Honey Fermented Garlic

This is seriously delicious.

And honestly, this recipe is so easy that it barely needs one. Garlic. Honey. Time. That’s it. Nature takes care of the rest. I suggest that you allow for this product to ferment for at least one moth - but don’t worry: you can sneak out a bit of honey and garlic in the meantime and use for recipes or snack straight off the spoon (which will already be delicious. If you love garlic, you will love this. If you love honey, you will love this. You can only win here.) After a month though, this ferment will have changed a lot. The garlic will have sunken down to the bottom and be a lot darker in colour. The honey will be a lot runnier. You will have to see this with your own eyes and taste it with your own tongue!

Why does the garlic ferment despite honey’s preserving properties? 

What we’re dealing with here is a lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria are present on virtually anything and everything. In this case, our source of lactic acid bacteria stems mainly from the garlic cloves. Other lactic acid fermentations are based on a 2-3% salt water solution which ensures an environment in which lactic bacteria can thrive as opposed to yeasts and other bacteria. Now for our honey and garlic ferment, the lactic acid bacteria present in/on the garlic consume the carbohydrates that come from both the garlic and honey and produce lactic acid as well as CO2 as a side product - these are the bubbles we can observe when looking into the jar! Wild yeasts that are also involved in this process - the main difference being that they turn carbohydrates into alcohol (ethanol) instead of lactic acid. 

Similarly to sourdough, both lactic acid and ethanol fermentation are coinciding and aiding each other. The bacteria are creating an acidic environment in which the yeasts can go about their business while they in turn produce food (in form of alcohol) that keep the bacteria going. Win win! 

Health benefits 

This mixture is a natural remedy for when you’re experiencing cold and flu related symptoms. Both garlic and honey are known to be good immune system boosters and offer a variety of antimicrobials against infections. So combining them both is a genius move, am I right? 

Recipe ideas

Trust me, this honey and garlic ferment may be your new favourite staple ingredient: put it in dips and spreads, as a finish drizzle, for sauces, dressings and marinades. Crush the garlic and spread onto pizza dough or fry the fermented garlic in a pan and add a bit of olive oil and fresh herbs, this will be a delicious base for whatever dish you need garlic for. Pestos, soups, stews, as a roasted vegetable glaze or served along with a mouthwatering cheese platter. There really are no limits! 

Servings: 1 jar

Total time: 5 min

For the garlic honey

Ingredients

2 heads of garlic 

enough honey* to cover the garlic, about 1 - 1 1/2 cups 

*make sure you’re using good quality 100% honey, not a syrup blend! 

Instructions

1. Peel the garlic and remove all bits of skin. If you find any dodgy looking bits, make sure to cut them off. Tip: place the separated garlic cloves in a small pot, pop the lid on and give it a good shake. Many of the skins will come off! 

2. Place the garlic cloves in a clean jar (rinse it with hot water before using) and cover with honey. If your honey appears to be too solid to pour, you can gently heat it in a saucepan until it is runnier and easy to cover the garlic with. And trust me here, you want to use just enough honey to cover the garlic, not much more than that. The fermentation relies on a specific moisture level achieved through the breaking down of garlic. 

3. Cover with a lid (not entirely airtight) and store at room temperature away from sunlight. The garlic will float up to the surface so take the jar at least two times a day and tilt it so that the garlic has a good honey coating (making sure that the lid is closed so you’re not spilling our valuable product - I think I’d cry). This will prevent our ferment from going rancid. Repeat this until the garlic cloves no longer float the the surface. 

4. Within the next 2-3 days, you’ll see bubbles forming and the lactic acid and wild yeasts doing their thing.

5. You can start eating this products in its very early fermenting stages (so after about 3-5 days),  but it will develop a different flavour and consistency over time: the garlicky aroma will mellow over time and the honey will become much runnier through the garlic’s liquids. Also, don’t miss out on the enticing smell! How lucky we are to be equipped with so many senses that allow us to notice and appreciate the goodness of nature’s products. This ferment can be enjoyed after months of fermentation and be store in a dark place at room temperature. 

6. If you want this ferment to keep going for longer (I could have said “forever” but am aware that some of us have commitment issues) instead of simply using it up, simply add more garlic and honey to it.