Garlic is a popular ingredient used in many savory dishes. Its pungent flavor adds depth and aroma to soups, sauces, meat dishes, and more. Garlic cloves can be used fresh, or they can be purchased already peeled and sometimes chopped in jars or cans.
But what if you go to use some garlic from your pantry and find the jar past its best by date? Should you throw it out or can you still use expired garlic cloves?
What happens when garlic cloves expire?
Garlic cloves contain enzymes that help break down the vegetable’s cell structure over time. This natural process causes changes in texture, flavor, and aroma.
Fresh garlic cloves are firm with a potent, pungent flavor. As the cloves expire, they begin to soften and become less crisp. The flavor mellows out and becomes mustier and muted.
Eventually, the cloves will shrivel up completely and take on a bitter, acidic taste. They may also show signs of mold or spoilage. So very old garlic cloves well past their prime are not suitable for cooking.
How to tell if garlic cloves are still usable
If your garlic cloves are a little past their best by date, don’t be too quick to discard them. There are a few ways to check if they’re still usable:
- Smell – Sniff the garlic. If it still has a potent aroma similar to fresh garlic, it should be fine to use.
- Texture – Fresh garlic cloves feel firm and crisp. Slightly soft but not mushy cloves are still usable.
- Appearance – Check for mold, dark spots or green sprouts. A few loose skins are normal. But avoid garlic with excessive darkening or dampness.
- Taste – Taste a tiny bit of the garlic. It should taste like normal garlic without bitterness or sour, acidic flavors.
As long as the expired garlic cloves pass the sight, smell and taste tests, they should still retain enough flavor for cooking. The cloves may not be as pungent as fresh, but they can still impart garlicky notes to dishes.
How long past the best by date can you use garlic?
How long garlic lasts depends on how it is stored. Properly stored fresh garlic can retain good quality for 3-6 months at room temperature or 5-8 months refrigerated.
For jars and cans of peeled, pre-minced garlic cloves, check the best by date and:
- Unopened – Usually keeps 10-12 months past date on seal jar.
- Opened – Use within 4-6 months and refrigerate after opening.
Of course quality steadily declines the longer garlic is stored past its prime. But even months past its best by date, garlic that looks and smells alright is likely still safe to use.
Does expired garlic pose any risks?
Garlic is low risk for causing foodborne illness due to its anti-microbial allicin compounds. Still, using garlic that has gone bad runs the risk of spoilage and off-flavors.
Botulism is a rare but dangerous type of food poisoning that can grow in low-oxygen environments like oil, butter or roasted garlic stored at room temperature. So roasted garlic stored in oil should not be used past its expiration date.
As long as expired garlic appears wholesome without mold growth, there should not be safety issues. But it’s still best to use it quickly once opened rather than letting it linger for months in the fridge.
Tips for using expired garlic cloves
While older garlic won’t be quite as potent, you can still use it to add flavor to recipes. Here are some tips:
- Increase the amount – Use more cloves than the recipe calls for to account for mellower flavor.
- Chop or mince – More finely chopping expired garlic releases more allicin compounds.
- Roast – Roasting whole garlic bulbs caramelizes sugars enhancing sweetness.
- Simmer in sauce – Long cooking coaxes out garlicky notes.
- Add earlier – Add at start of cooking so it has time to develop flavor.
- Pair with stronger flavors – Pair with onion, herbs and spices.
In some cases, you may want to avoid using old garlic if the recipe relies on the bright, pungent flavor of fresh cloves. But in most cooked dishes and sauces, you can still use garlic a few weeks past its prime.
How to store garlic to prolong shelf life
Storing garlic properly helps extend its shelf life so you get more use out of it. Here are some garlic storage tips:
- Keep whole bulbs until ready to use. Peeling breaks down cloves faster.
- Store in a cool, dry, dark place around 60°F away from heat and sunlight.
- Keep in a basket or bowl with ventilation so air can circulate.
- Do not refrigerate whole bulbs which can cause mold and spoilage.
- Refrigerate peeled, chopped garlic in an airtight container.
- Freeze chopped garlic in oil or water ice cubes to have it on hand.
- Wrap excess peeled cloves in a damp paper towel before refrigerating in a partially closed bag.
With proper storage, fresh garlic bulbs can last for several months. And cloves still have uses for a while after the best by date. Sniff out spoiled garlic that’s soft, shriveled or has a rancid odor. But slightly past prime garlic can lend enough flavor to make it worth using.
Signs garlic has gone bad
Discard garlic bulbs or cloves that show the following signs of spoilage:
- Soft, mushy or shriveled texture
- Damp, sticky or slimy appearance
- Green, blue or black mold spots
- Visibly sprouted cloves with green shoots
- Brownish discoloration or dark sunken spots
- Strong rancid, sour or bitter odor
Garlic that smells and looks off should be composted. But garlic that still retains its firmness and shows no signs of mold can be salvaged past its expiration date.
Uses for older garlic
Don’t let older garlic cloves go to waste. Here are ways to use up post prime garlic:
- Sauté it into fried rice, pasta or scrambled eggs
- Purée into hummus, tapenade or salad dressings
- Pickle into garlic confit in oil
- Use in place of fresh garlic in bruschetta
- Rub on meats before roasting or grilling
- Infuse in oil or vinegar
- Simmer into soups, stews and braised meats
- Roast a head of garlic to spread on bread
The mellower taste of older garlic can actually be desirable in certain recipes that call for cooked or long-infused garlic. So put those past prime cloves to work rather than throwing them out.
Can you freeze garlic cloves?
Freezing is an excellent way to preserve fresh garlic if you have a surplus harvest or find a good sale. Frozen garlic cloves retain their potency for 6-8 months.
To freeze garlic:
- Peel and mince or finely chop cloves.
- Portion into ice cube trays or muffin tins.
- Cover with water, olive oil or broth.
- Cover trays tightly with plastic wrap.
- Freeze until solid, then transfer cubes to a sealed freezer bag.
Frozen garlic cubes can be dropped directly into cooking. The water or oil will thaw and infuse dishes with garlicky flavor. For convenience, freeze garlic cloves pre-measured for your common recipes.
Conclusion
Checking for signs of spoilage and mold is the best way to gauge if post expiration garlic is still usable. With proper storage, garlic can last for several months past its best by date. Slightly older cloves may not have the same sharp pungency of fresh garlic, but they can still provide ample flavor for cooked dishes.
Garlic’s anti-microbial properties make it unlikely to cause illness. However, garlic stored in oil can present botulism risks if kept too long past its prime. In general, use common sense when evaluating expired garlic. Safe garlic to consume will appear firm, smell garlicky and show no dark mold spots. Any garlic that looks or smells rancid should be discarded.
Don’t let usable garlic go to waste by automatically tossing it after an arbitrary date. With smart storage and strategic usage, you can safely extend the shelf life of garlic to reduce food waste and save money.
