Fermented garlic honey might sound unusual, but it’s a really simple way to amp up your next vinaigrette or marinade while reaping the health benefits of both the honey and the garlic. Five minutes of prep and a couple of weeks of patience is all it takes to make recipe.
Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!
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As we cook at home more often, I am always looking for ways to make the food
As we cook at home more often, I am always looking for ways to make the food interesting.
I mean, how much plain steamed broccoli can one woman eat? No, seriously... how much? Am I there yet? Plus, when winter is approaching and anything to boost my immune system is a bonus.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
Fermented garlic softens to texture and flavor somewhere between raw garlic and roasted, yet still firm enough to chop. The garlic's harsh flavor gives way to sweet, pungent aromas.
You can use it in a variety of recipes from salad dressings to drizzling over fried chicken. It is one of the most versatile recipes on my entire site.
🧾Ingredient Notes
This simple recipe only requires two ingredients.
Raw Honey- You need unpasteurized honey for this recipe. Pasteurized honey is not suitable for fermentation because the pasteurization process heats the honey to high temperatures, which destroys the natural yeasts and enzymes present in the honey. Yeasts are essential for the fermentation process.
Raw Garlic- This recipe uses fresh garlic, it must be whole heads of garlic and unpeeled. I recommend local organic garlic if possible for this recipe.
What are the benefits of consuming fermented garlic honey?
Honey fermented garlic is a quintessential example of food as medicine
Garlic is an excellent immunity booster, and honey is a soothing sweetener for sore throats and can be as effective as cough medicine.
Now, some people may suggest that you eat a clove a day to boost that immunity. By all means, please give it a try if that’s your thing. I love fermented garlic, but a spoonful of pure garlic, fermented or not, does not help the medicine go down.
⏲️How to Make Fermented Garlic Honey
So, let's get started... put everything in the jar... wait a month. Yep, that is about all it takes to make fermented garlic honey. I know – you were expecting something way more dramatic. Let me break it down into a little more detail.
Step 1- Peel
First, peel your garlic. The amount of garlic varies. Typically you want to fill the jar half full. I typically use 2 to 3 whole heads of garlic. No need to crush or chop the garlic cloves.
Step 2- Add the Honey
Add your garlic to a clean glass jar, like a wide-mouth mason jar. The jar should be sterilized. I once threw the garlic into a vat of honey. Bad idea, garlic floats. It just sits on the surface of the honey. So you are best off adding the garlic first.
Then top with your honey. Seal the jar.
You can use a regular jar and lid, but you must remember to burp the jar every few days to release the gases created by the fermentation process.
I highly recommend a Pickle Pipe from Masontops. Weights are purchased separately, we like these glass weights. This will help keep the garlic submerged.
You can purchase the pipe and weights as a package deal here.
Step 3- Ferment
Place the jar in a cool dark place. After a few days, check to ensure the weight is holding down all the garlic and the honey is starting to bubble, this indicates that fermentation is starting. If you are not using a weight you will need to either flip the jar every other day or use a spoon to push the garlic back to the bottom of the jar.
The fermenting process takes about a month but I typically start using the garlic and the honey after about 2 weeks.
After the month is up the garlic should no longer float the honey will darken in color. At that point, you can remove the pipe and weight and use a regular lid.
The fermented garlic honey can be stored at room temperature for up to a year.
You can use a regular jar and lid, but you must remember to burp the jar every few days to release the gases created by the fermentation process.
I highly recommend a Pickle Pipe from Masontops. Weights are purchased separately, we like these glass weights. This will help keep the garlic submerged.
You can purchase the pipe and weights as a package deal here.
After a few days, check to ensure the weight is holding down all the garlic and the honey is starting to bubble, this indicates that fermentation is starting. If you are not using a weight you will need to either flip the jar every other day or use a spoon to push the garlic back to the bottom of the jar.
It should take about a month to fully ferment but I typically start using the garlic and the honey after about 2 weeks.
After the month is up the garlic should no longer float the honey will darken in color. At that point, you can remove the pipe and weight and use a regular lid.
The fermented garlic honey can be stored at room temperature for up to a year.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Use raw local honey for the best wild yeast.
- Leave plenty of headspace in the jar.
- Use a ph strip to test acidity if you are worried about Botulism.
- Children under 1 year of age should not consume honey. This includes honey-fermented garlic.
🍯How to Use Fermented Garlic Honey
There is an endless amount of ways to honey fermented garlic.
- Chop the garlic cloves up and add to a vinaigrette. Try out this sweet potato and kale salad with a walnut salad dressing.
- Drizzled over spicy pepperoni pizza is a great way to use up honey.
- Added to marinades in place of regular honey.
- Drizzle it over grilled meats, especially anything with lemongrass or ginger in the marinade like this Vietnamese-inspired grilled pork.
- Add a spoonful of honey to your hot tea as a natural cold remedy or cough suppressant
- Spooned onto cornbread or biscuits. Try my gluten-free buttermilk biscuits.
- As a dip for chicken tenders. Try my gluten-free chicken nuggets.
- In place of regular honey in honey mustard.
More Garlic Recipes
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
You can any unpasteurized raw honey for fermentation. Play around with Spring vs Fall honey or Orange Blossom vs Clover honey. Honey you get from your local beekeeper at the farmers market will taste vastly different than unpasteurized honey you can pick up at the grocery store.
If you want it spicy I suggest adding a pinch of cayenne or dried chili flakes to a small amount right before serving.
While both honey and garlic can contain botulism spores but the fermentation process isn't particularly hospitable. You can add a splash of apple cider vinegar to increase the pH level. Note that botulism can't survive above a pH level of 4.6.
Yes, the honey will thin out and look more like simple syrup than thick honey.
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📖 Recipe
Fermented Garlic Honey
Ingredients
- garlic, peeled
- raw honey
Instructions
- Place garlic in a clean, dry mason jar and leave a good amount of headspace – things are going to get frothy and the bubbles need room to expand.garlic, peeled
- Cover your garlic with honey without infringing on that headspace.raw honey
- Add weight to keep garlic submerged and install your pickle pipe.
- Set in a cool, dark place for four weeks, but do check on it to ensure the garlic stays submerged.
Video
Notes
- For the large jar in the photo, we used six bulbs of garlic and two cups of honey. I use 2 heads of garlic and 1 cup of honey for a pint jar.
- Be sure your honey is raw and local is always best.
- If you don't have a pickle pipe, you can use a regular lid. Just be sure to burp the jar every few days and push the garlic down. See blog posts for more details.
- After 4 weeks you replace the pickle pipe with a regular lid. The honey will keep for at least 1 year.
Nikki says
How long does it last?? I made mine like almost a year ago
Chrissy says
Hi, its been 2 weeks and my 4 jars of garlic and raw honey have not bubbled/fermented 🙁 Also the garlic has not sunk to the bottom either. So do you think i should wait it out? toss it all out now and start over? or ??
Jen Wooster says
No need to toss it. If the honey is getting runnier there is some fermentation happening. It won't go bad but if youa re concerned about bacteria you can add a splash or raw apple cider vinegar. Use a clean spoon to push the garlic down. If it doesn't get super fermented you will still have garlic infused honey.
Chrissy says
Thank you Jen! Ok I just added a "splash" (about a teaspoon) of raw apple cider vinegar to each of my four 16 ounce jars and will hope for the best! 🙂 Thanks again for all your help and advice.
Claudia says
Hello! I’m wondering if it’s okay to use garlic that’s been cut in this recipe? I’m using fresh garlic cloves, but need to cut off some areas that don’t look the best. Thanks!
Jen Wooster says
Yes- it should be fine.
Chrissy says
When should i expect to see bubbles?? I prepared four 16oz jars (of garlic and raw honey) 7 days ago using the pickle pipes but have not seen any bubbles yet? Please advise.. Thank you!
Jen Wooster says
As long as you used raw honey it should be fine. I have heard reports of it taking up to two weeks. The garlic to honey ratio impacts how fast the fermentation happens. If the honey is becoming thinner/ more liquidy all is good. The whole process should take 4 weeks total. Enjoy and let me know if you have any additiona challenges.
Chrissy says
Ok, good to know as the honey is becoming thinner and more liquified! Thank you SO much for your quick reply! 🙂
Chrissy says
Thank you, but if for some reason the fermentation process (bubbling) doesnt happen, will it still be safe to eat??
H. Wallace says
I have made my first garlic , honey fermented bottles what I would like to know can you use too much honey in the operation and if so does it deter the fermentation ?
Jen says
I have not had that issue. It is more about proper ventilation.
Andrea Metlika says
I really like the way you use this. It sounds so good and beneficial.
Emily Liao says
This was the perfect idea to add some sweetness to my garlic recipes! Will definitely be keeping a jar of this in my kitchen for all times 🙂
Amy says
Wow I absolutely love the sound of this, I bet it would be great with a cheese board!
Anita says
This is the first time I see fermented garlic with honey. But it's such an easy recipe it would be a crime not to try. 🙂
Sunrita says
Have never heard of fermented garlic other than pickled one. Adding Honey to garlic is something really fascinating. I can see this having health benefits too! Will be trying this.
Suanne says
I’m curious if I can add other ingredients to the honey/garlic mixture such as ginger, turmeric, jalapeño, etc
Jen says
I have never tried it but I would assume it follows the same principle. Hot honey can be made with peppers and saved for three months.
Desiree says
HELLO, I HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU COULD HELP. I MADE 6 JARS A MONTH AGO. I OPENED ONE JAR TO TASTE IT AND IT TASTED METALLIC. IS THAT NOMRAL? I ASKED ANOTHER FORUM AND ONE PERSON SAID IT WAS FROM USING METAL LIDS AND I HAVE TO THROW ALL THE JARS AWAY. ( I USED KERR JARS WITH LIDS THAT THEY COME WITH) ANY SUGGESTION OR THOUGHTS?
Jen says
The garlic may have bacteria that caused the issue. I typically use plastic or bamboo reusable lids and only use the metal rings when canning.
Caitlyn Erhardt says
This is so cool! I have never thought of using garlic like this! Thanks for the inspiration, and I can't wait to try this!
Jen says
Thanks for visiting! It really is amazing how the garlic transforms the honey.
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
That honey does sound like it would absolutely delicious over veggies! I have never fermented anything, but this recipe definitely makes me want to give it a try!
Jen says
Give it a try! We started with honey and since have tried fermented hot sauce, sauerkraut, and kimchi. It is way easier than I thought!
Danielle says
What a great way to use garlic. This would make such a good gift too.
Jen says
Great idea. I just might make extra for the holidays!
Tara says
Oh wow! I have never heard of preparing garlic this way. It does sound incredible to use for marinades. Yum!
Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says
This reminds me of Brad from Bon Appetit with his "It's Alive!" videos. He's always fermenting and burping something lol. This garlic honey is so cool! And I love that you mentioned a pickle pipe, because who wants to accidentally deal with something exploding when you forget to burp the thing?
Jen says
I love our pickle pipes! I haven't seen these videos- going to check them out.