Is it possible to freeze garlic for the winter in the freezer: how to prepare, does it lose its properties

A good harvest of garlic is a great joy for the gardener, but not every one of them knows how to freeze garlic for the winter. Winter species can produce a fairly large number of heads used in the process of pickling vegetables and preparing many dishes. The problem of storage has always been faced by housewives, because closer to winter, the heads begin to dry, deteriorate, and rot. The fruits of this plant are almost never kept fresh until the next summer.

Skilled housewives use the freezing method to preserve the harvest. I don't necessarily freeze the whole crop at once. For some time it can be stored in the traditional way - in the cellar or in the refrigerator, and closer to winter, when the heads begin to dry out, they will need to be frozen.

It is important that it is better not to freeze the spice with cloves and heads, because after defrosting the garlic turns into gruel and loses all its taste. The best option is to mix the spice with herbs, fragrant vegetable oil and herbs.

Using frozen garlic

All the cuisines of the world use garlic as a spice. Garlic is especially relevant in Chinese and Mediterranean cuisines. Both arrows and bulbs of the plant are used for food. They are used to prepare a wide variety of dishes: soups, marinades, vegetable stews and desserts (in some cases).

The main properties of garlic are as follows:

enhancing the taste and aroma of the prepared dish;
Benefits for the body due to a set of vitamins;
prebiotic - has the ability to increase the amount of prebiotics in the body, preventing the possibility of their destruction by harmful microorganisms.

Garlic arrows are popular with gourmets: they set off the taste of various salads, vinaigrettes, sauces, snacks and sandwiches.

Frozen garlic is used to create first courses, sauces, as a spice. When roasted, a clove gives off the same flavor as a fresh one.

Vegetable oil perfectly absorbs the aroma of previously frozen cloves. When baking donuts, the spice from the freezer shows its best qualities.

Pros and cons of freezing

Storage problems are easily solved by freezing. This method has both advantages and obvious disadvantages. You need to be familiar with the features of such a preparation of vegetables for the winter before freezing the entire crop or part of it at home.

Method benefits:

preservation of antibacterial properties;
preservation of vitamin composition;
increase shelf life;
instantly ready to use.

Disadvantages of the method:

slight loss of flavor;
less flavor compared to fresh cloves;
loss of appearance after defrosting.

These advantages and disadvantages easily compensate each other. Each housewife must independently determine the feasibility of freezing garlic cloves. As an alternative, a harvesting method such as drying or pickling can be chosen.

Freezing methods

Garlic is harvested as follows:

Whole.For this type of freezing, it is customary to use unpeeled heads. The option is used quite rarely, because when defrosting the shape of the clove will be lost, cleaning will become impossible. If, nevertheless, a decision is made on this method of freezing, the heads must be folded into bags and put into the freezer.
Slices, previously peeled. Once removed from the freezer, this garlic does not need to be peeled and is ready to be used as a condiment.
Ground mass. This option is considered the most optimal. To preserve the spice, you need to grind the garlic and put it in containers. Small bags with clips are also suitable, where you can put one serving of the workpiece. If a container is used, remove the necessary portion of the garlic mass with a sharp knife.

It is important that when freezing garlic in a container, it is impossible to completely defrost the workpiece. The mushy mass formed during the thawing process cannot be refrozen.

How to freeze garlic

To freeze fragrant heads for the winter, you should cook:

garlic;
greens;
plastic bags;
freezer;
plastic containers;
paper napkins or towels.

The procedure should be as follows:

Select cloves suitable for freezing. They should be free of rot and dark spots.
Clean the teeth, rinse and dry well with paper towels.
Cut into small pieces. A variant with the addition of dill, basil or parsley is possible.
Spread the cut slices into pre-prepared plastic bags or plastic containers. Be sure to leave a little space when packing, as the garlic will expand slightly as it freezes.
Keep in mind that garlic can't be refrozen, so it's best to use a smaller package.
Stick tags on packages or containers indicating the date of freezing.
Align the freezer bags. After that, it will be more convenient to use the frozen spice. It is necessary to give the freezer bag the desired shape.
Place in the freezer on a tray or baking sheet. The smoother the bags, the better.
Transfer to any other container after freezing, if this makes it more convenient to use the garlic.
Start using spices for their intended purpose: as an ingredient in soups, marinades, sauces, meat dishes. Garlic can be grated or finely chopped with a knife.

You can store garlic in the freezer for six months: after this period, the taste will only get worse, and the aroma may even disappear.

Freeze Garlic Arrows

Gourmets resort to freezing not only cloves, but also arrows. Is it possible to freeze such garlic for the winter in the freezer, gardeners often do not know. Fragrant greens will complement the flavors of dishes and add variety to the diet. Thawed garlic mass can be used to flavor hot dishes.

Before preparing greens, they should be washed in cold water and dried, then cut into small strips with a knife: each should be 4-5 centimeters long. At the first stage, the preparation of the arrows must be boiled for 5 minutes, after which the process is stopped by moving the greens into a bowl of cold water.

After blanching, the arrows are packed in individual bags and frozen. If desired, you can grind the material even more: after thawing, the result will be garlic paste.