Minced garlic takes minutes to make and it is so easy to store. It is a no brainer for avoiding using a store-bought one.
As a DIY-it-all kind of woman, one of the things I love the most is making it all myself. Food included. And I am not talking about cooking from scratch. I am talking about avoiding any unnecessary hidden ingredients in pre-made stuff. Can’t stand it.
That’s why I make my own Homemade Hoisin Sauce too for example. And my famous Applesauce!
Ingredients and Tools for DIY-ing your Minced Garlic
- Garlic (you guessed it)
- Pinch of Salt
- Bit of Olive Oil
- Garlic crusher or Food Processor.
- A Jar to store it.
I always go for fresh ingredients when possible. And was hesitant whether to use the manual garlic crusher or the food processor and went finally for the machine. Good choice. Manually would take longer, that’s all.
I have one of these jars perfect for storing sauces. Those ones with a sealed top that I associate with jam, I don’t know why.
How to DIY your Homemade Minced Garlic
- Step 1 – Peel the garlic cloves
- Step 2 – Add them to the food processor and mince
- Step 3 – Transfer to the Jar
- Step 4 – Add some Olive Oil (eyeball it)
- Step 5 – Add a bit of salt (eyeball it too)
- Step 6 – Mix well and store.
What can I use the Garlic Mince for?
Pretty much for any dish that has garlic in it. I find it perfect for garlic butter to add to the bread and make Garlic Bread. My kids love me more when I serve them this flat bread with garlic and pigs in blankets.
It is commonly used to add flavor and aroma to savory dishes, such as soups, stews, sauces, and marinades. It can also be used to make garlic bread, roasted vegetables, and as a topping for pizza.
Minced garlic can be used in both cooked and raw dishes, and can be added at any point during the cooking process. It is also a common ingredient in many spice blends and seasoning mixes.
And keeping it in a jar saves you from peeling garlic every time. It is super convenient!
How Do I Preserve it and for How long?
It is not recommended to keep garlic in olive oil for long. Garlic can potentially cause botulism when stored in oil at room temperature for an extended period of time. So keep the mixture refrigerated all the time.
It is also important to make sure the garlic is fully submerged in the oil to prevent it from spoiling. Minced garlic can stay in the fridge for about 2 weeks if properly stored airtight but it keeps well frozen for about 4 months.
What I do is, if I don’t use it in a week, I put it in small bags and freeze it. Ideally, I try to use it within 2 or 3 days to be safe.
How to use frozen garlic?
If you have frozen the cloves, then simply remove the desired amount of cloves from the freezer and allow them to thaw at room temperature. Once they are thawed, you can peel the cloves and use them as you would fresh garlic.
But if it is minced garlic, with or without oil, you can use it in any recipe that calls for fresh garlic, including roasting, sautéing, and making homemade garlic bread.
Keep in mind that the texture of frozen garlic may be slightly different from fresh garlic, so you may need to adjust the amount you use in your recipes. Additionally, frozen garlic may not have the same flavor as fresh garlic, so you may want to use a little more than the recipe calls for to compensate.
Here’s the video making the DIY Jarred Minced Garlic
