The Top 10 Garlic Keepers for More Fresh Garlic

Things to Consider Before Buying A Garlic Keeper

The garlic keeper is a simple but ingenious addition that helps preserve fresh garlic at its finest while also appearing elegant on your counter. You may also preserve shallots and ginger in a garlic keeper.

Garlic should ideally be preserved in a keeper as a full bulb or head until it is time to utilize it. When you split a bulb apart, its lifetime is reduced, and it will need to be used up within the following week or so.

Garlic has been shown to have been used as far back as 5,000 years, when the Giza pyramids were constructed. Hippocrates, the Ancient Greek physician, suggested garlic for a variety of ailments, including poor digestion, weariness, respiratory issues, and even parasites.

Garlic was given to Olympic athletes to assist improve their athletic prowess, and when garlic spread to other ancient civilizations such as the Indus Valley (today’s western India and Pakistan) and China, its usage became respected as well.

Curiously, the higher classes in India at the time would not consume garlic because of its stench, and since it was supposed to serve as an aphrodisiac, it meant that monks, teenagers, widows, and others had to avoid eating it as well!

European immigrants finally brought garlic to the New World.

Garlic was also supposed to treat dog bites and may be used to prevent leprosy and smallpox in ancient times. While these applications of garlic may seem far-fetched, garlic was just recently discovered to be antibacterial in 1858.

The famed scientist Louis Pasteur established that garlic was an antibiotic that could kill germs, and garlic was subsequently utilized as an antiseptic and even as a treatment for dysentery during the two World Wars. A single sulfide in garlic has recently been proven to be 100 times more powerful than two antibiotics against Campylobacter bacteria, which is a major cause of intestinal illnesses.

Garlic includes sulfur compounds, which are responsible for many of its health advantages. When garlic is cooked, sulfur components are eliminated, which is why some individuals prefer to eat their garlic raw! Garlic is also high in antioxidants, which may help protect the body from free radicals, which are chemicals that contribute to aging and a variety of ailments.

Garlic has been associated to blood pressure decreases, albeit the amounts employed are fairly large, roughly four cloves per day. One research found that an aged garlic extract might lower hypertension as well as medicine over the course of 24 weeks. Garlic is also proven to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Garlic consumption has also been demonstrated to reduce the risk of cancer. One Chinese research found that eating raw garlic at least twice a week for seven years reduced the chance of getting lung cancer by 44%, and certain particular organo-sulfur chemicals in garlic may kill cells implicated in one form of brain tumor.

Manganese is also found in garlic. Vitamins B6 and C are essential.

What to Look for When Choosing a Garlic Keeper

Garlic keepers are often constructed of high-fired stoneware, terracotta, or ceramic. Many will also be non-porous, preventing smells and stains from being absorbed into the keeper. Garlic keepers made of high-fired stoneware may also be used as an oven garlic roaster, but always double-check the manufacturer’s instructions before putting it in the oven.

If a garlic keeper is thoroughly glazed, it will not discolor, and a full glaze may frequently indicate that it is dishwasher safe. Otherwise, a wipe down with a moist cloth and a little dish soap is usually sufficient to keep everything clean.

If you do purchase a porous garlic keeper, avoid cleaning it with dish soap since the soap may seep into it and possibly contaminate the next batch of garlic put in the keeper. If a porous garlic keeper is heavily soiled, use some salt or baking soda on a cloth as an abrasive to remove the stain.

A garlic keeper may range in size from one meant to retain only one little bulb or head to bigger keepers that can accommodate half a dozen or more heads. When purchasing elephant garlic, a bigger keeper is normally required. The jar’s entrance should also be large enough to enable you to put the whole bulb in and pull it out without trouble.

The lid should fit snugly to keep light and moisture out of the garlic, and it should be simple to remove and replace. The lid is usually made of clay, terracotta, or stoneware, however some have wooden lids. Remember that, like everything wooden in the kitchen, it may shrink or expand when exposed to heat or moisture.

When choosing the design of your garlic keeper, consider the style of your kitchen and other furnishings, and opt for a keeper that will complement everything. Consider your budget as well. There will be a garlic keeper to fit your budget, ranging from low-cost to high-end designs.

Keeping Garlic Away from Moisture

A bulb of garlic may be kept fresh for many months if stored properly. When garlic is exposed to dampness, it may begin to decay and mold can bloom.

Black mold may grow on a garlic bulb in as little as six hours if it is exposed to dampness. Mold is more of a problem for garlic growers in warmer places, such as the Californian desert, and mold may form if the bulbs are a bit moist while moving in or out of storage.

Mold avoidance is one of the primary reasons why garlic keepers are built of terracotta, ceramic, or stoneware, which absorb moisture. Placing ventilation holes in the keeper also lets air to circulate around the garlic, keeping it dry while enabling it to breathe. The holes in the keeper may be located anywhere, although they are usually at the bottom to enable heavier gases to escape.

Even if you use a keeper for your garlic, keep it away from high-humidity and light locations in the kitchen.

The Importance of Temperature When Storing Garlic

Garlic should be kept at room temperature in a dark, dry environment with plenty of air circulation. The optimal temperature range is generally between 60F and 65F with relative humidity, which is why garlic does not keep as long in the winter since our houses are much drier.

More humidity will not only encourage mold development, but will also induce the garlic to sprout. Similarly, storing garlic in the refrigerator will cause it to sprout; in fact, garlic sprouts most quickly when kept at 40F. While sprouted garlic is still edible, its flavor might be unpleasant.

If you prefer to keep garlic in the fridge, place it in the crisper drawer, where the humidity is regulated.

Garlic should also be kept in the dark, and the garlic keeper should prevent light from reaching the garlic, which is why a keeper with a cover is usually recommended.

Conclusion

We’ve seen in this post that the design of the garlic keeper, particularly its vents, keeps garlic fresher for longer and decreases the chance of mold growth. Keeping garlic at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator reduces the chance of sprouting, and the appropriate garlic keeper will add a bit of elegance to any countertop!

We hope you liked reading our post about garlic keepers and found the material helpful. We also hope that our assessments of some of the finest garlic keepers were useful, whether you are looking for one for yourself or as a present for a friend or family member.