If you’re looking for a unique way to preserve garlic – that’s full of immunity-boosting and gut health benefits – then you should try making honey-fermented garlic. This simple garlic honey recipe will quickly become a pantry staple & it’s a great gift idea for family and friends.
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Fermented Garlic and Honey Ingredients
The best part of this fermented garlic honey recipe is that you only need two ingredients – garlic & raw, unfiltered honey.
Keep in mind that honey is the most important part. You can’t skimp and use the stuff that comes in the little bear jars, it just won’t work. And that’s because in the US, regulations only require a small percentage of each bottle of honey sold be ACTUAL honey. The rest is just fillers – so disappointing.
Not only can you TOTALLY taste the difference, but the fake stuff won’t ferment. So be sure to start with raw, unfiltered honey (and preferably local) to bring this fermented honey garlic recipe to life.
For the garlic, you can use any kind you’d like. The garlic you buy at the grocery store will work just fine. We’ve also used this simple recipe to make fermented Elephant garlic, Thai Purple garlic, and Music garlic. Being garlic farmers, we have access to lots of different garlic varieties, but any kind will do.
Health Benefits of Fermenting Garlic in Honey
You may be wondering…is fermented honey garlic good for you & the answer is a resounding YES.
This technique takes all the health benefits of honey, combines them with the proven benefits of eating raw garlic, & adds in the health benefits of fermented foods.
Overall, some of the top benefits of fermented garlic and honey are…
- Aids in digestion
- Supports healthy blood pressure levels
- Boosts/supports your immune system
- Fights cold & flu symptoms
- Supports healthy cholesterol levels
- Detoxifies your body
When Should You Eat Honey Fermented Garlic?
This honey-fermented garlic recipe can be eaten right away, though the flavor will improve with time. I kid you not that you can continue to use the same honey & just keep adding additional garlic for YEARS.
Occasionally garlic cloves may turn a blue or green color due to a reaction that occurs during the fermentation process, but they’re still completely safe to eat.
To maximize the health benefits, garlic fermented in honey should be eaten every day. One or two garlic clove will do it & we usually scoop up a little honey to enjoy at the same time.
Please consult your doctor before adding a higher daily dose of garlic-fermented honey to your diet.
Is Botulism a Concern With Honey Garlic?
We get this question a lot and the short answer is no. Between the honey and the garlic, this ferment creates an environment that is not hospitable for botulism, so it’s really no concern.
Most often people confuses this in with garlic preserved in oil, which carries a HUGE botulism risk because of the oil that’s involved. I can promise you’re safe with this honey garlic recipe.
And that’s why this is a great beginner garlic recipe for folks that are interested in making fermented foods at home.
Uses for Fermented Honey Garlic
The uses for honey garlic are endless! You can sub this for anywhere you’d use regular garlic or honey. However, the health benefits are highest when consumed raw, so try to avoid cooking it.
We eat daily honey garlic cloves right out of the jar. You can dice the garlic fine for a cheese dip or add the honey to a charcuterie board. Thinly slice the fermented garlic as a salad topper. I regularly add garlic honey to my tea, especially if I feel a cold coming on.
Garlic honey is also delicious drizzled over pizza, chicken, or vegetables. You can use it as a sweetener for a salad dressing or vinaigrette. Use it as a base for a marinade or drizzle it over your cornbread. The options really are endless!
How to Ferment Garlic in Honey
It’s so easy to ferment garlic in honey! First, select the jar you’d like to use – anything from a half-pint to a gallon jar. Although we did find that wide-mouth jars leaked less than narrow jars. Next, peel and cut the root end off your garlic cloves. Fill your jars with garlic cloves, leaving about an inch of head space, then grab the honey. Either spoon or pour the honey over the garlic SLOWLY. The oxygen needs to escape as the jar fills with honey and it you go too fast it’ll overflow and make a big mess.
Put the lid on your jar(s) and leave them on your counter for about two to three weeks. During that time, the honey will ferment the garlic. You’ll need to burp them every day. We also like to flip the jars daily so that all of the garlic is equally submerged. It’s best to store the jars on a plate to catch any small leaks.
Honey garlic stays pretty active for those first few weeks, but after that, it will slow down a lot. At that point, you can stop burping the jars and store them in a cool dark place.
How Long Does Garlic Honey Last?
Because honey is shelf stable and garlic has so many antibacterial & antimicrobial properties, honey garlic does not need to be refrigerated. Garlic honey lasts up 12 months – although I’ve heard of folks continuing to add garlic to the same honey for YEARS.
We usually make a big batch at the beginning of each year & it sees us through till next winter.
Want to Learn More??
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