Drying Garlic, How to Dry Garlic, Storing Garlic

Tips for drying garlic before storage for best results. How to air-dry or dehydrator-dry garlic for long-term storage.

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Drying was one of the earliest methods used for preserving food from bountiful harvests to use when food was scarce.

Dried foods are convenient to use and can be quite tasty.

Drying is the simplest and most natural way of saving the bulbs or cloves to add flavor in home cooking.

Although very little equipment is needed for drying garlic, climate is important.

If you live in a warm, dry area, all you need is some extra time on your hands and fresh garlic.

For folks living in a relatively moist region, using a food dehydrator may be your best choice for drying.

The quicker food dries, the better its characteristic taste when it is cooked.

The finished product can only be as good as the original, so begin with the very freshest high-quality garlic.

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Removing all the moisture from food stops the growth of organisms which cause food to spoil.

Properly dried foods have about 90 percent of the water removed.

Depending on the storage temperature, you can count on keeping your home-dried foods for around six months to 2 years.

How to Dry Whole Garlic Bulbs

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How to Air-Dry Sliced Garlic Cloves

Using a Dehydrator for Drying Garlic

Drying is a safe and simple technique of keeping the uniquely flavored bulbs on hand indefinitely.

Select firm, fresh cloves with no sign of bruising and follow these easy steps for drying garlic in a dehydrator:

Using a food dehydrator you can choose to dry foods hot and fast or cool and slow.

In a food dehydrator, we suggest drying for two days at the lowest temperature setting.

Tip When Drying

Keep drying garlic away from fruits such as apples or pears because it may taint them.

Storing Garlic

Dried garlic can be kept at room temperature in airtight containers.

Also, dried garlic tops can be braided, and the braids hung in a cool dark place for storage.

After drying garlic, it keeps amazingly fresh for over a year by storing dried flakes in the freezer, and then grinding near the time you plan on using them.