Talk about a marriage made in heaven. Is there anything that pairs better than the sweetness of honey and the spicy warmth of garlic? Fermented honey garlic is a healthy and savory syrup rich in probiotics that your tummy and tastebuds will love.
Garlic and Honey
The combination of honey and garlic is virtually a fail-safe condiment that goes with ANYTHING. I’m talking from baked, fried, or grilled chicken, pork, steak or fish to cooked veggies, or drizzled on homemade pizza crust, spooned into hot tea, and it truly shows off on seafood, sheet pan bakes, and in Indian, Italian, and Medeterrian cuisine.
Hold on.
What didn’t I mention?!
Told ya it’ll compliment nearly any dish…but wait it gets better.
Garlic and raw honey are two of the healthiest foods you can consume.
Cue up ancient Greek physician Hippocrates famous quote, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food” because that truly applies here. Modern medicine has confirmed the following about the benefits of garlic and raw honey.
Garlic has been proven to…
- Contain sulfur compounds that travel throughout the body triggering and supporting restorative biological effects.
- Aide digestion and detoxification by removing toxins.
- Pack a punch in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and fiber…in just ONE clove (which barely amounts to 1 calorie) while also containing trace elements of nearly every nutrient.
Raw honey has been proven to…
- Have immune boosting and anticancer benefits
- Contain antibacterial and antifungal properties that promote wound healing.
- Contain antiviral properties that help treat cold and flu sickness.
Since garlic and honey are excellent natural supplements that help prevent the severity and duration of a cold or flu, I take it religiously during the fall and winter and encourage my fellow teacher colleagues (or anyone that works with alot of people) to do the same.
Why your Natural Remedy Kitchen Needs Fermented Honey Garlic. No seriously.
- Because it’s a lot more palatable (ok, down right delicious) to take a spoonful of honey garlic (or stir it into your tea) than Chloraseptic or Cepacol very names hint of their bad, bitter taste.
- Your sore throat may be so severe that even gargling with salt water is too painful. Honey garlic slides right on down, giving an inflamed throat a lubricating coat of antioxidant and antibacterial infused benefits.
- Did you know that combining both honey and garlic have powerful detoxifying power which removes toxins from your body, improves liver health and digestion related issues? Yup.
Do I reallllly have to Use Raw Honey?
Yes, but maybe no. Absolutely ‘yes’ if you’re looking to get all the health benefits I just described (among a myriad of others). That’s because raw honey retains 100% the nutritional properties (ascorbic acid, pantothenic acid, niacin and riboflavin; along with minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc) because it isn’t heated or filtered like pasteurized honey. Stores prefer to pasteurize honey because it looks prettier in the jar as it sits on the shelf. Pasteurizing honey gives it a smoother pour, allows it to stay clearer longer and removes debris and air bubbles.
But, if you’re just going for this recipe’s delicious taste, or you just want to preserve a few cloves of garlic before they spoil in your fridge, you can absolutely use pasteurized honey, which, does retain its preservative qualities. You just don’t get the health perks. Honestly, I do both and simply label the jars so I know the difference. I reach for the ‘raw’ jar when I want to intentionally use it for health benefits, and the ‘regular’ jar when I use it in cooked recipes where the focus is just on flavor.
Do you, boo!
Fermented Honey Garlic Recipe | Healthy & Savory Syrup
Here’s what you’ll need
- Quart mason jar
- 1-2 heads of garlic
- Raw honey
Instructions
STEP 1: Remove garlic peels by separating the cloves from the root. Or, if you’re short on patience, start with pre-peeled garlic. It’s a few pennies more but maybe your sanity is worth the upgrade?
STEP 2: Lightly crush the garlic cloves with a large knife. Crushing garlic releases the healthy enzymes and flavors to quickly meld into the honey.
STEP 3: Place the gloves of garlic into your jar. Then, pour in the honey until the ingredients are submerged. Depending on the viscosity of your honey, it may take a minute or two to run down and cover everything so be prepared to perform multiple pours. Be sure to leave an inch of headspace because this recipe will carbonate!
STEP 4: Cover the jar with the weighted lid (or a regular canning metal lid using parchment paper or plastic to avoid a metal reaction and taste).
STEP 5: Shake it up babe, now! I mean, turn the jar back and forth several times to ensure everything is coated. Inspect the lid to make sure its “fingertip tight” but loose enough so that some air can pass through.
STEP 6: Then, everyday complete a “shake it up baby” by turning the jar back and forth 3-4 times for 6 days. Save yourself the almost inevitable annoyance of coming across a sticky counter spill by placing the jar on a sheet of wax paper or on a plate.
Had I ever tried to eat a clove of raw garlic before this recipe? Heck no! Now, I do so on the regular because while the garlic flavor is still there, it’s not nearly as intense, plus it’s delicious. Any time you feel a bit under the weather or a cold sneaks up on you, take a spoonful or two every few hours for several days. You’ll be glad you did!
When is it ready?
Technically, you could use it within a week or so, but resist, sis’. Instead, you’ll want to give the flavors time to truly infuse and this only begins to happen at the 1 month mark. For best taste, start at the 3 month mark. Remember, this is fine to keep unrefrigerated to display this jar of deliciousness out in the open on your counter or a shelf.
When does it expire?
This will keep at room temperature (68-72 degree Fahrenheit or 20-22 degree Celsius) out of direct sunlight for years! But seriously, it’ll be gone loooooong before then. If you’re worried about spoilage just use a pH strip to confirm a pH under 4.6. Why? Botulism can’t make spores under that acidity, so you’re safe!
