Keep Your Garlic Fresh with a DIY Garlic Keeper

By Chrisjob

These little guys are pretty cool: they’re designed to keep fresh garlic, well, fresh. Garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place (like in a cabinet, not the refrigerator). Presumably, using a close terra cotta container keeps out light, and the unglazed ceramic surface absorbs moisture- all of which can double the shelf life of your garlic.

And they cost 5 dollars. You can build one for less than 1 dollar. Your choice- but either way, use fresh garlic, and use it often.

Ingredients:
Terra cotta pot and drainage dish
Electric Drill and 3/8” drill bit (optional)
Large sink basin and water
Safety glasses, gloves, and dust mask.

1. Purchase a terra cotta pot and a drainage dish that would serve well as a lid, hopefully for a price under three quarters.
2. Wash your pot thoroughly with soap and water, and if you’re concerned about sanitation, bake both pieces for 30 minutes at 400-degrees. Garlic comes with its own wrapper, so no worries about storing your groceries in garden supplies.

3. Submerge the bottom of the pot in water for 1 hour. This will soften the clay, and make it easier to drill.
4. Load a drill or drill press with a 3/8” drill bit, and wearing protective gear, slowly and carefully drill 3 or 4 holes along the bottom side. I’m not sure of the science of doing so- I guess a little fresh air is useful. The manufactured item includes the holes, so I thought mine should as well, but this step is optional.
5. Wipe off any dust, and wash one last time. Load up your garlic, and have it some fresh, whenever your please.

Tagged:
garlic kitchen culinary cooking diy hack alternative_uses

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June 03, 2007

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Bjorkfansoph

June 05, 2007

Thanks for the info Chrisjob and Lee2706!! I'm on it.

Lee2706

June 03, 2007

I did the same thing! But to make it even easier, I skipped the drilling step. Unlike your version, I placed the drainage dish right side up so that it sits more securely on top of the pot.

I also do not know about the squishy science of drilling ventilation holes. I figure the big hole at the bottom of the pot and the fact that the drainage dish doesn't make an airtight lidworks for me.

To add more DIY-ness to this, we have a couple heads of garlic we grew in our garden!