Garlic in Olive oil

[Smoking Duck]

Hey all........

I bought a bunch of garlic this morning and a bunch of cheese (my folks are in town and they wanted some).  I figured I would smoke the garlic while I was smoking the cheese and then wanted to mince the garlic and put it in EVOO and keep in the refer.  How long do you suppose the garlic in evoo would keep in the refer?

Thanks!

SD

[Smokin Soon]

Its lasts a very long time, but once you start using it wont last long. Try rubbing on baked spuds, its the best! I use it for a lot of things.

[Consiglieri]

Wouldn't last past Tuesday at my house.   ;D

[Smoking Duck]

Yea, I know.....the stuff is better than Prozac  ;D  Just wanted to give some to my folks and give my Mom an idea on how long it would last in the refer.

Thanks!

SD

[bigredsmoker]

Hey Duck, I posted the following last early this year.

After coming across a reference to botulism and garlic in oil in the Charcuterie book I did some research and found the following. Thought anyone storing garlic should read and be informed. Maybe this topic has already been brought up, if it has then this is just a re-hash. I had roasted some garlic and had it in the fridge in oil, after reading this I strained of the oil and saved it and froze the rest of my smoked garlic. Anyway, here is the info.

LINDA J. HARRIS
Food Safety/Microbiology Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology
University of California, Davis

STORING GARLIC IN OIL
Extreme care must be taken when preparing flavored
oils with garlic or when storing garlic in
oil. Peeled garlic cloves may be submerged in oil
and stored in the freezer for several months. Do
not store garlic in oil at room temperature.
Garlic-in-oil mixtures stored at room temperature
provide perfect conditions for producing botulism
toxin (low acidity, no free oxygen in the oil,
and warm temperatures). The same hazard exists
for roasted garlic stored in oil. At least three outbreaks
of botulism associated with garlic-in-oil
mixtures have been reported in North America.
By law, commercially prepared garlic in oil
has been prepared using strict guidelines and
must contain citric or phosphoric acid to increase
the acidity. Unfortunately, there is no easy or
reliable method to acidify garlic in the home.
Acidifying garlic in vinegar is a lengthy and
highly variable process; a whole clove of garlic
covered with vinegar can take from 3 days to
more than 1 week to sufficiently acidify. As an
alternative, properly prepared dried garlic cloves
may be safely added to flavor oils.

From another source:

Storing Garlic in Oil - Warning! - Not Safe.

It's important to keep food safety in mind when storing garlic in oil. Low-acid foods like garlic can be a source of Clostridium botulinum bacteria which are found in soil, water, and air. Oil's oxygen-free environment is perfect for growth of this anaerobic bacteria. Garlic in oil, therefore, must be stored correctly to prevent botulism food poisoning.

Commercial garlic-in-oil mixtures are acidified to prevent bacterial growth. These products can be stored safely at room temperature. Unfortunately, acidification of garlic in homemade oil mixtures can't be recommended because no research exists to support proper procedures. Different people recommend different methods and time to acidify and it is hard to know who is right. Instead, it's best to store these hazardous oils in the refrigerator, but for a limited time only. This conflicts with the desire for long term storage.

When raw garlic is stored in oil, Clostridium botulinum bacteria can grow. These mixtures must be refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. After 3 weeks of refrigeration, the increased number of bacteria will become a food safety hazard. Therefore, these mixtures should not be refrigerated longer than 3 weeks.

When garlic is immediately removed after flavoring oil, the bacteria will not have a "food source" for growth. The flavored oil can be stored safely at room temperature.

When vegetables or herbs are dried, water will not be available for bacterial growth. Therefore, DRIED vegetables or dried herbs (including garlic) in oil can be stored safely at room temperature. Note. Tomatoes are high in acid. Therefore, plain dried tomatoes in oil can be safely stored at room temperature.

Storage Recommendations: (According to Oregon State University Extension Service).

Raw or cooked garlic and/or herbs in oil:
These mixtures MUST be refrigerated. Do not store them longer than 3 weeks in the refrigerator. (Note. Raw garlic MAY be safely stored in vinegar at room temperature.)

Dried garlic and/or herbs in oil: If oil is seasoned with dried garlic and/or dried herbs, the mixture may be safely stored at room temperature. (Refrigeration may delay rancidity, however.)

[Smoking Duck]

You know, now that you post that I do remember that post.  I guess I'd better get rid of it before the nasties hit my house!

Thanks Big Red

[bigredsmoker]

It's not just nasty's, Botulism can kill you! Not something I would want to even take a chance with. 

Terry

[Smokin Soon]

Do you think this will apply to the minced garlic [not dried] as well?
I use the minced garlic from Costo, cause I use a ton of it. But I to put some in EVO.

[westexasmoker]

By no means an expert, but the jarred garlic mixed with evo I would think to be ok....But I go through that stuff in a heartbeat and with the preservatives in the garlic should be ok....But once again not an expert here and just figure as long as you use it soon/quick your good????  I'll mix a pint and its gone within a few days!  Am I doing wrong also???  No mesquite involved..  ;D

C

[bigredsmoker]

After a little internet research I found this:

FDA now requires that commercial mixes
contain specific levels of microbial inhibitors, usually
acidifying agents such as phosphoric or citric acid.  The
presence of these additives in commercially prepared garlic
products is disclosed on their labels.

I would think if it is store bought minced garlic the addition of oil will should not have any ill effect since it is already been treated with microbial inhibitors. I also read an article that said it is not advised to try and add an acidifying agent to homemade garlic because it is very difficult to ensure that the proper levels of acid are present throughout all of the garlic to inhibit microbial production. In other words, you are not supposed to try and preserve your own garlic by storing it in vinegar or some other acidic product.

So there you go, probably more than you ever wanted to know about the potential lethality of garlic. ;D

[Smokin Soon]

Really kind of funny cause my friends and I always talk about garlic and onion are the 2 things nobody can find anything wrong with. Here we go!   :D

[manxman]

as long as you use it soon/quick your good?  I'll mix a pint and its gone within a few days!  Am I doing wrong also???

As long as it is stored at fridge temperature at all times and used within 7 days I think the risk is very small indeed, I don't use mine beyond 7 days and tend to only make small amounts at a time.  :)

[seemore]

almost a chrismas gift thanks
scott :'(