Freeze Dried Garlic

[@corrineadams7303]

I buy organic peeled garlic at Costco. 2 bags chopped/sliced fills 4 medium trays on the freeze dryer. Lot of peeling time saved

[@jeffrichards2011]

Great idea Corrine! Thanks for that tip.

[@michaelchiappini1272]

I just received a 50 lb bag of onions and 30 lb box of garlic bulbs for free. Spent a day last weekend chopping onions, and have freeze dried 20 lbs so far. Then part of a day and evenings peeling garlic (about 1/3 done so far). I will be freeze drying roasted and plain. I agree, the house smells interesting. Even the neighbors next door can smell it.

[@Philat4800feet]

Tears of Joy?

[@T4nkcommander]

I love FD onions. Not a fan of the smell the garlic makes....it is definitely unique.

[@isabelladavis1363]

Appreciate all the efforts and time just harvested 130 bulbs and realize they won’t keep here in the Deep South so the weekend will be a aromatic journey so to speak lol…stay blessed

[@Gonesquirrley]

Thanks for a comprehensive test on the garlic

[@Philat4800feet]

It was tasty

[@Buzzy-bm6bv]

Good morning and thank you for all your wonderfully researched and presented information on freeze drying (my main interest). I tried to freeze dry 10 lbs of garlic cloves, without the skins. It happened to be organic garlic. It was a mess and a long process but thought it would be worth it. The first freeze drying, with 2 hours extra drying, 75% of the garlic cloves still had (to a lesser or greater degree), orange inside and out. Some were completely orange and felt like an apricot. This was not good, as I understand moisture (which was what the orange represented) will cause botulism when stored in a vacuum sealed container. I cut each piece of garlic (they were not big to begin with) in half. Some cut easily, some cut like cutting a ‘not so fresh’ apricot. I went in for another freeze drying cycle. A lot of the garlic cloves still have some orange around and in them, and a very few were still like an apricot. I was expecting them to be white, as it is what I see on the videos. Would you please help me understand what I did wrong and how to correct the problem in the future. In case you think there is a problem with my freeze drier, I also freeze dried 3 lbs of fresh ginger, which I cut into thin slices. They came out of the freeze dryer, first time, perfect and completely freeze dried. Any assistance you can offer would be helpful. I was considering putting EVERYTHING garlic into a food processor and mincing it all up and trying yet again, but its such a waste of energy and time if there is something I don’t know that is going on thus far. Thank you so much for any assistance you can offer. Mike

[@Philat4800feet]

I didn't think about drying cloves whole. Prior to cooking I always smashed them with the side of a knife. The paper material around each clove could keep the moisture in like blue berries. I think you'll need to smash, chop, or food process your garlic.

[@Buzzy-bm6bv]

@@Philat4800feet it was very kind of you to get back to me, let alone so quickly. Thank you very very much. I’ll take another shot at it with my my food processor and try freeze drying them a third time. Thank you again and have a wonderful evening. I hope in your life people treat you as kindly as you treat the people you deal with.

[@T4nkcommander]

​@@Buzzy-bm6bvdid you end up having success? I have only tried one run - as a gift to my coworker - but I had the same problem with it clearly not being dried fully. We went with full cloves but thought we had peeled all of it. Seems like chopped is the way to go

[@Buzzy-bm6bv]

@@T4nkcommander Thank you, so much, for your interest in my issue. Success is such an interpretive word :-). After speaking to MANY people, including many county extension people, I decided to discard the entire lot. They would not dry completely, no matter how many time (freeze drier x3, dehydrator, over, etc) and as such had the possibility of the development of toxins. So despite the many hours devoted to purchasing, peeling (so time consuming), chopping and ‘drying’, it wasn’t worth the possibility of it causing me illness. I doubt I will try it every again, unless someone can explain to me what I did wrong so I can correct it before entering the time consuming challenge of redoing it. And BTW, they were organic garlics. Either way, very kind of you to keep up with it. Have a wonderful weekend. Mike

[@jdhiv4]

Mike, I would just try cutting them in half and doing a test batch with only one head each of both organic an not organic mixed in with a batch of other foods not offended by garlic. If you're getting below 500 mTorr and everything else FD's ok, then it was likely just whole cloves needed to have their "skins" broken like, as Phil stated, 🫐s need also. Minimal investment on your part! If you try, can you please report back here? Thanks

[@leezelina6668]

Great video! One suggestion would be to put the garlic in parchment parchment paper before wrapping in foil. This keeps aluminum from getting info the garlic.

[@Philat4800feet]

Great tip

[@kimberlygood2120]

Thank you for all your work. Please keep the videos coming.

[@Philat4800feet]

Stay tuned

[@victoriawendland6314]

Thank you, I'll be freeze drying my garlic soon.

[@fatjellydonutglaze2230]

Every meal I put Garlic on it I love garlic😋😋

[@kcconaty5270]

Just found your channel Sub’d and thank you for sharing! Only have two times FD & one candy for grand children, & fruit. I used frozen organic from store, it did not turn out well, kinda like dehydrated fruit… I’ll try again, & I have fresh garlic I’m going to try tomorrow! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼👍

[@movingforward4623]

I raise garlic in our garde. Harvested 80 lbs this year. Have 20 lbs to eat through the year but will definately FD some.

[@Philat4800feet]

wow...that's a lot.

[@jdhiv4]

Maybe MIXING ALL 4 makes the best result? 👌

[@francescop1376]

Hey Phil, just wanted to say thank you for your videos it has really help me.. 1 question, what’s your settings now for freeze drying ice cream scoops ? Or would it be since the new software update looking faster settings .. thank you again !

[@Philat4800feet]

Freeze Set Point 0, Extra freeze time, 0:00, Tray temp 130, Extra Dry Time 12:00, Mode-Fast. Note- I pre-freeze all my food.

[@misterp158]

good stuff, thanks for sharing

[@Judten1]

Hello. I have 5 trays in my FD as I watch this. It’s a lot of garlic! Would you recommend that I change the oil after this garlic run of so much? I don’t want my next batch’s after the garlic ruined. Thank you so much.

[@Philat4800feet]

No, just wipe out the chamber. The vacuum is only one way, going to the vacuum pump, away from the chamber.

[@vickiegossett7214]

Thank you

[@CoolHandLukeakaSgtBilly]

You have given us another educational and comprehensive video. Thank you. Where are you at 4800 feet.? I'm at 2500 in Nampa Idaho.

[@richardpaisley2326]

Thank you for the informative video. Have you freeze dried black garlic?

[@Philat4800feet]

Nope, I'll need to look in to it. Is it more mild or stronger?

[@ronsellew5696]

Have you ever tried black garlic?

[@Philat4800feet]

I have not. I should

[@cherylfisher5516]

Phil---did you already do a video on your chicken pad Thai that you put into the same batch as your garlic? If so, I can't find it to watch and get the recipe . Please share it. Thanks

[@Philat4800feet]

Can't remember. I'll check

[@Philat4800feet]

Sorry, it was something my wife whipped up.

[@jeffrichards2011]

Phil, Excellent video! How about smell/odor? Did FD'ing the garlic in your FD'r collect leave any garlic odor in the machine or the room your FD'r is in?

[@Philat4800feet]

The smell wasn't that bad, but I did wipe everything down with isopoll alcohol when I was done

[@jeffrichards2011]

@@Philat4800feet Thanks Phil!👍 My other thought on garlic or onion FD'ing, might be to add some bread slices to those trays.. and it might absorb some of the odor?

[@Philat4800feet]

@@jeffrichards2011 You'll never know without trying

[@carriebeard-R.I.T.S]

I like the smell of freeze dried lemon slices.. doing a tray of those might remove any residual odors

[@doramather4729]

Phil, which garlic did you like the best and why.

[@Philat4800feet]

I think roasting garlic brings out a better flavor.

[@athenarise145]

Can you use butter to sauté the garlic instead?

[@Philat4800feet]

Perhaps, but that would introduce more fat. If you do, I would vacuum pack the garlic.

[@andreamillar9141]

Which one did you like best?

[@Philat4800feet]

Roasted

[@Hopadopperartist]

Why didn’t you freeze dry it raw (sliced)?

[@Philat4800feet]

Hmmmm, perhaps I had my roasted blinders on.

[@shayannetan5698]

Hey, Phil PLS HELP I was wondering about harvest right’s candy mode. Do happen to know what is the cold trap temperature of the machine after it enters the vacumm & drying stage ?

[@shayannetan5698]

I’m aware that the tray goes to about 145 degrees but does the cold trap(drum tempt) temperature go to -30degrees still? Or does candy mode have a different temperature

[@Philat4800feet]

Candy really doesn't have much moisture, if any, but the freeze dryer won't run without the freezer being on. The freezer is either on or off and will get down to -40 degrees to trap the water (freeze trap). Under vacuum the cold wall of the chamber will not affect your candy because heat/cold can't transferer though a vacuum. The R Valve of 1.00" of vacuum is around R80. The heat from the trays will soften the sugars in the candy. The vacuum will tear the candy apart and the sugar's will then crystalize as they cool. I hope I answered your question.

[@coloradokid8321]

Phil, I was just saying the other day… I wonder if anyone has done a video on freeze drying garlic. Perfect timing! My only concern is the smell transferring into the freeze dryer (via the compressor oil or machine). Did you experience any lingering smell in your freeze dryer that might transfer to future batches? But please keep in mind that I don’t pre-freeze for freeze drying (as I have no space in my regular freezer). Thanks!

[@Philat4800feet]

Once I wiped it down with isopropyl alcohol the smell was gone

[@coloradokid8321]

@@Philat4800feet - thanks Phil. After watching one of your other videos, that’s how I’ve been cleaning the inside of my freeze dryer (using the 70% isopropyl alcohol).

[@jeffrichards2011]

Great video indeed! The LiteHouse brand bottle 1.58 ounces of FD's garlic - $4.59.. YIKES.

[@T4nkcommander]

​@@coloradokid8321FWIW, I just use water and have the same results.