How to make garlic powder

If you are overwhelmed with your garlic harvest, then this is the recipe for you. Here I’ll share how to make garlic powder to preserve all your hard work in the garden.

Why make garlic powder with your garlic?

By dehydrating your homegrown garlic, you are preserving it. You then get more use out of it. Where we live in the deep south, our garlic does not store well. We live in a hot and humid climate that can cause issues when trying to store alliums and root vegetables.

DIY garlic powder is one way to preserve our garlic harvest that is the most versatile. While I could also ferment it in honey, or pickle it, by making it into garlic powder, I can use it in a lot more recipes.

Garlic powder bought from the store typically has additives in it to keep it from caking. Maltodextrin being the main one. Most herbs and spices bought in stores are also irradiated. This is to “sterilize” the product. However, if you are making your own garlic powder at home, you know exactly what is in it. Garlic! You will get so much more nutrition and flavor from your homemade garlic powder.

Garlic eventually begins to soften. While for some, this is close to a year after harvest, for us, it’s around the three month mark. At this point, I separate out the garlic between what needs to immediately be preserved, and what can last awhile longer. I immediately process the garlic by peeling, slicing and placing the food processor.

What are the benefits of consuming garlic?

1. Garlic has been know for thousands of years to boost the immune system.
2. Garlic contains manganese and selenium.
3. It also is thought to have antiviral properties. It may even be able to shorten a cold!
4. New research is showing that garlic may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

How do you grow garlic?

Garlic is almost a plant it and forget it crop. It takes little care and upkeep to grow. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure success.

1. Prepare your soil by adding compost or a well balanced fertilizer. Garlic doesn’t like hard, compact soil, so loosen before planting.
2. Plant in a sunny location.
3. Plant individual cloves about 2 inches deep and 3-4 inches apart.
4. Mulch well.
5. Garlic only needs about 1 inch of water a week.
6. Keep weeded and you will be harvesting beautiful, pungent cloves of garlic in just a few months!
7. Harvest when leaves are turning brown. You can dig down a little and check the size of your cloves. I always wait until the leaves are brown and falling over. At this point, I usually have full head of garlic in the ground.
8. Dry and cure your garlic and it’s ready for you to use in any way you like.

Depending on your planting zone and variety, garlic can take anywhere from 6-9 months to grow to maturity. If you’re growing in the south, you’ll probably have better luck with a softneck variety. In my experience, this has grown the largest bulbs for me. Hardneck varieties are better for colder climates.

However, I have bought organic garlic from the grocery store and planted it with a lot of success. I usually plant my garlic at the first of November and harvest around Mother’s day in the beginning of May.

How to dehydrate your garlic:

• Start by peeling your garlic cloves and then rinse well.
• Slice the cloves into about 1/4″ inch thick slices.
• Place on your dehydrator or in your oven at around 125 degrees fahrenheit. This can take anywhere from 6-12 hours.
• Once garlic is completely dry and brittle, it’s ready for the food processor. However, if you can’t immediately put in the food processor, you can place it in a jar for a few days.
• Pulse in the food processor until a powder forms and there are no more chunks.
• Bottle your garlic powder and store in a cool, dry place for up to one year. It may last longer if stored in the fridge.

Tips for making your own garlic powder:

• Make sure your dehydrated garlic slices are fully dry. They should be brittle before processing.
• Using a small food processor or even a coffee grinder works best. All I had was my large food processor and it didn’t get my powder as fine as I would have liked. You definitely want a lid on while processing. The powder can make a big mess otherwise.
• Save old spice jars to store your garlic powder in.
• This diy garlic powder is free from preservatives so it will cake up. You can just take a butter knife or chop stick to break it up before using.

How to use your garlic powder:

Use this diy garlic powder like you would any other herb or seasoning. It’s great for seasoning meat and veggies.

If you want to know how to use up your homegrown basil, check out this article here!