The 10 Best Garlic Keepers for Fresher Garlic

Adding a feature to the countertop, the garlic keeper is one of those kitchen accessories that many of us may have been gifted, or indeed have gifted to others. Although it can sometimes seem an odd gift, the clever design of the garlic keeper does allow garlic to stay fresher for longer and unlike when stored in the refrigerator, the garlic is much less likely to start to sprout.

Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Garlic Keepers

Things to Consider Before Buying A Garlic Keeper

The garlic keeper is a simple, yet clever accessory designed to help keep fresh garlic at its best while looking stylish on your countertop. You can also use a garlic keeper to store shallots or even ginger.

Ideally, garlic should be stored in a keeper as a whole bulb or head until you need to break it apart to use. Once you break a bulb apart, its lifespan will shorten, and it will need using up in the next week or so.

Garlic has been shown to have been in use as far back as 5,000 years ago when the Giza pyramids were built. Hippocrates, the Ancient Greek physician actually prescribed garlic for many disorders, such as poor digestion, fatigue, respiratory conditions and even parasites.

Olympian athletes were given garlic to help enhance their athletic performance and as garlic began to spread to other ancient civilization such as the Indus Valley (todays western India and Pakistan) and China, its use also became valued.

Interestingly, in India at that time, the upper classes would not eat garlic because of its odor and because it was thought to act as an aphrodisiac, it meant that monks, adolescents, widows and others had to also avoid eating it!

Garlic was eventually introduced to the New World by European settlers.

During ancient times, garlic was also thought to cure dog bites and that it could be used to prevent leprosy and smallpox. Although these uses of garlic may seem far-fetched, it was only as recently as 1858 that garlic was proved to be an antimicrobial.

It was the famous scientist Louis Pasteur who confirmed that garlic was an antimicrobial which could kill bacteria and from then on, garlic began to be used as an antiseptic and even became a cure for dysentery during the two World Wars. One sulfide in garlic has recently shown to be 100 times more effective than two antibiotics against Campylobacter bacteria a common cause of intestinal infections.

Garlic contains sulfur compounds and it is these that offer many of the benefits of garlic. Sulfur compounds can be destroyed when garlic is cooked, and this is why some people prefer to keep their garlic raw! Garlic is also a source of antioxidants that can help prevent damage to the body from free radicals, the molecules that contribute to aging and a number of diseases in the body.

Garlic has been linked to reductions in high blood pressure, although the doses used are quite high around four cloves per day. One study showed that an aged garlic extract could reduce hypertension over 24 weeks as much as medication could. Garlic is also known to reduce levels of total and bad or LDL cholesterol.

Cancer risk has also been shown to have been lowered by regularly consuming garlic. One Chinese study showed that those who ate raw garlic at least twice a week over seven years had a 44% lower risk of developing lung cancer and some specific organo-sulfur compounds in garlic are able to destroy cells involved in one type of brain tumor.

Garlic is also a good source of manganese. Vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

What to Look for When Choosing a Garlic Keeper

Garlic keepers are usually made from high-fired stoneware, terracotta or ceramic. Many will also be non-porous which means it will prevent odors as well as stains from being absorbed into the keeper. Garlic keepers which are high-fired stoneware may also be suitable to use as a garlic roaster in the oven, but always double check the manufacturers instruction before placing it in the oven.

If a garlic keeper is fully glazed, it will prevent it from staining and a full glaze can often mean it is suitable for cleaning in the dishwasher. Otherwise, a wipe out with a damp cloth with a little dish soap is often enough to keep it clean.

If you do invest in a garlic keeper which is porous, then avoid using dish soap on it when wiping it out as the soap will soak into it and potentially taint the next batch of garlic stored in the keeper. If a porous garlic keeper is badly stained, then you can use some salt or baking soda on a cloth and use it as an abrasive to remove the stain.

The size of a garlic keeper can vary, from one that is designed to just hold one smaller bulb or head to larger keepers that may store half a dozen or so heads. A larger keeper will usually be necessary if you buy elephant garlic. The opening of the jar should also be big enough to allow you to put the whole bulb in, and take it back out again without too much difficulty.

The lid should fit well to prevent light and moisture from getting to the garlic and it should also be easy to take off and put back on. The lid will often be matching ceramic, terracotta or stoneware, but some may have wooden lids. Like anything wooden in the kitchen, remember that it can be prone to shrinking or expanding with exposure to heat or moisture.

When deciding on the style of your garlic keeper, also think about your style of kitchen and other accessories and look for a keeper that will match in with everything. Also consider your budget. From inexpensive options to more premium designs, there will be a garlic keeper to match your budget.

Keeping Garlic Away from Moisture

If stored under the right conditions, a bulb of garlic can stay fresh for a few months. When garlic is exposed to moisture, it can start to rot, or even mold can start to grow.

A garlic bulb only needs to have moisture on it for as little as six hours for black mold to develop. Mold is more of a risk for garlic producers where it is grown in warmer areas such as the Californian desert and if the bulbs are a little damp when going in or out or storage, mold can develop.

Mold prevention is one of the main reasons that garlic keepers are made from terracotta, ceramic or stoneware, as these materials will absorb moisture. Having ventilation holes in the keeper also allows air to flow around the garlic which will prevent it from getting moist while allowing the garlic to breathe. The holes in the keeper can be anywhere but are often nearer the bottom to allow any heavier gases to escape.

Even if you use a keeper for your garlic, it should still be stored away from the high-humidity and light areas in the kitchen.

The Importance of Temperature When Storing Garlic

Garlic is best stored at room temperature in a dark and dry place with lots of air circulating. Between 60F and 65F with relative humidity is usually the best condition, which is why garlic will often not keep as long during winter as our homes are so much dryer.

If stored in higher humidity, this will not only promote mold growth, but will also cause the garlic to sprout. Likewise, if you store garlic in the refrigerator, it will also begin to sprout, in fact garlic will sprout most rapidly when stored at 40F. Although sprouting garlic is still fine to eat, its taste can be more bitter.

If you do prefer to store garlic in the refrigerator, then pop it in your crisper drawer where the humidity is controlled.

Garlic should also be stored in the dark and the garlic keeper should prevent light from reaching the garlic, which is why it is important to always use a keeper with a lid.

Conclusion

We have seen in this article that the design of the garlic keeper, including its vents, is able to keep garlic at its best for longer and reduces the risk of it becoming moldy. Storing garlic in a keeper at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator will also reduce the risk of it sprouting, and of course, the right garlic keeper will add a touch of style to any countertop!