This is a super useful little recipe for French-style preserved garlic in oil. Great to have on hand for those cooking emergencies when you can’t get to the shops and need flavour fast!
French Style Preserved Garlic In Oil
This simple recipe for garlic confit or preserved garlic in oil is very much a French thing and an extremely useful thing to have around the kitchen for making all sorts of dishes.
Disclaimer
Please note this recipe has been used in France for many years. Here in Europe we do not have the same rules as USA re preserving. If you have views re botulism etc please do not contact me/comment just don’t make the recipe.
It makes a great foodie gift for Christmas too, perfect for those Christmas hampers.
Type of garlic
Choose your garlic carefully here. You don’t want to use old soft garlic for this. Go for nice crisp fresh garlic that does not give when you squeeze the bulb.
Botulism and garlic
Now, before all the Americans out there start jumping up and down about garlic in oil and botulism etc please relax.
I am cooking the garlic first, cooling it and then adding it to the oil.
It isn’t just chucked in there raw. Cooking the garlic first kills bacteria.
The French have been making this garlic confit/preserved garlic in oil for hundreds of years and there are still rather a lot of them about.
Ingredients for confit garlic
- garlic cloves
- pepper corns
- olive oil
- pickling spice mix
- sea salt
How to make preserved garlic in oil
The cooking part takes approximately 2 minutes!
You are just going to put the garlic cloves (peeled but whole) in water and boil for 2 minutes.
Then it is just a case of letting the garlic cool completely before packing it into sterilised jars and adding your spices.
Pop on the lid and set aside in a cool cupboard for 2 months (make it now for Christmas gifting) to allow everything to come together flavour wise.
How long will preserved garlic last?
It will last for about 6 months in a cool cupboard. Once opened store in fridge and use within a month. The garlic will be crisp in the oil for about 3 months then it will become softer.
How to use preserved garlic
This preserved garlic in oil is easy to use, just mash the cloves and stir into mashed potatoes. Slice and use in any cooking that requires garlic Chop or slice for salads.
And of course use that oil for everything from salad dressings to cooking.
Looking for more quick and easy ways to preserve veggies in oil? Then check out these recipes before you go;
Mixed peppers preserved in oil
Roasted Mediterranean veggies in oil
French style garlic mushrooms in oil
Pesto mozzarella preserved in oil
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
French style preserved garlic in oil
Ingredients
- 300 g garlic cloves
- 200 ml Olive oil
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp pickling spice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel the garlic cloves and boil in salted water for 2 mins
- Remove from water, dry on kitchen paper and set aside to cool
- Sterilise small jars and fill with the garlic and add the oil and the spices
- Seal the jars and store in a dark place for 2 months before using
- The garlic will be crisp for 3 months then soften
- Use on salads, mashed potatoes, soup, pasta etc
Hi… sounds great. How long would you keep it for after the 2 months of developing flavours?
Hi Greta
I’m updating all old posts just now so haven’t got around to that one yet. It keeps for about another 3 months once opened but store in fridge. The garlic gets softer as it ages.
K
What if the garlic wasn’t completely cool. My kitchen is warm and its summer. Do I need to refrigerate before adding oil etc?
Hi Linda
You want the garlic cooled down completely. Just chill in the fridge for a bit till cold since your kitchen is so warm. Hope this helps.
K
Do you water bath to seal the jars? If so, how long?
Hi Michelle,
I don’t mention water bath canning in the recipe because I don’t do it. This is European method with no water bath.
K
Is it possible to boil garlic with skin on, then peel to make it easier? Getting skin off 300 gr of garlic would be a marathon task!
Hi Heidi
I just peel the garlic first. Never boiled it with skin on. You don’t have to make the full amount, just make half if you like.
K
You wouldn’t want to do that. The oil will heat up and cook the garlic. Just keep it in the refrigerator. That’s safest.
Hello, great recipe. I was wondering if you don’t put the jars in a water bath are they not really sealed? Do you mean to just put a lid on and screw on the band? What exactly do you mean by seal?
Thanks!
Hi Jaci
In UK when we say seal a jar we just mean putting a lid on it. Not the same as your USA regulations sealing of jars. If not in water bath then the jars are not sealed in the sense that you mean. This is a European recipe and we have different rules. The garlic in oil lasts just as it is. Hope this explains things
K
Can you canola oil or another oil that wont harden in the fridge?
Hi Dee
I haven’t tries using other oils in this recipe as I always use olive oil. Don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to use canola oil or any other type. You just won’t have that lovely olive oil flavour.
K
I love the recipe. Thanks. I did this with my leftover garlic from the garden after I canned tomatoes last week. I did water bath boil seal them for 20 minutes to ensure no botulism. Do you see any concerns with that? Bev
Hi Bev
Glad you have tried the recipe. Don’t see any issues with water bath canning it. I make this a lot and have never had any issues with it. Hope you enjoy it and all those marvelous tomatoes too.
K
I have shifted to using olive oil in my diet since the lockdown started. I found exactly what I was looking for . Equal parts healthy and delcious, I can’t wait to try it out.
Hi Kelly
Hope you enjoy this one
K
Hi, Thank you for this recipe. I pulled up our garlic yesterday and made this. Why does the garlic have to be cooled completely? I forgot to do this and after cooking it I added it straight to my sterilised jars with the oils and spices. Will that be a problem?
Hi Kelly
I was always taught to cool it completely first. But I don’t imagine it will make that much of a difference. Hope you enjoy it.
K
Hi. Do I need to use the pickling spice?
Thank you,
Janie
Hi Janie
The pickling spice adds extra flavour to the garlic, a bit of depth if you like. You can do this without the spices if you want. Hope this helps.
K
I’m so glad to find this recipe. A older friend gave such a gift and it was wonderful. Everyone said was crazy to eat it but I did. The jar I had bubbled. It was fermented. Are familiar with such a process. Everyone told me the bubbles were botulism but it did not hurt me. Thanks for advice. I want to make this.
Hi Sue
So glad you like the recipe. When I make this I haven’t had bubbles appear.
K
Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes
Confit garlic, preserved lemons and dried tomatoes just yum
Hi Leanne
Thanks so much for the lovely comment, I really appreciate it.
K
Looking forward to this.. I love garlic and olive oil. Right up my alley.. For a quick energy jump Ive learned to heat up garlic , olive oil and any green veg for a few minutes. Its better than commercial products.
Hi Steve
Hope you enjoy it.
K
Thank you for this now I’m not worried about garlic in oil now gotta do it some how see garlic in oil all the time.
Glad you liked the post
K
Hi, I’m trying out this recipe today as I have fresh pulled garlic. I was wondering how much this recipe yields? I’m using small jars 250 ml size
Hi Linda
If you use 300g of garlic you’ll get 300g of the preserved garlic. It depends on the size of the cloves how many will fit in your jars. I always use a variety of jar sizes. You can adapt the amount you make to suit yourself.
K
Can i combine garlic and red peppers together
Hi Angus
Yes add red peppers, I also have a recipe on this site for Mediterranean peppers in oil, just go to the preserved in oil section
K
I’ve been doing this for….EVER! It’s fabulously fast and full of flavour!! Being a mix of English, French, German, Irish, Italian I love food
Hi Lucia
Great to hear from a fellow foodie who loves this garlic confit too
K
Hi, what is “pickling spice mix” exactly? What ingredients do I need for that? Thanks!
Hi Amy
I will have to put up a recipe for making your own pickling spice as soon as I get a chance. Basically it is black peppercorns, allspice berries, coriander seeds, cloves and mustard seeds. Often has chilli, cinnamon and ginger. It’s all a matter of taste really.
K
Thank you Karon, I am making my own now and have done a bit of research to make sure I am doing it proper, in your method you boil the garlic in water instead of cooking them in oil, wouldn’t the garlic absorb all the water during boil and end up releasing them water leaving the jar with a mixture of oil and water?
Hi Tyler
This is just how I have always made it and had no problems.
K