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Cozy Garlic Honey Ferment: The Best Cold Season Remedy

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This cozy garlic honey ferment is a time-tested cold season remedy made with just fresh garlic and raw honey. It’s simple to prepare, requires only five minutes of active prep, and develops beneficial compounds over a few weeks of fermentation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 heads fresh garlic
  • 1 ½ to 2 cups raw honey
  • Optional: 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
  • Optional: 1 medium lemon, washed and thinly sliced, seeds removed
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Prepare your garlic: Separate the heads into individual cloves. Peel them completely (or leave a little papery skin on if preferred). To peel quickly, place a clove on a cutting board, lay the flat side of a knife on top, and give it a gentle whack with your palm to loosen the skin.
  2. Slice or leave whole: For faster infusion (3-4 days), slice cloves in half or into thick slices. For longer fermentation (2-3 weeks), leave them whole. A mix of both works well.
  3. Pack the jar: Place the prepared garlic cloves into a clean 16-ounce glass jar, filling it about halfway to two-thirds full. If using ginger, lemon, or red pepper flakes, layer them in with the garlic now.
  4. Cover with honey: Pour the raw honey over the garlic until every clove is completely submerged. Use a spoon or chopstick to gently stir and release any air bubbles.
  5. Seal and shake: Screw the lid on tightly, then give the jar a good shake to distribute the honey. Label the jar with the date.
  6. Ferment: Place the jar in a cool, dark place (around 65-70°F). Once a day, open the lid slightly to ‘burp’ the jar and release built-up pressure. Bubbles will form and the honey will thin over time.
  7. Check for readiness: After about 2 weeks, start tasting. The honey should have a noticeable garlic flavor and the cloves should be soft and almost spreadable. When ready, move the jar to the refrigerator to slow fermentation. For best flavor, let it ferment a full month before refrigerating.

Notes

Keep garlic fully submerged in honey to prevent mold. Burp the jar daily to release pressure. If mold appears, scoop it out along with at least an inch of honey around it; if it returns or smells off, discard. The honey will crystallize in the fridge; let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or place the jar in warm water to liquefy. Do not microwave. Fermented garlic cloves can be eaten straight or used in cooking.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic honey, fermented garlic honey, cold remedy, immune booster, homemade remedy, garlic honey ferment, raw honey, garlic

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/cozy-garlic-honey-ferment-the-best-cold-season-remedy/