How to Make Garlic Pickle? 2 Easy Recipes

Garlic pickle is a tasty condiment that goes well with any food. You can easily it at home, and it will taste amazing. The recipe for making pickled garlic is quick and won’t consume a lot of effort.

Garlic pickles have a unique taste. They are sour, spicy, and sweet at the same time.

Although Indians are known for their love of, garlic pickles are famous worldwide. They are quite common in Mediterranean, Continental, and Asian cuisines.

Here are two quick recipes for homemade pickled garlic that require no exotic ingredients and can be made with ingredients commonly found in your kitchen. Homemade pickled garlic is much tastier than store-bought pickled garlic.

Let’s take a look at how to make garlic pickle.

1. Tricks to Peel the Garlic Cloves

Peeling garlic can be a tedious task, and you may be tempted to buy pre-peeled garlic cloves from the store. However, those cloves are not fresh and have been stored at varying temperatures, which is not ideal for the pickling process.

Instead, here are some quick and easy ways to peel whole garlic cloves:

1.1 Soak Garlic Bulbs:

This method is simple and prevents garlic peel from sticking to your fingers. To use this method, take a pot or a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Soak the peeled garlic bulb you need to use in the water for an hour.

After an hour, drain the water and easily peel the garlic with your fingers.

1.2 Shake Garlic Bulbs:

This is a well-known hack. Take a clean jar and add separated whole peeled garlic cloves from the bulb. Cover the lid and shake the jar for 1-2 minutes. When you open the lid, you will find they have shed their skin.

1.3 Blanch Garlic Bulbs:

To blanch the garlic cloves, start by adding 1 cup of water to a saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Add the separated cloves from the garlic bulb to the boiling water and let them blanch for one minute. Next, strain the garlic cloves and let them cool for 5 minutes. Once the garlic has cooled, use a knife to gently pull off the skin.

2. How to Make Garlic Pickle?

2.1 Ingredients

• 1 cup Garlic cloves
• 50 gm Dill leaves
• 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Water

2.2 Method

• Take 1 cup of garlic cloves or 3 to 4 bunch of garlic. Peel garlic.
• Wash the garlic cloves and place them on a paper towel to allow the moisture from individual cloves to evaporate.
• To prepare the pickling brine, take a small pot and add water, vinegar, and salt. Stir well.
• Keep the mixture on medium flame and bring a small pot of it to a boil or until the salt dissolves.
• Now switch off the flame and add crushed coriander seeds and chopped dill leaves to the hot brine. Mix and set it aside.
• Let the hot brine cool for 2- 3 mins.
• Meanwhile, take your sterilized jar and place garlic cloves.
• Add the prepared brine to them, ensuring that they are fully covered by the liquid. Leave approximately 1cm of space at the top of the jar for mixing the pickled garlic.
• Cover the jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for approximately 3 months. If you can resist the temptation, you can start enjoying the spicy pickled garlic only after 1 month of refrigeration.

See, making homemade pickled garlic was so easy. Add it to your dishes for a tangy and sour taste.

3. How to Make Spicy Pickled Garlic

3.1 Ingredients:

• 1 cup Garlic cloves
• 3 chilly peppers
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup/sugar

3.2 Method:

• Wash the garlic cloves and dry them using a paper towel.
• Cut the chili and place it on a plate.
• In a bowl, mix vinegar, salt, and maple syrup/sugar until everything is dissolved.
• Place the garlic cloves and chilies in a pint jar. Pour the prepared brine over the garlic cloves, making sure not to overfill the pint jar first.
• Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate.

After a month of refrigeration, you can enjoy the best flavor and flavor of your spicy pickled garlic.

4. Best Storage Container

Two common materials used to store pickles are ceramic and glass jars. These materials are preferred because they do not react with the pickling process.

However, if you need to choose between the two, it is recommended to use glass jars as they are airtight and can keep the pickles fresh for a longer period without spoiling.

Never store pickles in plastic containers since the vinegar and salt used to make the pickling brine can react with the plastic and produce harmful toxins.

Therefore, it is better to avoid storing pickled garlic in plastic containers.

5. How to Sterilize Jars

It is essential to sterilize jars to preserve the taste and flavor of pickled garlic. Sterilizing jars also helps to remove any bacteria that may be present in the jars. Simply washing the jars is not enough; a specific process must be followed to sterilize the jars properly to make them ideal for pickling garlic.

These are ways you can sterilize your jar:

Method 1: Sterilize in an oven. Start by washing your glass jar with dishwashing soap and rinsing it thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius, then bake the jar for 10 minutes. When removing the jar from the oven, use a hand towel to avoid burning your hands.

Leave the jar to cool for 30 minutes until it reaches room temperature. Only pour the hot brine into the jar once it has reached the normal temperature; otherwise, the glass may break.

Method 2: Sterilize in a water bath. Start by washing your jar and lid with dish soap. Fill a pot with hot water and place the jar in the water bath.

Let the jar be in the water until it starts boiling, which may take around 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and remove the jar carefully from the water bath. Place it on a towel and let it air dry.

 Method 3: Sterilize in Microwave. Begin by washing the jar and lid with dish soap. Put the wet jar in the microwave for a minute, without adding any water. After a minute, remove the jar and let it cool to room temperature.

Now the jar is ready to be used for another recipe for pickling garlic.

6. Vinegar to Use Pickled Garlic Recipe

6.1 White Vinegar:

 This is the most preferred vinegar for pickles. Its acidity is perfect, and it is also cost-effective. White vinegar has a neutral flavor and does not affect the color of any vegetable. It’s best for pickling vegetables.

 6.2 Rice Vinegar:

 If you don’t like the sour flavor of pickles, then rice vinegar is a great option. It has a mildly sweet taste that reduces the sourness of pickles. You can add it to your quick pickled garlic to control the spicy and sour taste.

 6.3 Apple Cider Vinegar:

 This vinegar has a fruity flavor that goes well with plain-tasting vegetables. It’s commonly added to spicy pickled garlic for its taste, which reduces the pungent flavor of garlic cloves. Apple cider vinegar is also a healthier option to choose from while pickling.

7. Best Pickling Salt

Canning salt is a fine-granulated salt, and kosher salt is a coarse salt, both of which are great for pickling. Canning salt is the preferred salt for pickling garlic because it contains no additives.

However, the salt percentage in both varies, with canning salt being much saltier than kosher salt. Therefore, you need to keep the quantity in check while using either of the salts.

Never use table salt while pickling since is iodized salt and can spoil the pickles.

8. No Canning Process Is Needed

The store-bought pickles require a canning process. The canning process is done to kill all the bacteria that may affect the pickle’s shelf life. Also, pickles with this process have a longer shelf life.

The homemade ones are prepared with vinegar that helps garlic stay fresh. However, it is essential to store the pickles in jars and cool the refrigerator as it does not have a long shelf life when kept out.

9. Variety of Pickled Garlic

9.1 Spicy Pickled Garlic

Garlic cloves are pickled with hot peppers in chilly red pepper flakes or hot sauce, resulting in spicy pickled garlic. The spicy pickled garlic gives a great taste when added to any dish like noodles or fried rice or hot stir fry dish.

9.2 Garlic Dill Pickles

This type of garlic pickle is quite common in Continental cuisine. The pickles are made with fresh dill, or dill leaves and vinegar. They are often paired with salads, burgers, and sandwiches.

9.3 Sweet Pickled Garlic

This type of garlic pickle is savored by people who prefer a less pungent taste of garlic. The brine for this very plain garlic pickle is a mix of apple cider vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes, resulting in a simple yet delicious flavor. It goes well with a variety of dishes, such as dips, wraps, and sandwiches.

9.4 Indian Garlic pickle.

Pickles are a common condiment in Indian cuisine, accompanying any meal. Indian typically prepare spicy pickled garlic that contains cooked garlic cloves in mustard seeds and oil. They only need 3 – 4 days of pickling time.

10. Tips for Pickling Garlic

Use fresh garlic while making pickled garlic. Avoid using pre-peeled or chopped or packed garlic. They can spoil the taste of the pickle and also don’t have a greater shelf life.

Use blanched garlic in the above pickle recipes to ensure they remain fresh and maintain their color for a longer period, while also avoiding the garlic turning blue.

When making quick pickled garlic, it’s important to use sterilized jars to prevent the spoiling of pickles.

Remember to wash the lids in hot water for at least 2 minutes to kill any bacteria. Don’t skip the process of naturally drying the lids, as they are usually made of metal and cannot be sterilized.

If you are not comfortable with a strong garlic flavor, try pairing it with other vegetables such as beets, corn, or peppers.

For refrigerator pickles, wait at least 4 weeks before consuming. This allows the pickled garlic to soak in the brine and develop a nice flavor.

Before adding the pickling liquid and brine, do chop off the ends of the garlic. This will help the garlic to absorb the brine properly.

11. How to Eat Pickled Garlic

All you garlic lovers here are ways to have quick pickled garlic.

You can enjoy pickled garlic on its own, as its tangy and slightly sweet taste makes it a great snack and also satisfies sour or tangy cravings.

Widely served in European cuisine on a charcuterie board with sausages, cheese, bread, or crackers. It’s common to find them on a French restaurant menu.

Simply add it to your cooking if wanting a garlicky flavor like pasta, stir fry, or soup preparations.

Make garlic bread with pickled garlic. Just take the pickled garlic cloves without the brine mash them and spread them over the bread with butter and it’s ready to eat.

Garlic butter pickles are the perfect complement to sandwiches, burgers, or wraps. Adding them will enhance the taste and trust me, it will be awesome.

You can use garlic pickles as a dressing for your salad by adding other herbs. This will give your salad a great taste that is both sour and tangy, making it hard to resist.

12. Benefits of Garlic Pickle

Garlic is good for health and has medicinal benefits. Garlic has great nutrition and vitamin content. Pickled garlic is rich in antioxidants and anti-viral properties. Traditionally garlic was consumed as a medicine to cure health issues, in ayurveda.

12.1 Treats Cold

This is a great home remedy to treat colds. Pickled garlic helps boost immunity in a person who is suffering from a cold. You can simply add it to your meal once a day to helps reducing symptoms and strengthen your immune system.

12.2 Prevents Cancer

It is said that consuming garlic can kill cancer cells. It prevents cancers like breast cancer, brain cancer, and lung cancer. You should add garlic to your diet to help prevent harmful cancer cells from entering your body.

12.3 Cure Arthritis

Garlic’s medicinal properties can help reduce the pain caused by arthritis. You can eat plain garlic or pickled garlic to reduce the symptoms. Quick pickled garlic can be great if had twice a week.

Other health issues that can be cured with garlic are high blood pressure, control hair loss, maintain weight loss, and heart issues.

13. FAQS

13.1 How Much Garlic Is Required to Prepare to Make Pickled Garlic?

It depends on how many pint jars of pickled garlic are you preparing and also the size the of garlic bulb. For the one-pint jar of garlic pickle recipe around 3 – 4, garlic bulbs shall be enough.

13. 2 Can I Use Chopped Garlic Cloves?

Pickled garlic should be prepared with a full garlic clove because the smaller piece of garlic will soften easily. That would affect the texture and taste of pickled garlic.

13.3 How Much Quantity of Garlic Can Be Eaten per Serving?

You shall not have more than one or two garlic cloves per serving. Also don’t have it every day, you can consume it twice a week.

13.4 How Long Does the Pickled Garlic Last?

The pickled garlic lasts for a maximum of 3 months. You can make pickled garlic in batches instead of stocking a bigger quantity.

Wrap – Up

 Yes, that’s how easy it is to make quick pickled garlic at home. Follow the tips and tricks below to make pickled garlic.

Here are two recipes for making pickled garlic. But, you can experiment with flavors by adding different spices like black peppercorns, bay leaves, dried thyme, or fresh dill to make as per your taste. If you follow the recipe thoroughly, you can’t go wrong when making pickled garlic.

Pickled garlic is a great addition to your cooking for flavor and a spicy taste. It can be added to any snack to lift the taste. Garlic also has great medicinal properties, which is why I recommend making it at home. Store-bought pickled garlic often contains additives and has fewer health benefits.

Remember to use a sterilized pint jar to store garlic for a longer shelf life.

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