Bottled Minced Garlic

Unless I’m baking a cake or making a smoothie there are few instances where garlic does not factor prominently in the preparation of my food. I always have several heads of garlic at the ready on my counter in a terracotta dish. The only issue is that being left out allows it to dry out and sometimes rot before I get to put it to use. Putting it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag isn’t a good option either because it’ll just get soggy and smelly. Though I make fun of my mom for using minced garlic from a jar it is a great option in a pinch and it lasts significantly longer than regular whole heads of garlic. Just don’t drop the jar – broken glass will be the least of your problems.

You can buy bottled minced garlic in the store OR you can make your own with the garlic heads you have available. You’ll need a small, clean glass jar, several heads of garlic, a good sharp knife and olive oil. Make sure your jar is squeaky clean. Next crush your garlic heads to remove the skin then mince the cloves to the desired size. Scoop the minced garlic into the clean jar and pour in olive oil until the garlic is covered by a thin layer. This step will prevent oxidation and as the oil will solidify in the refrigerator it will help keep the garlic fresh. Then when you are ready to use just scoop out a teaspoon of minced garlic, oil and all, from the jar and use it in your desired recipe.

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Most cooks will agree that freshly minced garlic has the best flavor. However, there are occasions when the convenience of bottled minced garlic is a good choice for recipes, especially those recipes that don’t require any other slicing, mincing, or chopping. Bottled minced garlic has a stronger flavor than freshly minced. One teaspoon of bottled minced garlic is equivalent to two garlic cloves. Most bottled minced garlic is shelf stable and doesn’t require refrigeration. But once you open the bottle, keep it stored in the refrigerator and check the “use by” date before adding it to a recipe. bottledmincedgarlicKS Try this Kitchen Shortcut with Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing .

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