Garlic is a spice plant that is a welcome guest in any kitchen. Its aroma and taste can transform any dish, adding piquancy and a touch of pungency.
Even children know about the beneficial properties, so housewives want to have this spice in their kitchen at any time of the year. And for this you need to learn how to dry garlic.
How to select garlic
It is not difficult to stock up on garlic, it is important to follow a number of rules:
- choose only ripe garlic, while ensuring that the heads are not overripe;
- select cloves without the appearance of mold and insects.
If garlic grows in your summer cottage, then choosing a quality product will not be difficult. Those who will buy spice in the store will have to try. Almost all varieties are suitable for drying, but it is better to choose more acute ones. In supermarkets, it is worth paying special attention to garlic from Russia and neighboring countries, avoiding buying a Chinese product.
You can prepare a spice in different ways, it all depends on personal preference.
Drying by heads
The heads are tied in bunches and hung in dry, cool places. For these purposes, use a well-ventilated cellar or attic.
So it is stored for fresh use or subsequently additionally subjected to deep drying.
How to dry garlic in the oven
This kind of harvesting takes up little space and allows you to save the spicy plant until the next season. It is peeled, divided into cloves and cut into thin slices. The slices are poured onto a baking sheet covered with baking paper and placed in an oven preheated to 60 degrees. Withstand 30-40 minutes, while the stove door should be slightly open so that overheating does not occur. Turn the wedges over and return to the oven. The total drying time is 4 to 5.5 hours.
Using an electric dryer
Cut the cloves into flat slices, put them in the dryer at a short distance from each other. The procedure is carried out at a temperature of 70 degrees for 3 hours.
Dry the garlic naturally
Cut the slices into thin slices and place them on a dry, clean surface (cutting board or tray), covering with baking paper. You can dry it indoors or take the cloves outside. When using the second method, it is important to ensure that there is no precipitation outside. The procedure will take 1-1.5 months, the pieces of garlic should be turned over.
Garlic powder
The garlic is dried in an electric dryer or oven, then the slices are broken using a blender or coffee grinder. The resulting powder is rubbed through a sieve to achieve a homogeneous mass, if large particles come across, they are re-ground. The finished mixture is removed into a dry glass jar. Garlic powder can be mixed with salt and chopped vegetables for a delicious dressing for first and second courses.
If you learn how to independently prepare a piquant spice, you can cook delicious and interesting dishes without much effort and cost.
