How to Make Pickled Garlic (Plain and TikTok Spicy Pickled Garlic)
How to make pickled garlic at home; either plain or spicy pickled garlic – with a quick and simple process! Prepare the plain pickled garlic first and transform it into TikTok trending spicy pickled garlic!
Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinsing well. Then place the jars (no rubber or plastic parts) in a pre-heated oven for ten minutes at 160ºC/325ºF to completely dry them.
Step 2: Prepare the pickling brine
Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a small pot and heat over medium, stirring, until the salt is completely dissolved. Then remove from the fire and add the chopped dill and coriander seeds and mix.I usually use some scissors to chop the dill directly into the pot.
If you want to add honey, you can add it right at the end of this step before moving the brine to the jar.
Step 3: Assemble the pickled garlic jar
Peel the garlic using one of these methods and then place the cloves directly into your sterilized jar/s.
Then pour in the brine until it completely covers the cloves, leaving around ½ inch (1.2 cm) headspace at the top of the jar, and stir a couple of times to mix everything well.
Allow the garlic to pickle for about a week in the refrigerator. The longer you can hold out, the better the flavor will be, so I recommend waiting at least one week, but around 3 weeks is the sweet spot!
To make spicy pickled garlic
Once your garlic is ready, and at your desired flavor level, it's time to make this spicy pickled garlic recipe (more of a marinated garlic).Drain the pickling brine from the garlic – this can be used for a second batch of pickled garlic.
Then add the hot sauce (or sriracha), chili powder, dried thyme, and honey to the garlic and mix well. You can do this in a bowl or directly in the jar (place the lid on and shake!)You can then enjoy the spicy garlic pickle immediately or allow it t marinate for a few hours to help the flavor meld with the garlic.
How to Store
Plain pickled garlic: Store the garlic pickle jar in the fridge and aim to use it within three months. If you notice any signs of mold or yeast growth, then it's time to start again!Spicy pickled garlic: Once this is prepared, I aim to eat these within a few days since the garlic is no longer stored within the brine.
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Notes
Increase the spice: if you want to up the spice in even the plain pickled garlic variety, then you could add some chopped chilies to the jar when pickling.
Experiment with other herbs: I stuck to a simple mix here. However, there are several other herbs you could use - for example, a crushed bay leaf, peppercorns, allspice, etc.
Shelf-stable canning: I didn't design this recipe with canning in mind. Though it may be possible, it's not something I've extensively tested, so I don't feel comfortable sharing a canning process, especially as storing garlic has different rules than other pickled veg.