The Easy Way To Dehydrate Garlic Without A Fancy Machine

Dehydrating garlic is a fun kitchen project that also makes cooking easier since it saves you time when you don't feel like peeling fresh cloves. You could buy a food dehydrator. But if you're still deciding whether getting a dehydrator is right for you, there are other ways you can dehydrate garlic in the meantime. Using your oven is probably the best method. 

For this, all you have to do is preheat the oven to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (which in some ovens is the dehydrate setting). While the oven heats, slice or chop the garlic and spread it on a baking sheet before placing it in the oven. To make sure that the garlic doesn't dry or roast, you'll need to check on it every 30 minutes. Keep spreading it every time you open the oven so that no moisture is retained. Once the garlic is crumbly, it's ready to be taken out and left to cool down.

What you do once the garlic has cooled is up to you. Some people freeze it so that it lasts longer and then thaw it when they need it. Others place it in a jar and put it in the cupboard or fridge. You can also make garlic powder by blending the dehydrated garlic in a food processor. The decision largely depends on how often you use garlic and what types of garlic recipes you're looking to make.

The oven method is the best way to dehydrate garlic without a fancy food dehydrator. Almost everyone has an oven and, while it takes two to three hours, the resulting flavor is delicious. But if the oven method is too time-consuming (or if you don't have an oven) there are other methods you could use. To be as natural as possible, you can go back and use the oldest dehydrating technique: sunlight. Of course, this is only possible if you live somewhere with a dry, sunny climate. To do this, you should place the garlic on a baking sheet and leave it in a sunny spot for two or three days. Try to use a mesh or a net over the garlic to keep out bugs and dust.

If you're pressed for time, the microwave also works. This method takes only two to three minutes, but you'll have to check it every 30 seconds and flip the garlic to avoid it drying unevenly. It's convenient, but we wouldn't recommend this method unless you absolutely need dry garlic in a hurry. The microwave sometimes diminishes the taste of food, so it kind of defeats the purpose of doing this yourself. The taste probably won't be any better than store-bought dry garlic. No matter which method you choose, don't forget to pick out high-quality, fresh garlic to start with. When the base is good, everything you make with it will also be tasty.