DUG MY GARLIC

[roller]

Have no idea what kind it is it just grows all around my place.. First time I have ever dug any of it...

food for me 077.JPG

• roller
• Jun 14, 2013

 

[smokinhusker]

Wow that's some great looking garlic! I have no idea how to grow it and such but I want to try planting some.

 

[roller]

Alesia I have no idea how to grow it either. I never do anything to it and most of it is in weeds where I do not mow. The only reason I know where it is is the big ole ball at the top of it and its about 4 ft tall..

 

[kathrynn]

Those are HUGE!!!  Can think of all kinds of stuff to use them with!  MMMMM.....can almost smell them!

Kat

 

[daveomak]

Roller, morning.....  Looks like Elephant Garlic....   Good deal.....  

Dave

 

[chef willie]

Looks real good for just growing wild. I planted some (4 toes) elephant garlic last Oct/Nov in the raised bed and recently pulled them to make room for other stuff. Two were over a pound each. I hear roasted off in some olive oil they are quite tasty but a little mild other ways. They get top dollar per pound up here for elephant garlic.....open a road side stand.

 

[daveomak]

Bride uses our elephant garlic for roasting also..... then freezes it for use all through the year...  

 

[foamheart]

Hmmmmm.... I wonder if garlic works on Zombies like it does on Vampires......

Note, add nasty old dryed out garlic to todays grocery list.

Those look really nice Roller.

 

[chef willie]

Bride uses our elephant garlic for roasting also..... then freezes it for use all through the year...  

Dave, hoping I didn't pull to early on mine. The stalks were turning a tad yellow and seed pods were forming so decided to pull them. Not sure how long they could go in ground before starting to rot.

 

[daveomak]

I clip the seed stalks off...  On hardneck, after they have straightened out and started to turn woody.....  On elephant, when the stalk gets about a foot tall, I clip it off.....   All stalks are clipped at the top leaf....   This forces the bulbs to grow larger....   It is important to wait until the stalks start to harden on hardneck... they are "hardening off"... clipping early will not allow the garlic to mature for storage.....  When all but 3 or so leaves have turned brown, all the way to the main stem, it is time to harvest....  significantly reduce watering as the leaves turn brown... this will let them dry faster and reduce the moisture in the bulb......   

Hope all that makes sense.... 

Dave

 

[roller]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I may have dug this to early but they had this big ole round flower looking thing at the top. It looks pretty good when pealed and has a great smell to it.. Man that stuff grows every where around here also wild onions...I am going to roast some of the larger ones with olive oil and give them a try..

Dave am I supposed to wait till the leaves turn brown to harvest them ?

 

[kathrynn]

One thing I have been wondering too....but about onions.  Never have grown them before....is it the dame with them....when you need to dig them up?  Flower on the top...or browning "leaves"?

Baby Girl needs some tips!  

Kat

 

[daveomak]

Roller, evening....   Squeeze the flower stalk where it meets the leaves....  when it feels hard, clip it off at the leaves....   This tricks the plant into thinking it was damaged and the seeds in the flower won't mature.... so it puts more energy into the "head" and it grows larger....  The leaves should start to brown from the bottom up.... when about half of them are brown, dig and dry.... leave the garlic intact, roots and leaves and place in a shaded area with some breeze.....   I use fans to circulate the air so they will dry out and keep longer... when they totally look dead and dry, they should keep.....    One thing I forgot, when they are dug, I peel the outer covering of the garlic....  each leaf is a wrapper on the bulb.... I leave  two to 3 leaves which is 3 layered wrappers on the bulb during drying.....    Here is what a hardneck looks like after  peeling.....  Helps the drying process and keeps the dirt out of where every you are drying it.....  I tie several garlic together with baling twine and hang from the ceiling with the fan on them....   I also have made drying racks out of chicken wire on a wooden frame to dry stuff like onions...  Onions don't like to be tied and hung for me anyway.... especially when they can weigh 2-3#'s each...  

You don't have to dry to eat fresh, but for keeping the bulbs prefer it....  

In the picture on the right, I have a box fan on high, blowing on the garlic for a couple weeks to get it good and dry.... hopefully it won't rot or mildew in storage....  Of course 500 garlic plants is different than what most folks grow..... LOL.....

 

  

 

[roller]

So Dave what should I do with these ? Can I freeze them as is ?

 

[fpnmf]

Looking good Roller!!!!

Dehydrate it, grind it, and put it in EVERYTHING!!!!

   Try this!!  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139663/fresh-garlic-pate

Craig

Trade it for green coffee beans...(that roaster still working?)

 

[desertlites]

when the stalks begin to brown it is ready to harvest-always hang and let dry for a month before using, it improves the flavor. slice the top off a bulb wrap loose in foil add salt and CBP drizzle EVOO over them and roast on grill or smoker -low heat while other things are going till soft, pop cloves out and freeze in baggies.also you can peel 3-4 heads put in baking dish with a couple cups EVOO,sprinkle with salt and into 325* oven for 40 min. when garlic is getting brown, remove and mash the garlic in the oil with tater masher real good,add juice of 2 limes and 1-1/12 tsp.crushed red pepper and return to oven for another 20min. remove and mash garlic a bit more and store in wide mouth jar. store in fridge for 2 months or so-IT won't last a couple weeks though. use on bread,fish pasta- pizza or just drink the stuff it's that good. jk. theres a mexican name for it but I just call it garlic infused olive oil.

 

[daveomak]

So Dave what should I do with these ? Can I freeze them as is ?

Slice thin in a food processor or mandolin..... dehydrate at 110 for several days for a white dry garlicky chip or 140 for a nutty brown flavored chip vac pack and freeze for later and then grind for really fresh garlic powder.....    Or separate the cloves, freeze on a sheet pan, vac pack when frozen and store in the freezer....  bake with oil or butter then freeze for later, Bride does that to probably 20# of elephant.... roast or saute then mix with butter and roll into a tube shape using wax paper and freeze for later use... (compound butter) add any spices you like.... chopped dried chives, cilantro, sweet basil.... compound frozen butter tubes are great to melt on a steak, french bread, you name it....  You can saute in olive oil above 180 or 185, can't remember, save the cloves as if they were baked, refer the oil for garlic oil... chef JJ gave me a "how to".... It's somewhere.... Keep the oil refered as botulism can form if kept above 40 ish degrees...  keep for no longer than 2 weeks or something like that.... or freeze the garlic oil in small vac bags or small jars...    Don't want to mess with botulism....   garlic seems to have an affinity for botulism....  from everything I've read...  store whole cloves/heads at room temp, well ventilated is also an option... 

Dave

 

[pineywoods]

Those looks awesome wish it grew wild around here

 

[roller]

Thanks Craig and yes the Roaster is still working just fine...do not know how I was without one for so long...