, it needs to be used immediately when removed from freezer. It should not be stored in the refrigerator (for more than one week) or at room temperature where it can support the growth of Clostridium Botulinum. To prepare, peel cloves. Make a puree with oil in a food processor (1 part garlic to 2 parts oil). Pack in suitable containers, seal, label and store in freezer. Puree will stay soft enough to scoop out as needed for sautéing. You can also leave cloves whole and pour oil over them instead of creating a puree.

Important Notes:

To store chopped garlic for longer periods of time in the fridge, the garlic should be soaked in strong vinegar.

You can store whole bulbs for up to two months in terra-cotta storage jars. If any garlic has started to sprout, discard the green sprouty bits, as they will taste bitter. If the garlic has gone dry and spongy, discard it.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets.”

To learn more about Reena, click here.