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Dried garlic granules

Last year we made dried garlic granules, and we found them really useful.  It took an hour or so to peel 1kg of garlic, but then over the year when we were cooking we could quickly and easily add a teaspoon of granules to cooking without having to fiddle around with garlic, so it was worth the effort and stick fingers at the time!  We also didn't have to buy any foreign garlic when the Australian garlic ran out towards the end of winter.

The finished product - 1 kg of garlic dried to fit in one jar
Seeing as the granules were such a success, we decided to do them again this year AND I remembered to take photos to share with you.  The process is really very simple.  We peeled the garlic, put it in the dehydrator (I ave a cheap sunbeam one), and ran it for a few hours (less this year because it was so hot anyway, I just left it outside for a few days).  After a week the garlic was not quite dry, still a bit sticky and gooey, so we whizzed it in the food processor and put it back in the dehydrator - I think this is easier than chopping the wet garlic and makes sure that it dries completely.  After another week we whizzed it again to make granules.  I grind it quite finely so it can go straight into cooking and it not too chunky.

the wet garlic

after the first food processor step

after being dried and processed again

Have you made garlic granules?  Any tips?  What else do you dehydrate?

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Comments

  1. BarbMarch 14, 2014 at 7:39 AM

    Hi Liz,
    Can I just ask if you put the garlic on baking paper on top of the drying tray or anything? I'd be concerned that everything I dried after garlic would have a garlic tinge to it.
    Many thanks, Barb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 19, 2014 at 9:07 PM

      Hi Barb, yes I used the solid "fruit leather" tray and baking paper on another tray so that the granules wouldn't fall through. I mostly use the dehydrator for herbs, so tainting wasn't a huge concern for me, but I do find it cleans up and doesn't hold smells from previous batches.

      Delete
  2. TammyMarch 14, 2014 at 7:45 AM

    Hi Liz, I dehydrate my garlic as well but I put it in the food processor first then spread it on the fruit leather tray and it only takes about 2 days to dry.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elaine coolowlMarch 14, 2014 at 9:17 PM

    Now *that's* the solution to keeping fresh home-grown Garlic for 12 months! I'll be giving it a whirl!
    Dehydrator sometimes works over-time especially when I've not staggered the ripening of Banana bunches (manipulating the suckers is the clue to it).
    Chillies, Dill, Mango yet to try Dragon Fruit but I know that it dries well (sensational!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 19, 2014 at 9:09 PM

      I wish I could master home-grown garlic.... and bananas! Sounds wonderful!

      Delete
  4. OckduspockMarch 16, 2014 at 9:13 PM

    No I haven't tried it... but you're giving me yet another reason to want a dehydrator!

    ReplyDelete
  5. TaniaMarch 17, 2014 at 9:02 AM

    Putting a dehydrator on my list now :) I think this is a great idea. It would also make it easier to feed to the animals on occasion.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Amy LouMarch 19, 2014 at 7:32 AM

    Building a solar dehydrator is on the list of things to build this year, so this is great! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 19, 2014 at 9:10 PM

      yes, same, when we have fruit to dry I think it will be essential to use solar, it just takes too long with the electric dehydrator!

      Delete
    2. UnknownMarch 19, 2014 at 9:12 PM

      Thanks for all your comments, the dehydrator has been very useful!

      Delete

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Thanks, I appreciate all your comments, suggestions and questions, but I don't always get time to reply right away. If you need me to reply personally to a question, please leave your email address in the comment or in your profile, or email me directly on eight.acres.liz at gmail.com

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