How long can you store garlic?
Life without garlic is not worth living. That’s why I buy it in large quantities, so I never run out. I use so much of it that I’ve never brought home a bulb that survived for more than a week in my kitchen. If you get through it a little less quickly, I can imagine you wondering how long you can store this indispensable ingredient.
It depends on how you store it, but in principle you can keep a whole, unpeeled bulb for up to six months. Once you remove a clove from the bulb but haven’t peeled it yet, you can enjoy it for another three weeks. When buying garlic, make sure it still looks nice and fresh and that you don’t buy one that has already been left to age for three months.
Ready-made
We understand that it can be very tempting to buy chopped garlic from a jar. Peeling all those cloves is nobody’s favorite job. But once a clove has been peeled, it will only keep for a week. When you cut it (here’s the easiest way), you have to eat it within a day. And no, don’t attack your clove with a garlic press, a garlic press is really unnecessary.
Worth it
Or well, of course, you don’t have to. You certainly won’t die if you eat garlic that’s too old, but the flavor will be much less intense. And if your breath is going to stink anyway, you might as well make sure it’s from the most delicious garlic, right?
Storage
Fortunately, you can influence its shelf life. Garlic likes a dry, cool, dark and well-ventilated place. That’s why those white pots specially made for storing it often have holes in them. The refrigerator is too cold and too humid, so keep your garlic well away from it.
How do you know when it’s no longer good?
Brown spots, green shoots growing out of it or a clove that’s turning more yellow than white? Away it goes, straight into the trash. You can also start to have doubts if it feels too soft.
Read also:
