Money Saver: Mince Your Own Garlic/Freeze Garlic?

Store-Bought vs. Fresh

We've all bought this at the grocery store, pre-minced garlic in a jar. I am in no way belittling this grocery store item. However, I can tell you if you are on a super-tight grocery budget, this is one of those items that gets stuck on the "maybe next time" list.

Everyone likes to save a buck when they can, so I pass this on to you. (I hope it makes enough sense; as always, sleep deprivation leaves me rather wordy LOL)

An 8 oz.  jar similar to the one above costs approximately $2.88 at Wal*Mart. We bought a 24 oz. package of already peeled garlic cloves for $7.98 at Sam's Club.

Now, I mince 20 garlic cloves from that 24 oz. package (and it barely made a dent) and put it in a 15 oz. jar that I re-use solely for this purpose; those 20 garlic cloves fills it 3/4 full. I'll be able to do this at the very least 7 more times.

Let's do the math:
Store-bought minced garlic 8 oz. @ $2.88 per jar.
24 oz. package of already peeled garlic cloves @ $7.98 (enough to mince garlic equal to eight -  at the very least - of the store bought jars)
$2.88 (store bought cost) x 8 (how many I'd have to buy to equal to the large bag of cloves)= $23.04
$23.04 - $7.98 (cost of the large bag of cloves)= $15.06 - what I save by purchasing that 24 oz. package and mincing it myself.

$15.00 for the gas tank folks AND you get your minced garlic in a jar, for the next eight, or more, months.

 

Here's what you need:

• 1 jar
• fresh garlic cloves
• extra virgin olive oil

(No, I did not include the price of the olive oil, because it is bought regardless of whether or not I do this AND so very little is used)

 

Directions:

In my research for this, it seemed to be common practice to use 1-part garlic cloves to 2-parts olive oil. In other words, they'd have your minced garlic swimming in oil.
When I buy it, it's not swimming in oil, so I don't make it that way.

I mince the garlic and put it in the jar as I go; every once in a while, as it fills up, I add just enough oil so that it comes just below the top of the minced garlic. I guess you could say that's just about 1-part to 1-part equal. I don't stop there, however. Personally, I have an aversion to any food tasting like the oil it is cooked in or stored in. It could be my imagination, but adding just enough water so that the entirety of the garlic is submerged seems to cut the oily flavor to me. Screw the lid on and give it a good shake (no, I'm not expecting the oil and the water to mix - we all know that's not going to happen), and refrigerate.

**NOTE**
You CAN freeze garlic. Here are the suggestions I've found:
1) Whole cloves - leave unpeeled, store in freezer bag and toss into the freezer. Pull cloves off as needed, peel and use immediately.
2) Minced - leave out the water (if you chose to follow my directions above). Store in freezer-safe plastic container and toss into the freezer. The oil prevents complete solid freeze. Spoon out desired measure for your recipe and use immediately. I should note here, that it was highly suggested that if you use this method, that you do not allow for thaw time. Period. From freezer to pot/pan/baking dish/slow cooker, etc.

*    *    *

I'd also like to just say, that mincing and storing fresh garlic this way, seems to keep the flavor punch of the garlic more so than buying it already prepared. Should I mention for those of you who DO care, by preparing your own jar of ready-to-use minced garlic yourself, you absolutely know what's going into that jar and what's not.

Cooking something yummy!