If you grew a lot of garlic last year, you may find, what with the warmer weather approaching, they are now beginning to sprout. This is the time to act quickly, if you don't want to end up loosing the last of your crop. The picture shows us with a well sprouted garlic, some garlic already in the jar and some homegrown kale seeds. Incidentally, the hand image of a bewildered giraffe,has no meaningful relevance to the text and is just for fun.
O.K. so peal your garlic and cut off the dried root end,(this cut will be sufficient to allow the vinegar to seep in.)Pack them down into sterile jars,with mustard seed poppy seed pepper corn thyme leaf, kale seeds cumin or caraway or coriander, any one two or three of these will impart a nice flavour. Or none it will still taste great.be sure to leave a half inch at the top.
Make a mixture of 50/50 live cider vinegar, clean water, with one teaspoon of salt per pint, and pour that into the jars until full. It is important to keep the garlic submerged so a piece of apple or cabbage stem on top so that as the lid is screwed down the garlic is held under the surface of the liquid. Even a very clean stone will do.
As the garlic ferments it will produce bubbles of carbon di oxide, and can make quite a pressure inside the jar so that it is a good idea to release this from time to time. sometimes the garlic develops a slight blue sheen however this is nothing to worry about as it does not effect the eating quality of the end result.
I would think that they will be ready to eat in three weeks or so, and would last a year or even two, but as they are so delicious ,I have never been able to keep a jar for more than six months so cannot vouch for this personally.
Even if your garlic are a little sprouted (see picture) they will be fine However, if any clove is mouldy (blue or green mould)or if excessively soft or in any way translucent,into the compost bin with it.
Happy fermenting.
