Garlic is a common ingredient found in home kitchens. Everyone. However, how long does garlic remain fresh? And how long has yours been there before you took it? It’s possible that for the past year it’s been stored in a cute tiny garlic jar made of porcelain.
It’s possible that there are some light bulbs that have been left uncovered on the top of your refrigerator for the past half a year.
There could be a stray peeled clove of garlic hiding under your kitchen table from the meal that you prepared the night before. Everything sounds extremely plausible. But do they still have any merit?
The challenge for many cooks, though, is determining when garlic has reached its expiration date. Because garlic is so commonly offered in multipacks, it’s likely that you already have quite a bit of this flavorful herb stashed away in your pantry. The question is, how long can garlic be stored in the refrigerator?
How long does a whole, fresh garlic bulb stay fresh?
Garlic, both fresh and raw, does not have a “best-by” or “expiration” date like many other types of vegetables that you might buy. Depending on how it is stored, garlic’s shelf life can range anywhere from several days to an entire year. The optimal conditions for garlic storage are cool, dark, and dry.
In the pantry, a whole bulb of garlic can keep for up to three to five months if it is kept in the correct conditions. As soon as you break the bulb of the garlic, you can anticipate a precipitous drop in the quality of the garlic. When stored in the pantry, individual cloves of unpeeled garlic have a shelf life of seven to ten days.
How long is the shelf life of processed garlic?
Garlic that has been peeled, sliced, and stored in the refrigerator will typically keep for approximately a week, whereas garlic that has been cooked and frozen will keep for between 10 and 12 months.
Garlic that has been processed and sold commercially, such as frozen garlic cloves, dried garlic, powdered garlic, minced garlic, and garlic that is sold in jars, will typically have an expiration date printed on the label.
These “best-by” dates are accurate the vast majority of the time and ought to be adhered to. A prepared jar of chopped or minced garlic can often be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months without going bad.
On the other hand, commercial jarred garlic will typically have preservatives like citric acid added to it in order to extend its shelf life.
Because of this, we strongly suggest that you experiment with chopping your own garlic at home and soaking it in extra virgin olive oil, which has a shelf life of around two to three weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
What is the shelf life of garlic cloves in the fridge?
When stored in the refrigerator, garlic cloves that have been peeled are good for approximately one week. Unless it has been preserved in olive oil, chopped or minced garlic won’t keep for more than a day or two after it has been prepared.
When kept in a cabinet at room temperature and without the skins being removed, garlic cloves have a shelf life of approximately one week.
How long can garlic that has been peeled be kept in the fridge?
Garlic cloves, once peeled, have a shelf life of up to three weeks in the refrigerator after being stored in an airtight container.
However, depending on the circumstances, they could start to smell after only a few weeks has passed.
Garlic cloves that have been peeled, on the other hand, have to be stored in an airtight container.
Beware. If you place them in a container that allows air to circulate around them or, heaven forbid, if you leave them in an open container, the odor of garlic will quickly permeate the rest of the food in your refrigerator.
The majority opinion among garlic experts is to store peeled garlic cloves in airtight containers made of transparent plastic and refrigerate them.
How do you store garlic that has been peeled in the fridge?
The refrigerator is an excellent place to store whole peeled cloves of garlic, as well as sliced or minced garlic. However, we do not recommend storing complete heads of garlic in the refrigerator because doing so can cause the cloves to sprout.
For instance, if you cut a large amount of garlic for a meal and have any left over, you should put it in a container that seals well and place it in the refrigerator. Make sure you use it within 2–3 days.
How do you tell when the garlic has gone bad?
Give the head of garlic that has not been peeled a light squeeze. If it is firm, then it is most likely ready to go. If, on the other hand, it is weak, then it is probably past its prime.
The color of your garlic is yet another indicator that it is past its prime: Garlic cloves that have been peeled should have a color that is much closer to white than yellow. A telltale symptom of degradation is discoloration.
Is It Dangerous to Consume Garlic That Has Gone Bad?
Garlic that has become moldy or mushy should not be consumed, but cloves that have sprouted or even those that have patches of browning or yellowing can still be utilized. Moldy or mushy garlic should not be consumed.
Older cloves can still be used if the green sprout that grows on them is removed and any brown spots that have formed on them are trimmed away. This will keep the cloves from being thrown away.
Conclusion
Garlic is often considered to be one of the most useful plants for the home, and it is easy to see why. It is possible for it to have a lengthy shelf life if it has been properly preserved, in addition to the many positive effects it has on one’s health.
If it has been carefully maintained at room temperature in a dark and dry spot in your pantry, your garlic bulb may remain edible for up to five months after it has been purchased.
If you are unsure as to whether or not the garlic you have is fit for consumption, you should look for brown spots on the cloves, a pungent odor, and determine whether or not the garlic has become mushy.
These are signs that the garlic has gone bad and should be avoided. Toss out the stale garlic and replace it with some newly harvested bulbs.