By Rustina, Contributing Writer
As much as I love Fall, the viruses that start coming around seem to take a lot of the fun out of life. Using healthy foods to keep our immune systems at top notch has helped my family and self so much.
One of our favorites is fermented garlic honey. It is simple, but effective.
The Benefits of Garlic
Garlic has long been used for its strong antibacterial effects. It is antifungal, providing support against Candida, Trichophyton, and many more to help the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria in the microbiome.(1) Garlic is even a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune modulator to help against infections. It also has a diuretic effect to help encourage healthy urine elimination to support good detoxing.(2)
Garlic can benefit more than the immune system; it is known to help improve blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and cholesterol. Several studies have shown garlic to be useful against viruses like influenza, herpes simplex, rhinovirus, rotavirus, and viral pneumonia. (3)
The Benefits of Raw, Local Honey
Buying from a local, raw honey dealer will be the best option. The store bought options are often over processed losing some of their benefits. Some store options are even more corn syrup than honey! Always read the label and know your source.
Honey is known for its immunomodulatory properties (ability to activate or suppress the immune system) (4), antioxidant, anti-inflammatory (5), antibacterial properties (6), relief from the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (7), and allergic rhinitis (inflammation in the nose from allergens) (8).
When garlic is fermented in the honey, it strengthens the properties of both and is more bioavailable.
How to Make Fermented Garlic Honey
Ingredients:
- 2-3 heads of garlic
- 1 cup of honey (or as needed to cover the garlic cloves)
- Optional additions:
- A bit of chopped ginger
- A squeeze of lemon juice (about a tsp sized amount)
- Turmeric
Directions:
Step 1: Separate and peel the garlic cloves. You can choose to chop them or not. I usually do not chop them.
Step 2: Place the garlic in a clean jar along with any additions.
Step 3: Pour the cup of honey over the garlic cloves. Be sure there is enough to cover them all well and roll the jar to ensure the honey touches everywhere. *A fermenting weight disk or similar can be used to keep the garlic cloves below the surface if needed.
Step 4: Place the lid on the jar and put it in a cabinet away from heat sources like appliances, windows, and heating vents.
Step 5: Every few days slowly roll the jar to ensure good honey coverage over the garlic.
Step 6: It will need to set for one month. Loosen and re-tighten the lid every once in a while to allow the build up to release. Store in the cabinet.
To use:
Consume a clove or two when feeling the need for a boost, or just because you enjoy the flavor! The honey can be used as regular honey (keeping the new taste in mind) or a spoonful taken whenever you wish.
Hi! How much garlic would you recommend for a quart Mason jar of this? 1/3 full, 1/2 full? Not sure about this but super eager to make it. I have tons of raw honey on hand.
For a quart sized jar, about 3/4 full or roughly 3 cups worth of garlic cloves. I hope you enjoy them!
For the turmeric- slice some up from fresh and add to the jar?
Fresh will pack the most punch, but dried and powdered turmeric still has many great benefits as well!
How long is it good for after fermenting?
That will vary depending on heat exposure, light exposure, moisture exposure, and bacterial exposure when the lid is off, but it should develop a different odor when it starts to go bad. I have had jars last up to a year in a cabinet (without going bad at all — just finished eating it all).
This stays Out of the fridge, right?
Yes 🙂 In a cabinet away from heat sources like appliances, windows, and heating vents.
What are the storage requirements, refrigerate, countertop, cool dark cabinet?
Cool, dark cabinet 🙂
I stored mine in the refrigerator and just realized maybe I wasn’t suppose to do that. Where do you store yours? Did I ruin mine if it was in the fridge? Also, am I suppose to pierce the garlic gloves at all? Or does it not matter?
I store mine in a cabinet. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated (or stay refrigerated), but it isn’t ruined at all! The deep cold will slow the fermenting process and bacterial growth (even the good stuff), but only slowed it — it still lives and can be thriving quickly 🙂 I would pull it out of the fridge, set it on a towel to absorb the excess moisture (especially around the lid). When the condensation stops, put it in a cabinet away from heat sources like appliances, windows, and heating vents.
Some people like to crush or pierce their cloves, but that can speed up some break down from what I read, altering the fermenting very minorly. I don’t recall the specifics, but I concluded with leaving mine whole.
So when would it reach “ready” or a good fermentation? 6 weeks??
Any time after 4 weeks it should have a nice strong fermentation.
The garlic is turning green/moldy in my fermented honey garlic is it safe to use?
Hello! Is it turning a bright green in color only or is it hairy and moldy? Sometimes, the garlic cloves can take on a greenish color. However, it should not be hairy or furry like mold. If it is mold, throw it out.
I read a comment from someone who said the honey could cause botulism if not stored correctly, or doesn’t darken in color. How would you know if your honey garlic can make you sick?
Hi Kathie, the color of the honey can vary. I would go by the smell (if it is sour, rotten, or rancid smelling vs the normal garlicy and fermenting pungent but still slightly sweet smell), signs of mold on the surface (white, green, or black), if the taste changes considerably from one try to the next, weird texture (honey should stay smooth and liquid, garlic cloves should stay in the same basic form they were placed in the jar just a lot softer and slightly “soaked” looking but not slimy, mushy, pieces), and if the jar lid to start bulge or swell (that would indicate more than normal gas output and has probably turned bad).