Smoking Garlic Cloves

[lathechips]

Any tips or tricks to smoking peeled garlic cloves in a MES.  Temps & times?

 

[jp61]

Never tried it.

I would guess cold smoking would be a better choice?

Don't know what your plans are.... if you have it in quantity, maybe chopping, dehydrating and then smoking?

 

[lathechips]

Just a couple handfulls of peeled cloves.

 

[jp61]

Sorry, I don't have a factual answer for you.

Someone in the know will set you straight.

If you string them up and hang them near a doorway it'll keep vampires away 

 

[chef jimmyj]

DaveOmak is the resident Garlic Guru. Send him a PM if he does not see this soon....JJ

 

[rockymtnsmoker]

I'm butting in here, but I'm intrigued by the idea of smoked garlic.  Do you intend to use it to replace regular garlic in a recipe for a different flavor?  Eat them whole?  Make spice mixes?

 

[wade]

Most people smoke garlic as a bulb rather than as peeled cloves - though I am sure that peeled cloves would smoke well too. Is there a particular reason you intend to smoke them pre-peeled? I do not know for sure but, unless you intend to use them immediately, pickle or freeze them, I suspect that their shelf life would be quite limited.

 

[rockymtnsmoker]

 
I do not know for sure but, unless you intend to use them immediately, pickle or freeze them, I suspect that their shelf life would be quite limited.

Pickled, smoked garlic sounds like the best idea I've heard in several weeks.  Look out, my local county fair!

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
Most people smoke garlic as a bulb rather than as peeled cloves - though I am sure that peeled cloves would smoke well too. Is there a particular reason you intend to smoke them pre-peeled? I do not know for sure but, unless you intend to use them immediately, pickle or freeze them, I suspect that their shelf life would be quite limited.

I buy Peeled garlic on a regular bases. Usually 8oz packs but have frequently purchased 3 pound containers. They are not processed in any way, no additives, and last a couple of months in the refer. There is some liquid given off eventually and some cloves get tranlucent. with a slight more pungent flavor change but they don't get moldy or get an off flavor. I am not sure if the smoke would preserve them further or not...JJ

 

[wade]

 
I buy Peeled garlic on a regular bases. Usually 8oz packs but have frequently purchased 3 pound containers. They are not processed in any way, no additives, and last a couple of months in the refer. There is some liquid given off eventually and some cloves get tranlucent. with a slight more pungent flavor change but they don't get moldy or get an off flavor. I am not sure if the smoke would preserve them further or not...JJ

That is what I call a decent amount of garlic

. Whenever I peel garlic and try to store it in the fridge, after a day or so so it usually starts to go brown. Maybe there are some varieties of garlic that store better when peeled.

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
That is what I call a decent amount of garlic

. Whenever I peel garlic and try to store it in the fridge, after a day or so so it usually starts to go brown. Maybe there are some varieties of garlic that store better when peeled.

Home peeled garlic going brown is most likely from Bruising. A few of the bulk cloves do go brown and get tossed. On Variety, you may be right. I have noticed the ones that last the longest are from China. Thinking about it, I wonder if the bulk garlic is Steam Peeled and gets some level of Pasteurization...

...JJ

 

[lathechips]

Its what is left over from sausage making.  We blend peeled cloves with our water mix.

 

[x0xsaywhutx0x]

I've done it once early last year.  The way I was told and did was to leave the whole bulb, but just cut part of the tip to expose the bulbs, and covered lightly in olive oil.  I don't remember the temp I did it at (I think around 150) because it was at the end of a smoke, so I figured I'd try it while it was cooling down, and I smoked em for about an hour or 2.  They do become soft, but a friend of mine dehydrated them for me to grind them up to a powder.  Turned out pretty good.

 

[cmayna]

What's the most common wood to smoke garlic with?

 

[mmcd]

I've been making smoked garlic powder for a couple years. I use my stove top smoker. (Outside with a hotplate underneath) I can fit abou25-30 at a time. Just cut the tops off to expose the whole head and smoke for a couple hours until a nice mahogany brown. I put a few heads in jelly jars to use for whatever. The rest I peel and dehydrate and make powder. It's amazing!

 

[barryvabeach]

I have done it a few times.  Cut the top off, put on a little olive oil, put  the bulb in aluminum foil wrap it loosely, and cook for 1 to 2 hours at 225.  I usually put garlic in when I am smoking something else, so it is along for the ride, and I use wood selected for the main item -  usually hickory or apple.  When it is done, the garlic pods turn into a jelly , and you can squeeze it out of each clove as you need it.  Keep the rest of the bulb wrapped in the fridge, and it should last a few weeks at least.  I like to add smoked garlic to tomatoes to make a tomato sauce for pizza. 

 

[atomicsmoke]

I have done it a few times.  Cut the top off, put on a little olive oil, put  the bulb in aluminum foil wrap it loosely, and cook for 1 to 2 hours at 225.  I usually put garlic in when I am smoking something else, so it is along for the ride, and I use wood selected for the main item -  usually hickory or apple.  When it is done, the garlic pods turn into a jelly , and you can squeeze it out of each clove as you need it.  Keep the rest of the bulb wrapped in the fridge, and it should last a few weeks at least.  I like to add smoked garlic to tomatoes to make a tomato sauce for pizza. 

I make this too (in the oven) bit it's roasted garlic,not smoked. Being wrapped in foil smoke won't get to it. Also roasted garlic is very mild, one can spread it on a slice of bread. You can have a whole head of roasted garlic without batting an eye.

 

[pitbulmom]

I have made Roasted Garlic in the Oven too. I am thinking of getting one of the 3# bags of Garlic bulbs at WallyWorld, and trying smoking some to make Smoked Garlic powder, I make my own Garlic Powder, and was curious about the smoked....

May try smoking some Onions and dehydrating them for Onion Powder.....

 

[martinimaster]

1 of my last kitchen jobs we smoke whole garlic cloves to make a dressing for fried portabella mushroom fries. Place 1 lb. Of garlic cloves in smooker@ 130* for 1.5 to 2 hours, then check by tasting them. Cool down and save then in a deli cup with a lid.

 

[smoky pit]

Yes,smoked garlic is quite a delicacy!  I smoke almost exclusively with hickory (sometimes a little oak or apple, but nearly exclusively with hickory), and most cooks are around 250 or 275.  For garlic, I take the whole bulbs and chop off the first couple of inches.  As the others mentioned, you want to expose some of the garlic heads.  From there, I dust them with a little rub and oil, and let them smoke for about 1.5, sometimes 2 hours.  Then, just take the bulb and squeeze it out.  I mix it with butter and it makes an incredible spread.  We usually spread it on toasted french bread, or sometimes use the garlic butter if we're sauteing shrimp or fish fillets.  You can also add the garlic butter on top of a nice fire-grilled steak, and you are guaranteed a great flavor!  Hope this helps!