Russian cuisine is unthinkable without garlic. And it adds health to us. But it’s not enough to grow bountiful harvest this vegetable. We must still try to preserve it until the coming summer. We'll tell you how to store it so that it doesn't lose its taste and beneficial properties.
Spring and winter: what are the differences?
The first, also called summer, is planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. The second - winter - is rooted in the fall, and it is ready in the summer. The varieties are practically the same in taste. The winter variety is larger in size than the spring variety; it has fewer cloves, but they are much larger. One more distinctive feature winter variety - the presence of a false stem inside the ripe head.
It is stored better than spring variety. It has more scales and dries more slowly. High humidity less dangerous for him. Decide which garlic suits you best, or better yet, grow both.
How to prepare for storage
There are several important points, which you should definitely pay attention to:
Digging time
If you leave garlic in the ground, the cloves will disintegrate, and some of them will definitely remain in the ground. Summer garlic is removed from the beds as soon as the leaves turn yellow and begin to droop to the ground. In most regions of Russia this is mid-August. The winter one is ready for harvesting already in the middle or end of July, when the leaves have dried and the inflorescences with bulbous seeds have burst.
Collection rules
- The heads are dug up rather than pulled out, because the crop takes root firmly and when the stem is pulled, it easily breaks off, but the head remains in the ground.
- Do not shake off the soil from vegetables, hitting the specimens, for example, against each other: the heads will be damaged and become unsuitable for storage.
- A drying period is required for dug up garlic. Depending on the weather – 3-7 days. At this time, the garlic is hung with its heads down so that all of the leaves fall down. nutrients, improving the taste of the cloves.
- The stems are trimmed, the garlic is carefully inspected and sorted. Only clean, even, undamaged heads are stored. Any deficiency is the reason for rejection of the specimen. It is not thrown away (unless it is rotten), but simply used for food as early as possible. Or dried, salted, pickled, frozen.
Storing winter garlic at home
Here are the basic conditions for saving valuable vegetables:
The “correct” temperature. For winter garlic the range is from -3 to +3 degrees. In warm temperatures, garlic will begin to sprout, and at low temperatures it will freeze. If there are significant differences, it will lose its beneficial properties and taste. Summer garlic will survive without harm high temperatures up to +20 degrees.
Humidity environment up to 80%. If the air is dry, the garlic will begin to dry out quickly; if there is strong humidity, it may rot.
Bright light is contraindicated for garlic. A darker place is preferable. Ventilation is necessary, but it is better to keep the heads in fabric bags or cardboard boxes, where air access is available but limited.
Where to properly store garlic
For successful wintering Vegetables do not require strict conditions and special devices.
- Cellar
There should be no rodents, mold, or debris here. Garlic collected in braids is hung from the ceiling of the cellar. The stems take up little space, the heads are protected from air, excessive humidity.
In the old fashioned way, housewives store garlic in nylon stockings. The good thing about this method is that the husks do not fall off and do not pollute the space.
Garlic is also stored in the cellar in wicker boxes and wooden boxes, where the vegetable is laid in layers no higher than 20 centimeters, and the containers are placed away from root vegetables.
- Apartment
Spring garlic will sit in the kitchen of a city apartment all winter. The interior of your home will be decorated with garlic braids: combine business with pleasure.
The answer to the question is ambiguous: how to preserve winter garlic until spring, since without problems it lies until January, and then begins to germinate. The task of a housewife who is concerned about how to store garlic in her apartment is to ensure optimal conditions overwintering. - Glass jars
The container is washed and sterilized. Selected whole heads of garlic are placed in a container, covered with gauze and sent to a dry, dark place.
One way is to pour layers of garlic table salt which will absorb moisture. In the same way they use wood ash, flour.
- Fabric bags
If there is little garlic, fabric pouch will be a reliable container for 3-5 months. To make the preservation more reliable, the bags are kept in a strong saline solution and dried in advance. This provides the vegetable with protection from bacteria. - Paraffin
Wanting to protect the garlic from rapid drying and insects, dip the heads in softened paraffin and allow the latter to harden. Then they are moved into boxes, folded in one or two rows. Garlic will last in paraffin “clothing” for at least six months. How else to store garlic so as not to dry out? Take it on board cling film. Wrap each head carefully. The main thing is that there are no cracks or damage inside.
- Drying
If you have an electric dryer, you can dry the garlic. This way its shelf life increases many times over. Dry the cloves cut into thin slices. The material is laid out on a tray and kept at a temperature of 60 degrees until it dries until the slices become crispy. The taste of dried garlic in dishes is not inferior to fresh.
It’s even more practical to make garlic powder from dried vegetables. The slices are crushed in a mortar or blender, mixed with salt and stored in glassware under the lid. Experimenters add pepper and dried herbs to this powder, creating an exclusive seasoning. - Balcony, loggia
If a mini-cellar is installed in these rooms - an insulated box for storing food, there will also be a place for garlic. Access must be denied sunlight and penetration of cold air. - Fridge
Place the heads in a glass jar and sprinkle, for example, with onion peels. It is not safe to leave in bags - it is humid in the refrigerator. It is possible to ensure safety for up to 2 months. Chopped garlic cloves with salt are also stored here. The mass, passed through a meat grinder, is placed in sterilized jars and stored under lids. It is very convenient to use such a preparation, as well as chopped garlic, generously poured sunflower oil. The filling is subsequently used to prepare salads and sauces, as it acquires a piquant taste.
- Freezer
Today, housewives even freeze tomatoes; garlic has not escaped the same fate. You can freeze cloves wrapped in cling film, or you can chop them and distribute them among the cells of an ice tray. Once frozen, the cubes are placed in a bag, from where they are taken one at a time.
Preface
Perhaps everyone knows that garlic is useful and necessary for canning, pickling, and preparing many dishes. Therefore, naturally, almost every housewife strives to stock up on them for the winter. One way to store garlic is to use the refrigerator.
To store any vegetable, it is necessary to create certain conditions and garlic is no exception in this regard. However, this culture comes in two main types, and in accordance with its belonging to one of them, you should choose the methods of its storage. If you do not adhere to such selectivity, then garlic, placed in conditions unsuitable for it, will not survive the expected period and will lose not only its presentation and aroma, but it can also become no longer so useful, healing and even completely deteriorate. Therefore you should know what it is vegetable plant It can be spring or winter. From the name it is obvious: the first is planted in the spring, and the second in the autumn, with the approach of winter.
In addition to the time of planting, it differs from spring in its higher yield and in that it is stored worse.
If garlic is with own plot, then there should be no doubt whether it is spring or winter. The owner already knows what and when he planted and collected, as well as what it should look like. If you buy garlic, you should know how one type differs from another in appearance. In spring, non-shooting, stemless varieties predominate, and the cloves are arranged in several rows around the center of the bulb and usually in a spiral. Winter garlic always has a stem (arrow). The teeth around it are arranged in 1 row, and they are, as a rule, larger than those of the spring one, but there are much fewer of them. If you cut a clove of winter garlic crosswise, then in its core you can clearly distinguish the rudiment of the future arrow-stem.
Depending on the type of this vegetable, you should choose one of the following main methods of storing it, which differ in humidity level and temperature conditions:
- for spring - humidity 50–70% and 16–20 o C;
- for winter crops – humidity 70–80% and 2–4 o C.
It should be immediately noted that spring garlic can be preserved in conditions suitable for winter garlic, but vice versa – not. However, it will lose its freshness, aroma and will be stored for less time. Winter crops quickly begin to germinate in warm conditions and are also susceptible to easy damage various diseases and drying. When creating necessary conditions storage of spring garlic can last all winter until spring without significant loss of its aroma, taste and vitamin content. Winter crops will last much less time in their own storage environment than their spring counterparts in theirs. This period can be increased, however, with a noticeable loss of the aroma and taste of garlic, by freezing.
Only healthy garlic that has no signs of damage or disease is suitable for storage, especially for the winter. You should select ripe, but not overripe, strong bulbs that have strong, tight-fitting scales. Such root vegetables are guaranteed to last their intended shelf life.
Based on the above, you should only store it in the refrigerator for a long time. For a short time you can use both it and spring. These are those cases when there are extra teeth left, peeled for consumption or use in cooking or preparations for the winter. This garlic should be placed in a separate container or plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. The same should be done with spoiled teeth, which should first be peeled and their wilted and rotten areas trimmed off. If unripe bulbs were purchased or dug up, they should also be placed in the refrigerator, but as whole, unpeeled heads.
In all the above cases, garlic can be stored in the refrigerator without loss of aroma and taste for 6-7 days, and it will not spoil. If it has to sit there longer, it will gradually begin to rot and may even become moldy in places. Such areas will need to be trimmed periodically.
Before long-term storage in the refrigerator, ripe winter garlic must be sorted, leaving only healthy bulbs, and dried well. Then you can:
- place in small cardboard boxes or paper bags;
- process the bulbs vegetable oil and place in a silk or other bag natural fabric, but soaked in a steep brine solution and then dried;
- pour into a glass jar with a tight lid or a plastic bag, where the vegetable will need to be sprinkled with flour, onion skins or coarse salt.
After this, the container with garlic is placed in the refrigerator. During the entire shelf life of the vegetable, it must be periodically checked and, if necessary, any bulbs that are beginning to deteriorate must be removed, as well as the filling must be changed. These methods allow for 3-4 months in the refrigerator.
Cleaned teeth can be preserved in vinegar or wine. This garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for about 4 months or even longer. Suitable for canning:
- white distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar;
- dry white or red wine.
The peeled teeth should be poured into a glass jar, and then filled with vinegar or wine. Then close the container with a tight lid and place it in the refrigerator. You can add salt to the jars (1 tablespoon per 1 cup of liquid) and red pepper, dried herbs, such as rosemary, oregano or bay leaves. This will give the canned garlic a special piquant taste. After adding the seasonings, shake the jar to mix everything. If, while storing garlic in a container, any signs of mold formation appear on the surface of the marinade, then all its contents will have to be poured out.
Freezing is considered not the best in a suitable way save the garlic. At the same time, it somewhat loses its aroma and taste, and after defrosting it becomes mushy and spreads out. However, for winter garlic there is no other alternative to prepare it for the winter and store it until the next harvest. Freezing can also be used for spoiled spring bulbs - they also won’t last long in warm conditions. This harvesting method allows you to store garlic for 6–7 months.
Considering the form that garlic takes after thawing, it is not recommended to freeze whole heads of it, since it will then be very difficult to peel the cloves and then use them for culinary purposes. They must be dehusked before freezing. It will work out even better if you then make a garlic mass from the cloves, which you will need to freeze. Below are several options for storing garlic in the freezer.
Whole, even cloves or with damaged areas cut out are placed in plastic bags, tied loosely and placed in the freezer. Space is left in the bags because garlic expands when frozen. You can also use small plastic containers with airtight lids or wrap the cloves in foil or cling film. Another option is to cut the cloves into small plates and place them in bags or containers. You can add finely chopped parsley, dill, any other herbs and even chopped carrots to the chopped garlic. All this will need to be mixed with the clove plates, and the resulting mixture distributed into bags, which, again, should not be packed tightly.
To freeze the garlic mass, the cloves are first crushed through a meat grinder or in a blender. Moreover, there is no need to strive to obtain puree, they must remain small pieces garlic Again, you can grind it together with different greens and even carrots. Then you can add just a little bit to the resulting mass. olive oil. Then the garlic mixture is spooned out in teaspoonfuls onto a tray covered with baking paper or into ice cube trays and placed in the freezer. The resulting briquettes will be approximately the size of 2 cloves. When the garlic mixture is frozen, transfer it to bags and store in the freezer. Used in cooking or added to ready-made dishes.
Many housewives love garlic very much. This seasoning with a specific smell makes all dishes extraordinarily tasty. The vegetable contains large number microelements and vitamins. Having harvested her favorite garlic from her plot, every housewife asks the question - how to store garlic in a city apartment? Today we will talk about those methods that many housewives have been able to try personally, which proves their high efficiency.
There are several types of vegetables. Actually, certain and known experienced gardeners timing and details of collection. For example, spring garlic, beloved by many, is also known as summer garlic. Traditionally, such a crop can be harvested from its plot in mid-August. Winter crops, which are also popularly called winter crops, are usually harvested at the end of July. The success of its storage depends on whether the vegetable is harvested correctly.
Cleaning must be done on time. It's time to dig when lower leaves purchased yellow, the tops are located on the surface of the ground, and the heads on the inflorescences are not only dry, but also cracked. If you are late with harvesting, you can end up with heads that have broken into separate teeth, as well as extra roots. And then they will not be able to lie down for more than 2 months. It is best to plan digging the crop on dry and warm days. A few weeks before the planned harvest, the beds should stop watering.
The bulbs can usually be dug out with a shovel or pitchfork. Next, they need to be laid out in such a way that they have the opportunity to dry properly. Leave the garlic laid out in the sun for at least 3 days if you want it not only to be preserved properly, but also to be just as tasty and healthy for the body.
Let's move on to the main issue that worries many. How to store garlic in an apartment in winter? If you do not comply simple rules storage, the crop will simply become moldy or rot. Conducting self storage garlic in a city apartment, it is very important to control the condition of the bulbs, as well as create the conditions they need. One of the popular methods is to place it in a regular glass jar. suitable size, which must be closed with a lid.
It is necessary to separate the husks from the heads, put the cloves in jars, then compact them well. Next, you can select one of the options. Add salt, flour, oil, and grind. Glass jars should first be sterilized and dried well. Then you can be sure that the garlic will not be affected by mold. Choose oil according to your taste. You can use olive, vegetable, flax or corn.
When you remove the cloves from the jar, the oil will acquire an unusual garlic aroma. It is acceptable to store garlic in powder form in a jar. To make it, the teeth are cut into plates and then sent to the oven to dry. The time is no more than 15 minutes. Next you need to grind the plates into powder. To do this, use a modern coffee grinder or food processor.
Storing with salt
How to preserve garlic in another way, using ordinary kitchen salt, which any self-respecting housewife has in the kitchen? You need to take plywood boxes or pans large size. Pour coarse rock salt onto the bottom, place garlic, and cover with another layer of salt on top. It is advisable to fill the gaps between the heads especially carefully.
Ideally, they cannot touch each other. Storage must take place at room temperature. Thanks to salt, garlic will not lose its beautiful properties. taste qualities and useful for human body properties. If at room temperature in salt it can lie for about 4 months, then when choosing a temperature range from 0 to -3 - up to 8 months.
Oil and iodine for storage
Doing winter preparations, housewives sometimes use very unusual ways to preserve the harvest. How else to store garlic in an apartment? In addition to kitchen salt, it is often preferred to store this beloved vegetable in sunflower or other oil with the addition of iodine, sold in any pharmacy. Often it is already available at home. The oil should be prepared first. So that it can create a reliable barrier against air getting inside the container or film. This will prevent spoilage of the stored product.
Sunflower oil must be boiled for 2 hours. After which iodine is added to it at the rate of 20 drops of the product per 1 liter of oil. The garlic heads must be dried. They must be unrefined. Then, using a piece of cotton wool or a cotton swab, you need to wipe each head of garlic with the mixture you prepared yourself. When the procedure is completed, place the garlic on open space under sun rays. When the oil is absorbed, which can be seen by running your fingers over the surface, it is recommended to wrap each specimen in special cling film.
Store in a dark place
When wondering where to store garlic in an apartment in winter, most people, knowing about the peculiarities of this process, set aside a dark and cool place for the vegetable. This could be a cellar or basement, which residents of multi-storey buildings often have.
Why is the crop preserved well there? Since high temperatures are harmful to it, which can cause mold or rotting. Which has already been mentioned earlier. One of the simplest ways to store cool dark place is braiding herbaceous garlic tails into braids. You can weave such an improvised braid using twine.
Next, the resulting braids are simply fixed under the ceiling or on the walls basement or cellar. Some people prefer to place the crop in wooden boxes or cardboard boxes. Normal temperature conditions considered -1 – 3 degrees. At higher rates, it is possible that garlic will begin to sprout. And if it is less than -3 degrees in the basement or cellar, the crop can freeze. And then you won’t have to count on his high taste characteristics and conservation useful substances as part of the product.
As shown practical experience For many people, the harvest is normally preserved in a cellar or basement if it is placed in nets or nylon stockings. Such simple improvised devices have been used for many years. This makes it possible in winter and spring to enjoy the taste of your favorite vegetable added to various dishes.
Video “Save garlic in the apartment”
This video will show you how to properly store garlic in a city apartment.
" Garlic
Garlic has long been an integral ingredient in many dishes and folk recipes. To all year round To have fragrant and fresh heads on hand, you need to know how and where to properly store them at home in the winter.
There are several common ways to store this vegetable, which allow it to remain suitable for consumption until the next harvest.
As a rule, the following places are chosen for this:
- underground;
- balcony;
- fridge;
- dry places in the apartment.
It is more convenient for owners of private houses to choose an underground floor, since there may not always be enough space in the refrigerator. Having a dry place in your apartment or house is perfect for placing garlic braids and bunches or hanging a net. A glassed-in balcony is a great place to “winter” this vegetable in jars and boxes.
Storing in braids
Time-tested method - This is a braided braid made from dried heads with a stem. The finished braid is left in a dark and dry room. For this a closet will do or storage room. Garlic braids take up very little space, but require skill and dexterity to weave the stems together well.
Storage in bundles
The dried heads with stems are tied into a bundle with a rope and hung in a dry room. The method is practically no different from the previous one, and the bunches can also act as interior decoration.
Using cans and boxes
Many people choose vegetables for wintering three liter jars, without covering the heads with anything. This allows it not to dry out and sprout. Jars must be placed in the refrigerator or on the balcony.
To store garlic in a box, you need to sprinkle the bottom with salt, then lay out some of the heads, sprinkle with salt again and lay out in this way layer by layer. This option allows the vegetable to remain fresh and juicy for a long time.
Waxing
Storage in bags
For this purpose, bags made from natural materials. R It is recommended to periodically sort through the contents of the bag to remove damaged heads.
In order to reduce the risk of mold and bacteria, you must first soak the garlic in concentrated water. saline solution, let it dry and then place it in a bag.
Storage in the refrigerator in a city apartment
To leave a vegetable in the refrigerator for the winter, it You need to dry it well and put it in paper bags. and place separately from other products.
To prevent the product from spoiling in the refrigerator, it is recommended to sprinkle the contents of the bags with salt or onion peels.
Freezing and canning
You can freeze either whole peeled cloves, wrapped in foil or cling film, or finely chopped cloves to reduce cooking time when using them. This option suitable for those who do not use vegetables in cooking very often, since freezing changes the taste and structure of this product.
For preservation, you can use wine or vinegar. To do this, cleaned cloves are placed in a jar and filled with dry wine or white vinegar. Tight closed jar placed in the refrigerator. This method allows garlic not to spoil for up to four months.
How to properly prepare crops for storage?
Proper preparation ensures that the product does not deteriorate during winter period in a city apartment.
Preparation for wintering should begin with the harvesting stage. It is important to know that there are two types of garlic, which determine the timing of its harvest:
- Winter:
- collection time: end of July;
- determination of readiness: the leaves turn yellow, the scales become thinner, the skin of the inflorescences begins to crack;
- storage temperature: +1-3°;
- Spring:
- collection time: first half of August;
- determination of readiness: the leaves turn very yellow and begin to bend and lie on the ground;
- storage temperature: +16-20°.
Digging must be done carefully, since damaged heads deteriorate much faster than intact ones and are more susceptible to the development of bacteria. For this purpose, a pitchfork or shovel is used.
Preparing garlic for storage - tying it together After digging, the garlic needs to be dried thoroughly. It is better to do this in the open sun. The stems must be cut off, except in cases where braids or buns are intended.
After harvesting, you need to get rid of all:
- damaged heads;
- rotten or affected by bacteria;
- empty heads.
Unsuitable garlic can be dried and used as a seasoning.
After carrying out all the above manipulations, you can begin sending the vegetable for the winter.
Problems encountered during storage
The most important and practically the only problem that can arise during wintering is damage to the heads. It can happen for several reasons.
First of all, this is a fungal infection. This can be avoided through very careful sorting. The product may also deteriorate due to incorrect conditions storage
The following signs allow you to determine depravity:
- an unpleasant odor reminiscent of overcooked garlic;
- the presence of rotten lobules or whole heads.
To ensure that garlic remains edible for as long as possible winter season, it is necessary to strictly observe the algorithm for preparing for wintering and the conditions of the method chosen for this purpose.
Preserving garlic for the winter at home is quite simple. The main thing is to follow all preparation measures and choose the most suitable method for yourself. Having done everything established recommendations, you can delight yourself with tasty and juicy vegetables until the next harvest.
