Garlic-in-Oil
I sometimes get questions from clients about cooking tips and tricks. Here is one about garlic-in-oil, a trick I love and use as a staple in my kitchen.
Q:
Hi Natalie!
As the growing season is coming to a close, I’ve been thinking about better storage for veggies. While on this site, I read the following blurb and it made me pause. You inspired me to live the life of the continuous kitchen and in doing so I’ve been keeping garlic in oil in the fridge. Curious to hear your thoughts!
“Garlic-in-Oil: Oils may be flavored with garlic but only if prepared for fresh use, refrigerated and used within two to three days. Discard garlic-flavored oils left at room temperature over two hours. Garlic must be washed well and dried completely before storing in oil. The very best sanitation and personal hygiene practices must be used. Oil flavored with garlic provides a low-acid, air-free environment that can support growth of Clostridium botulinum, the organism that causes botulism. There are no canning recommendations for garlic-in-oil. “
-from the Carolina Canning site.
A:
Hi there!
Love that you are doing this! I have used minced garlic-in-oil *far* past two to three days and it has still had flavor, color, and vitality. The oil itself becomes more flavor-y over time. I make about 4 ounces at a time (~2 heads of garlic minced and covered with EVOO, which comes to a 1/4 cup or less oil, in a glasslock container) and it will last about 2-3 weeks (I mean until I have to make more! Not sure if it stays good after that…).
I think the keys are refrigeration, keeping the air out (glasslock – which you also want because it will make other things in your fridge taste garlicky if it isn’t airtight), making sure all the garlic is covered with oil, and using it soon. Dry garlic is really the best way to store garlic – and just make the oil weekly or 2x month as you need it. Garlic is also an amazing antibiotic, antiviral, and anthelmintic (anti parasitic). So: many more benefits than risks. You run far greater risk of harm getting in your car and driving down the road than getting botulism from *anything* these days, and from especially from garlic-in-oil. That is just true, but they have to give the warnings because there are people out there with no common sense about food preparation. Work with clean, unbruised and unspotted garlic cloves with the skins removed and you won’t have an issue.
I think the keys are refrigeration, keeping the air out (glasslock – which you also want because it will make other things in your fridge taste garlicky if it isn’t airtight), making sure all the garlic is covered with oil, and using it soon. Dry garlic is really the best way to store garlic – and just make the oil weekly or 2x month as you need it. Garlic is also an amazing antibiotic, antiviral, and anthelmintic (anti parasitic). So: many more benefits than risks. You run far greater risk of harm getting in your car and driving down the road than getting botulism from *anything* these days, and from especially from garlic-in-oil. That is just true, but they have to give the warnings because there are people out there with no common sense about food preparation. Work with clean, unbruised and unspotted garlic cloves with the skins removed and you won’t have an issue.I use it in salad dressing, seasoning meat (rubs and tacos), and cooking greens. It burns and sticks to the bottom of the pan if you start with it, so I add it after the greens have started wilting. I think the oil is higher quality when not over-heated too. I don’t pour the oil off to use it, I use scoops of it with the garlic pieces in it.
Go for it! No fear!
N