I make this handy dandy convenience product for myself, and it happens to be a great gift to foodie friends as well. If you grow your own garlic, this would be wonderful at harvest time. However I currently do not grow garlic, so I get a big bag at Costco.
This is really simple, takes about an hour, with exception to the cooling time for the roasted garlic. Your investment of time, will give back to you ten fold. Lets get started…..
Frozen Garlic Logs
by the seat of my pants
makes 5 – 4 plain and 1 roasted
3 pounds of garlic cloves, peeled
2 T olive oil
5 gallon freezer bags
10 clothes pins
To make roasted garlic:
Pour a rounded 2 cups of garlic into a roasting pan with a lid, drizzle with the oil.
Cover and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
Stir, reduce heat to 250, bake 20 minutes, stir and bake 20 additional minutes. When you remove this from the oven, stir one last time.
Keep lid off, and let cool. When cool process the garlic in the same manner as the fresh garlic, and freeze.
Do be aware that the roasted garlic, has a sticky texture, and will chop much quicker than the raw garlic.
To freeze fresh garlic:
Empty half of the remaining garlic into food processor bowl, process until finely chopped, using the pulse button at the end, to prevent making a mush or puree.
Empty into a glass or stainless bowl (I think this much garlic might smell stain a plastic bowl). Repeat with remaining garlic.
Smooth top of garlic in the bowl, score into 4 sections.
Prepare the wrappers:
Cut the zip strip off the freezer bag. Cut bag at the seam on each side, leaving the folded bottom intact. Open bag flat, you will have a large rectangle.
Spoon 1/4 of the mixture onto the bag. Shape into a compact rectangle. Bring sides together, and the rectangle will fold in half, fold the sides down snug against the garlic. Twist one end, and secure with a clothespin. “Sit” the log on the clothespin end, and gently work out any air. Work the next end to be as flat as possible, twist the plastic and secure with a clothespin. Repeat with remaining chopped garlic, freezer bags and clothes pin.
Place logs in the freezer. When frozen change out the clothespins with a secure closure of your choice, the clothespins were only needed to quickly close the end of the logs and are not meant to be used after the logs have frozen solid and easier to work with.
To use: Slice a thin slice of frozen garlic, this is equal to a clove of minced garlic.
Enjoy!
As always, thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello. I appreciate your time and your comments.
For more great ideas, come and visit me here:
http://momssundaycafe.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the tip…I like that it was roasted first, a great way to keep it handy..
What a very cool idea. Awesome.
Velva