Candy(Canned) Roasted Garlic

So who loves garlic? The better question might be; who doesn't love garlic. This post was inspired by a Facebook group I belong to called Modernist Schmodernist. 

A Facebook Group friend posted a link: How to Preserve Garlic by Hunter-Angler-Gardener-Cook (Hank Shaw). After reading his article, I just knew I had to try this. Hank Shaw's recipe is adapted from The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant. This book is outstanding for all those interested in food or canning. Preserving food is not my thing but transforming food is certainly in my wheelhouse. It's tough to describe what happens to garlic when it's Pressured Canned using Paul Virant's scanning technique. 

So instead of me plagiarizing someone else descriptive words about canned garlic, I will quote them here. 

"Precious few foods undergo a magical transformation when they are preserved," No matter how much I love fresh garlic, it is but a shadow of these preserved cloves. Eating them for the first time was a revelation, a culinary epiphany: I must have this garlic on hand. Always" Hank Shaw" 

After tasting them myself, Hank Shaw is 100% correct. "When your pressure can cause garlic, it's magical and metamorphosing." ME

I modified the recipe just a little. My next batch will be closer to Hank Shaw's version, in which he uses Sherry Vinegar instead of Champagne Vinegar and a little less sugar. Hank Shaw also wrote that Malt Vinegar will work too. 

My recipe is for 9 lbs of garlic cloves, which I purchased at Costco. I used 43 grams of Kosher Salt, 686 grams of sugar, 412 grams of Champagne Vinegar, and 268 grams of Extra Virgin Olive oil. 

For this recipe, I used organic, unrefined sugar, which could explain why some cloves did not hold their shape. I also cooked the cloves too long, and I will try regular sugar next time and cook them a little less. That being said, the garlic came out great. I call it Candy Roasted Garlic because it tastes like candy to me. I use the C-R-G in mash potatoes, Cauliflower rice, eggs, sandwiches, and everything that calls for garlic. In my world, everything could benefit from a bit of garlic. 

I will not include a lot of instructions because this is so easy to do. 

Heat the extra virgin olive oil up in a vast saute pan and cook the garlic cloves for a few minutes. Add salt and continue cooking until they turn a little brown.

Constant stirring is a must if you want even browning. Don't forget I had 9 lbs of garlic, and using less garlic is so much easier. When they turn brown, add the sugar and continue to cook until the garlic begins to caramelize, which should only take a few minutes. Add the vinegar and crank up the heat and cook for a couple of minutes.  

I will not tell you how to use a pressure can but read all the directions before taking on this task. Here are some of my suggestions, though. Sterilize your jars and lids. I submerge everything in boiling water for a few minutes. Anything that will come in contact with the food is sterilized in boiling water. Use 1/2 pint jars and leave an inch of headspace at the top of the jar after packing and process for 10 minutes. Make sure the rims are perfectly clean before sealing. 

I had to pull out my 20 qt saute pan to fry up that much garlic. My canner, which measures "DAMN BIG," is 41 1/2 quarts and will hold 19 one-quart jars and 32-pint jars, and it can have about 50 half-pints. Yea.... big is always better.