? > Can you freeze WHOLE garlic cloves?

[Baking_Bud]

Hello. I have never run across this question, so would appreciate any information on the subject of storing garlic. My husband brought me a BAG of them, and there is no way I can use them in a timely fashion. Can whole, unpeeled, garlic cloves be frozen for later use?

The smell is starting to get to me. I like garlic, but he just got me WAY TOO MANY , and they need to get out of my kitchen now! Thanks for any information!

Just Sign Me, Looking for a Clothespin Baking Bud

[Baking_Bud]

Well, I decided I too would go out to the net to see what I could find on the subject. WOW > some scary stuff out there on that little clove! Here is the part on the Botulism warning:

BOTULISM WARNING
Regardless of its flavor potency, garlic is a low-acid vegetable. The pH of a clove of garlic typically ranges from 5.3 to 6.3. As with all low-acid vegetables, garlic will support the growth and subsequent toxin production of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum when given the right conditions. These conditions include improper home canning and improper preparation and storage of fresh herb and garlic-in-oil mixtures. Moisture, room temperature, lack of oxygen, and low-acid conditions all favor the growth of Clostridium botulinum. When growing, this bacterium produces an extremely potent toxin that causes the illness botulism. If untreated, death can result within a few days of consuming the toxic food.

Told my husband NEVER to buy a bag of garlic again, as we just don't use it up that quickly. Said a few cloves at a time is all we need! Then I said I was giving a gift of peace of mind to myself, and threw the BIG bag away! All he said as I did it was, "Phew, those really smell, don't they!" They still looked nice, firm and no discoloration of any type, but I'm not taking a chance!

I thought I had uploaded the link, but it got cut off. I will also put that on when I go back to my email. Lots of interesting information, and it did say they could be frozen. Now, on another site it said to leave out the cloves if freezing, as they get a musky taste to them afterwards. Guess we need to still hear from those who have some actual experience with freezing these things!

I HAD heard about putting cloves in oil, and worried about how many people might be storing it that way as a salad dressing?!! SCARY !

Always With My Best, Cloveless Baking Bud

[Baking_Bud]

Here is the link: cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm

Would appreciate hearing any thoughts on this subject! My family LONG AGO experienced botulism poisoning through improperly bottled mushrooms, with 2 deaths resulting and my uncle barely lived. You really have to know what you are doing when canning and preserving, as there are risks!

My Best, Baking Bud

[April B.]

Wow,

I would of never new that about garlic bulbs....

Amazing, that you had found all that out just by look to see if they can be frozen???


It's scarey to me at times, when things like this is found and so many of us don't even know the unknown about some foods etc.

Who Know's

I'm Certainly Glad You Found this!!

Well, I still love to cook and learn new thing about food and recipes

Happy New Year to Everyone ;D

[Baking_Bud]

Hi April!,

Yes, doesn't make me feel very safe either. My friend has stopped making her own oil, as we had uncovered the garlic in oil problem when she asked me if I had any recipes to make your own. She decided after that it was better to spend more $'s and BUY it safely done.

If there are any other food warnings out there, I am sure we would all appreciate hearing about them.

Hope your New Year's Eve was nice. I am tired after waiting up for my sons!

Always My Best, Baking Bud

[April B.]

I don't blame your friend in fact I will probably keep making it but only enough for the two of us and sever it right a way like by the next day and keep it in the refrigerator..

[CountryCookinLisa]

I knew from a friend getting very ill that it was not good to freeze garlic. I never thought a plant would harm you that bad until then. I always dry and freeze my garlic. Then I make my oil with it. I have roasted it then dryed it too for a different flavor.

[Baking_Bud]

Hi CountryCookinLisa!,

Scary to think about some potentials of plants, their leafs, or other parts, as well as the ramifications of going bad, not breathing right, etc. for others. This one sentence sort of will make me think about ALL garlic cloves in the future:

Moisture, room temperature, lack of oxygen, and low-acid conditions all favor the growth of Clostridium botulinum. When growing, this bacterium produces an extremely potent toxin that causes the illness botulism. If untreated, death can result within a few days of consuming the toxic food.

WOW! Moisture, room temperature, lack of oxygen > these are all potentials happening to those little bulbs before they even hit our houses! And then we come to 'low-acid conditions' and that opens up another scary playing field. Today I used garlic, dry, made by Schilling, and felt MUCH SAFER. Maybe I will make my family swallow garlic pills, and forget the fresh cloves! The dry stuff could surfice. And if I ever eat at a friends house serving 'home made oil dressing' I will have to ask myself if I have ever done anything to want to cause this person to take my life?, and then claim I can ONLY EAT RANCH dressing! By Kraft! No homemade versions!

Now that I am thinking about it, what is it about 'green' on potatoes that can be harmful too? Think we ALL need to share the bad stuff we know about foods, plants, etc.

Always With My Best, Baking Bud