Do you know who the onion’s close relative is? Are there any guesses?
Well! Garlic is the close relative of the onion that used in different parts of the world in diverse varieties of recipes. Some of you may buy them in the fresh-form or the dried-form from the market for the usage.
The dried garlic that you buy from the market usually dried with the help of the process known as “curing.” Sometimes the garlic is also dried furthermore for turning them into the fine powder. You can easily make your garlic powder by grinding the cloves of the garlic in the mixer later on.
You might also grow the garlic in your garden quite quickly for the fresh flavor, aroma, and taste. After the dehydration process, you can store the garlic in large amount for a long time before they turn bad. Dehydrating the garlic can also be done at home now with the help of the food dehydrator. But do you have any idea about how to dehydrate garlic in the food dehydrator?
List of Essential Things Required for Drying Garlic in a Food Dehydrator
The following are the essential things that you need for drying garlic in the food dehydrator:
- Food dehydrator
- Garlic Cloves
- Knife
- Strainer
- Mixer Grinder
- Airtight jar
Step By Step Instructions for Dehydrating Garlic in a Food Dehydrator
You have to follow the below easy step by step instructions for dehydrating the garlic in the food dehydrator:
Step 1: Pick the right garlic cloves for drying
Firstly you have to pick the right cloves of the garlic which you desire to turn into powdered garlic or the crushed dehydrated garlic. But keep in mind not to use the bruised garlic cloves.
Step 2: Peel off the garlic cloves
In the next step, you have to peel off the skin of the garlic cloves with your hands or the knife. Then, throw away the papery skin.
Step 3: Sliced or powdered the garlic cloves
Now, put the garlic cloves in the mixer grinder for bristly powder. You might also slice the cloves with the knife as per your preference.
Step 4: Use the food dehydrator
Now turn ON your food dehydrator and set it at the temperature of 115 degrees F or the 45 degrees Celsius. You might use the large clove’s slices if there are holes in the food dehydrator’s racks. The entire drying process will take 36 hours to 48 hours. It will take less time if you set the temperature high. But, if you want to evade the issue of chewiness then, dehydrate the garlic at 115 degrees F for at least two days.
Step 5: Check the dehydration doneness
You can check the dehydration doneness of the garlic by breaking the sliced dried clove with your fingers. The wholly dried garlic clove will snap immediately due to the brittleness. But if it bends then, it means the cloves need more drying. You should keep on checking the drying status of the garlic cloves till the time it reaches the preferred crispiness.
Once the drying process completes, cool down the cloves. You might store them straightaway or grind it into the powder in the mixer grinder. After grinding, sieve the powder from the strainer to discard the big size chunks of the dried garlic.
Step 6: Store the dried garlic cloves
There are so many ways through which you can store the dried garlic cloves successfully for its longer shelf life. You might store it in the airtight jar for one year period in the freezer. You may also store the airtight jar of dried garlic in your kitchen for several months, but there should be no direct heat or sunlight at that place. The dried garlic or the garlic powder can be used in many recipes for enhancing their flavor more like soups.
Tips for Dehydrating Garlic in the Food Dehydrator
There are few useful tips that you can follow for dehydrating the garlic in the food dehydrator:
- If you are dehydrating the small batches of the garlic cloves then, use the stackable food dehydrator. But if you want to dehydrate large batches of garlic cloves then, using the big size dehydrators like Excalibur dehydrators is a better idea.
- Always cut the cloves of the garlic in even sizes so that they get dried at a similar pace. You have to check several times during the dehydration process of the garlic cloves if they have different thickness and sizes. You might have to remove the cloves that done, or they will get over-dried.
- You should dehydrate the garlic cloves at low heat and low pace. The high temperature might speed up the drying process, but you will get the bitter taste of the garlic in the end. Your main objective should be to dry the garlic gently along with its right flavor.
Benefits of the Dehydrated Garlic Instead of the Fresh Garlic Cloves
Having the dried garlic in the cabinet of your kitchen is very helpful sometimes. The below are few reasons of having the dried garlic instead of the fresh garlic cloves in the kitchen:
- The dehydrated garlic has more shelf life than the fresh garlic. You can store the dried garlic cloves or the powder in your kitchen cabinet easily for a long time. It is also a good substitute for the fresh garlic when it is not available with you.
- Sometimes when we are in a hurry and do not have much time to chop or peel the garlic then, the dried garlic powder works as a miracle in such a case. It adds the flavor to your food in a quick way. The essence of the dried garlic is more intense in comparison to the fresh garlic.
- It works impeccably for the seasoning mixes. You can use it in the dry rubs or the herb blends at home. The dried garlic powder combines effortlessly with the other dehydrated spices and herbs for making a shelf-steady mixture.
- It is useful for seasoning the ground meats. The pieces of sliced garlic shall not make the ground meats softs which are prepared momentarily, like burgers, meatballs, and sausage. As a substitute, the garlic powder scatters taste in the mixture of ground meat.
- The dried garlic powder gets infused and dissolves in the liquids quite easily. It is perfect for seasoning the salad dressings, marinades and brines.
- You can add the dried garlic powder on foods like popcorn, pizzas, soups, vegetables, meats or any comestible which might improve with additional garlic taste.
Final Thought
You can use the dried garlic in almost all kinds of recipes that are incomplete without garlic. You can crumble it or utilize them whole for the soups, pans or sauces. Some of you who prefer to use it in the powder form can grind it quickly in the mixer grinder. If you store the dehydrated garlic cloves correctly in the airtight jars then, it can last for a long time along with its freshness. You only need proper planning and a food dehydrator to save yourself from eating the tasteless dried garlic of the market.
We hope that now you got the answer to your question “how to dehydrate garlic.” So, only follow the above instructions and prepare the dried garlic cloves or the powder easily at your home in the food dehydrator machine. Don’t worry too much even if you are a beginner as drying garlic is quite easy in the dehydrator. Set the right temperature and leave the rest to the machine.
So, when are you planning to make the dried garlic cloves in the dehydrator? Don’t forget to share your experience with us about drying garlic in the dehydrator.
If you are finding any difficulty in the drying process of the garlic or want to clear your any doubt reading it then, do not hesitate to write us in the below comment box. We will surely get in touch with you as soon as we can.
Happy dehydrating garlic!