Another blue garlic question...
July 12, 2019 7:11 AM Subscribe
Doesn't anyone know how to *prevent* pickled garlic from turning blue?
I've found one result searching ('blanch first') but that was from an internet rando, short on detail, and I'm a novice pickler. I could use more instruction, if that is indeed the direction. For example, would that change the canning processing time? Could it hurt? Does it alter the chemistry? I don't want to kill anyone.
I'll be using garlic from the garden and have found varying advice about whether the cause is youth or age. I thought maybe I'd cure it for a week to make it easier to get the skins off.
I find the blue really unappealing (I know a lot of people don't mind it, and I know it's safe--I just....don't want to eat shockingly blue food, I guess.)
To be clear, we're talking about pickling in a hot water bath following reliable instructions and using vinegar and salt. The reliable instructions say nothing about the apparently common phenomenon of blue garlic, which I'm trying to avoid.
Thankya!
I've found one result searching ('blanch first') but that was from an internet rando, short on detail, and I'm a novice pickler. I could use more instruction, if that is indeed the direction. For example, would that change the canning processing time? Could it hurt? Does it alter the chemistry? I don't want to kill anyone.
I'll be using garlic from the garden and have found varying advice about whether the cause is youth or age. I thought maybe I'd cure it for a week to make it easier to get the skins off.
I find the blue really unappealing (I know a lot of people don't mind it, and I know it's safe--I just....don't want to eat shockingly blue food, I guess.)
To be clear, we're talking about pickling in a hot water bath following reliable instructions and using vinegar and salt. The reliable instructions say nothing about the apparently common phenomenon of blue garlic, which I'm trying to avoid.
Thankya!
Best answer: The problem could also be your cookware. Avoid metal utensils and pans unless they're stainless steel
posted by missmagenta at 7:38 AM on July 12, 2019
posted by missmagenta at 7:38 AM on July 12, 2019
Response by poster: (I mistyped my title and now it sounds jerky so fwiw, it was intended to be 'does anyone know....' not 'doesn't anyone know....' as if I expected the whole world to be garlic pickling experts....)
To clear up some variables:
-I haven't ever done this before
-we use well water
-I could try distilled water if that would prevent it (crosses fingers)
-my cookware & utensils I'd be using are all stainless steal
-I'm doing it in the next week or two
-I've got recipes from Ball Home Canning and other respectable places
-I bought Heinz white vinegar
-I'll be buying pickling salt
-it seems like blue garlic is super common, and I would really like to avoid it because it's a lot of work to just produce weird food.....
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:44 AM on July 12, 2019
To clear up some variables:
-I haven't ever done this before
-we use well water
-I could try distilled water if that would prevent it (crosses fingers)
-my cookware & utensils I'd be using are all stainless steal
-I'm doing it in the next week or two
-I've got recipes from Ball Home Canning and other respectable places
-I bought Heinz white vinegar
-I'll be buying pickling salt
-it seems like blue garlic is super common, and I would really like to avoid it because it's a lot of work to just produce weird food.....
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:44 AM on July 12, 2019
Best answer: It could be the age of your garlic. Unripe or overripe garlic has more of the chemical that reacts to turn blue. Also if your water or cookware has copper in it.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:32 AM on July 12, 2019
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:32 AM on July 12, 2019
Best answer: Blue garlic is super common, and I also find it off-putting. I am not a novice pickler, and have not found a truly reliable way to prevent it. It's MORE common with older garlic, but I've had it happen with young garlic too. I suspect that my city tap water is a major culprit (we have pretty hard water) but I have also had it happen with purified water. Where I'm originally from, well water is often quite metallic tasting, and I expect that it would practically guarantee blue garlic. YWMV.
Now, some canners wear by only ever using purified/distilled water in ANY preserves to prevent the water from introducing off-flavors. Ehhhh, I am not one of those people. But I'd be a little more wary of well water in preserves, especially if it is quite distinctive-tasting.
My actual solution to avoiding blue garlic is to use thinly-sliced onions or shallots instead of garlic in pickles.
posted by desuetude at 8:35 AM on July 12, 2019 [3 favorites]
Now, some canners wear by only ever using purified/distilled water in ANY preserves to prevent the water from introducing off-flavors. Ehhhh, I am not one of those people. But I'd be a little more wary of well water in preserves, especially if it is quite distinctive-tasting.
My actual solution to avoiding blue garlic is to use thinly-sliced onions or shallots instead of garlic in pickles.
posted by desuetude at 8:35 AM on July 12, 2019 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: All right: I'm going to try blanching fresh uncured garlic to remove the skins, using distilled water, and see what happens.
That seems to combine most of the advice, and I think most people aren't using really fresh garlic, so maybe I will get lucky.
I will try to update if I do or if I don't.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:53 PM on July 15, 2019
That seems to combine most of the advice, and I think most people aren't using really fresh garlic, so maybe I will get lucky.
I will try to update if I do or if I don't.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:53 PM on July 15, 2019
Response by poster: I'm just best answering everyone because you were all right.
I used very young garlic (from my garden) and distilled water.
Six weeks later, it's not blue.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:50 PM on September 2, 2019
I used very young garlic (from my garden) and distilled water.
Six weeks later, it's not blue.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:50 PM on September 2, 2019
Response by poster: (Oh, I didn't blanch it. It just peeled with a paring knife. I don't think it matters, just saying.)
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:51 PM on September 2, 2019
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:51 PM on September 2, 2019
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posted by missmagenta at 7:32 AM on July 12, 2019