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Garlic Clove vs Garlic Bulb: Easy Guide to Garlic

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Get ready to learn all about garlic! This post covers garlic cloves versus bulbs, how to use garlic to replace powder, how to store garlic and so much more! 

What is garlic? 

Garlic is a flowering plant that grows a bulb underground. As a member of the Allium family which also includes leeks, onions, and shallots, it is known for it’s culinary flavor and medicinal benefits. There are many different varieties of garlic, and they are either hardneck or softneck garlic. The hard vs soft neck refers to the stem down the middle of the bulb, but there are also some differences in the bulb.

Hardneck garlic: stiff central center, larger cloves with stronger flavor, grows better in cooler climates, shorter shelf life

Softneck garlic: soft central center, smaller cloves more mild, grows in warmer climates, longer shelf life

Garlic is thought to be from Central Asia but is now cultivated for culinary purposes across the globe. Garlic has many health benefits when eaten raw or cooked. Crushed raw garlic releases a sulfur compound that gives garlic its pungent smell and taste. It can kill bacteria and can boost immunity. We love to make Fermented Honey Garlic for the immune benefits!

What is a garlic bulb? 

A bulb of garlic is also often referred to as a head of garlic. It is grown underground and refers to the entire [bulb] which can be separated off into individual cloves. If you were going to grow your own garlic, you would plant each clove and it would multiply into a head of garlic. Cooks separate the heads of garlic into individual cloves of garlic. On average, a garlic bulb has about 6 cloves of garlic, but the number of cloves varies. 

garlic cloves next to one garlic bulb

What are garlic cloves? 

A clove of garlic refers to each individual piece that is separated from the garlic head or bulb. 

Health benefits of garlic?

  • boosts immune system
  • anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties relieve aches and pains 
  • fights infections and boosts the immune system 
  • Provides the body with antioxidants and nutrients 
garlic bulb next to cloves

Why use fresh, local garlic

Most garlic found in the local grocery store is from outside of the USA, however, a lot of local producers grow garlic! Garlic grown in China has gotten a lot of news coverage in recent years (Learn more here) for being grown in sewage, bleached, and sold undervalued. Due to the fact that this imported garlic is turned into garlic salt, granulated garlic, minced garlic, and more, using fresh locally grown garlic in the home kitchen is important! While fresh garlic may seem expensive, fresh garlic cloves have a stronger flavor than dried garlic so one whole clove will go a long way!  

How to use fresh garlic in recipes 

A garlic press is a helpful tool for making little pieces of garlic to easily add to a dish, but we think the best way to mince garlic is with a knife! Break each individual segment from the whole head apart, cut the bottom edge off the individual segments you plan to use, and remove the paper. Now that the garlic is peeled, use the flat side of your knife to smash the clove and chop finely. This may seem like a lot of extra work at first but the flavor is well worth it! We prefer using a knife over a garlic press because it is easier to wash. 

If you are looking to replace whole cloves in recipes that call for powdered or dried garlic, remember fresh garlic has a more pungent flavor– therefore you can use less! Approximately 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder equals a clove. This obviously varies depending on size, but that’s a good rule of thumb. Keep in mind that garlic salt has a blend of salt added, so you may need to add some salt in your recipe if that’s what you are accustom to using. 

two garlic bulbs next to each other

How to store garlic

On our farm in Iowa, we grow hard neck garlic that we have saved from our own garlic over the years. We keep the bulb whole and store it in a dark place like our kitchen cupboard that’s room temperature. We harvest our garlic in July and it will store until about March before it begins to sprout. Around this time we will begin to preserve any that is at risk of going to waste. Once the bulb is broken open, make sure to use all of that bulb before opening another. 

How to use garlic year round

Garlic is planted in the fall, around the end of October and harvested in July. Below is a calendar example of how we get garlic flavor into our meals all year round. 

  • May/June- eat garlic scapes
  • June/July- eat green garlic
  • July-March- use bulbs of garlic
  • March-May – use frozen garlic
  • Often we have heads of garlic that last much longer than March. 

In the summer, many local producers are selling garlic scapes. Garlic scapes are a portion of the hardneck garlic plant that is produced in June in Iowa. This scape must be removed to prevent the plant from going to seed. The benefit– you can cook with the scape! Learn more about cooking and storing garlic scapes here!

two garlic bulbs next to garlic cloves

Garlic Recipes

There are a variety of different ways garlic is used in daily cooking! From salad dressing, to garlic bread– garlic definitely is something you keep on hand. During the cooking process, you will learn your personal preference to add garlic to dishes, but here are some ideas: 

  • Garlic Scape pesto 
  • Add some whole garlic cloves to your roasted chicken.
  • Place an entire head of garlic inside a piece of aluminum foil, cover it in olive oil, and add it to your sheet pan veggies in the oven. Once cooked, the cloves will slip away from the skins easily. 
  • Fermented Honey Garlic
garlic bulb vs garlic clove pinterest pin

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