Cleaning and Trimming Garlic
This year's garlic is ready to use!
I grow a lot of garlic here at my Bedford, New York farm and up at Skylands, my home in Maine. I plant it in the fall, harvest it the following summer, and then let it thoroughly cure in a dry, warm place. Yesterday, the garlic was cleaned and trimmed - a process that takes some time to complete, but is the last step before bringing the garlic in to use and enjoy.
Here are some photos.
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- Early last month, my gardeners picked this season’s crop of garlic. I always grow lots of garlic to use in my cooking and to share with my daughter, Alexis.
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- Determining when garlic is ready to harvest can be tricky. If it’s harvested too soon, the cloves are small and underdeveloped. If harvested too late, the clove heads begin to separate, making them more vulnerable to decay. The real indicator is the plant itself – when the bottom leaves have turned brown, and the top leaves are still green.
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- These garlic heads were picked at the right time. Each one is pulled out carefully from the base of the leaves so that the head comes out completely.
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- As the garlic is harvested, it is placed in a breathable tray, so the heads stay dry.
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- And then they are all taken to a well-ventilated warm location with good air circulation so they can start to cure. It’s wise to avoid full sun and direct sunlight, as it can alter the flavor. These dried in my carport, where it is protected from any elements.
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- Garlic curing time can take two to four weeks, depending on the environment and humidity levels. In drier areas, garlic can be fully cured in three to four weeks, but humid climates may take up to five weeks or longer.
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- Yesterday the garlic looked markedly different. Garlic is considered cured when the outer skin is dry and crispy, the stem neck is constricted, and the cut stem’s center is hard. It’s been about a month since they were picked.
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- The next part of the process to get them ready for storage and use is to trim and clean each garlic head. Enma wipes each long stalk with a rag removing any excess dirt.
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- And then she trims each one leaving about a three to four inch stalk. Trimming the stalks makes it easier to store and keeps them neat and uniform.
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- There is a lot of garlic to clean and trim, so Enma does this in a production line process which is fast and efficient.
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- Next she trims the roots being careful not to cut the skins that protect the cloves.
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- Sometimes garlic will grow together like this. Trim and clean it in the same way.
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- Enma wipes the garlic clean with a dry cloth.
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- And gently removes the outermost dirty papery skin, leaving a few layers intact.
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- Here is one head of garlic ready to store for later use – white, clean, and dry.
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- And remember, a garlic head, also known as a garlic bulb, is the entire bulb of garlic as seen on the right. A garlic clove is one of the individual segments that make up the bulb as seen on the left.
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- Enma groups the finished garlic on newspaper.
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- It takes some time to get through all the garlic. After curing, garlic can be kept in good condition for one to two months at ambient temperatures of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit under low relative humidity.
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- Enma is happy with this year’s bounty – nearly every head is in excellent condition.
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- They’re placed in a single layer to continue drying as each head is trimmed and cleaned. Store clean garlic bulbs in breathable bags, boxes, or trays and place in a cool, dark place with good airflow. This will help the garlic last longer and prevent it from sprouting or molding. I now have lots of garlic to share with my family and friends.
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