Fermented Honey Garlic

The perfect way to boost your immune system and to combat a cold or flu this winter season is with this fermented honey garlic. This garlic can also be used as a condiment, adding a lovely honey garlic flavour to your dish.

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Course: Condiment

Keyword: Fermenting, Garlic

Prep Time: 10

Fermenting Time: 30

Total Time: 30 10

Calories: 718kcal

Author: S Jones

Equipment

Glass Canning Jar with lid - 32oz or 1 L in size

Ingredients

1 cup organic garlic cloves, whole, peeled
1-1/2 cups raw honey, as needed to cover garlic

Instructions

Make sure your glass jar and lid and clean and dry. A wide-mouth jar is better for removing the honey garlic when using, though a regular-mouth jar will work too. The jar should be roughly double the size of your ingredients to allow for expansion.
Place the whole, peeled garlic cloves into the jar.
Add the honey, making sure to completely cover all the garlic cloves.
Place the lid loosely, onto the jar, then place in a dark place.
Every day, tighten the lid and flip the jar upside down, making sure all garlic cloves are coated with the honey. Turn it right side up, loosen the lid slightly and return to the dark place.
Within a few days, small air bubbles should start to form on the surface of the honey. This is the sign of active fermentation. Open the jar daily to release excess carbon dioxide. If fermenetation doesn't happen, add a spoonful or two of water into the mixture and repeat the flipping step, covering the garlic with honey.
The mixture will continue to ferment, gradually slowing down. The honey will also thin out, the bubbling will stop and the garlic will sink to the bottom of the jar. This process usually takes around 30 days. From this point, you can store the fermented honey garlic in a sealed jar, in the pantry, unrefrigereated, to let age.
For the best taste, this fermented honey garlic can be consumed after about 3 months. Store in a dark place at room temperature for 6-8 months.

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Notes

It is best to use raw honey as it contains all the natural microorganisms that are necessary for fermentation. A lot of commercial honey has been altered, which can affects the pH levels and the natural microorganisms that are required for fermentation.
Botulism usually isn't a problem, just for peace of mind. A pH test strip can be used if there are any concerns about botulism. Botulism pores are unable to reproduce with a pH level less than 4.6. If the pH is too high, add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar to add more acidity, then retest.
If you do use a smaller jar without much room, place a plate underneath the jar as the honey could possibly drip out.
Occasionally, you may find that a garlic clove will turn a bluish-greenish colour. This may be alarming, but not concerning. The fermented honey garlic can still be used.
Babies under one year of age shouldn't be given honey.

Nutrition

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. The values may vary according to the ingredients and tools that are used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed information.