Quick Pickled Garlic

This month the Food in Jars Mastery Challenge was Quick Pickles. Quick pickles are also known as refrigerator pickles. They are simply vegetables that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt (sometimes sugar) solution and stored in the refrigerator.Quick pickling is also a brilliant solution for preserving a variety of vegetables from the market or your own garden. Quick pickling doesn't require canning or a bushel of vegetables. Best of all, you can adapt this simple formula for any fresh vegetables; try a mixture of vinegars and spices for a truly custom pickle pleasure.

I like to use up leftovers for this method, but this time, I bought a pound of garlic and decided to quick pickle it to have it on hand for months to come. I pop a couple of cloves out the frig and run them through my press and add them to sauces, dips and dressings.

It all starts with:

1 pound of garlic

 Separate the cloves...

 This yields about 3 1/2 cups of garlic cloves...

 Next, peel the cloves. Do not smash them.

If you'd like, you can blanch them for about 2 to 3 minutes,

and then transfer them to an ice bath.

The skins should peel right off.

 Peeled garlic cloves...

 Divide the garlic between 2 clean prepared pint jars

or 4 half pints... Depending on how often you use it.

I use bunches, so I used pints.

Quick Pickled Garlic

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water (or more to taste... I like stronger vinegar flavor.)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 lb Garlic Heads

Whisk first 3 ingredients in a small bowl until salt dissolves. Place garlic in a jars; pour vinegar mixture over. Cover and chill. Store in the refrigerator. 

Red Onion Jam

My Mama loved Pepper Jelly! I remember her having the green jelly in the little jars. She would get Ritz Crackers and smear them with cream cheese and Pepper Jelly! I bet she would have eaten this stuff up!!!

4 cups Red Onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 pkg (1.75 oz) fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

In a large pot, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the sugars. Bring to a rolling boil. Add sugars. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil again and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam that may have formed. Spoon jam into heat resistant jars and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

You can also use a water bath and can the jam to store it in your pantry!

Pickled Garlic

It all starts with:

1 pound of garlic

 Separate the cloves...

 This yields about 3 1/2 cups of garlic cloves...

 Next, peel the cloves. Do not smash them.

If you'd like, you can blanch them for about 2 to 3 minutes,

and then transfer them to an ice bath.

The skins should peel right off.

 Peeled garlic cloves...

 Divide the garlic between 2 clean prepared pint jars

or 4 half pints... Depending on how often you use it.

I use bunches, so I used pints.

Boil 1 cup of Red Wine Vinegar,

1 cup of Water

and 1 tablespoon of Pickling Salt.

Carefully pour into the jars, and process in a boiling

water-bath for 10 minutes.