Braid garlic, onions, shallots, or other bulb alliums to increase their keeping qualities and make them last longer in storage. Learn how to braid garlic and other bulb alliums with this tutorial.
When you harvest garlic, onions, shallots, or other bulb alliums from your garden wouldn’t it be nice if the harvest would last till next year’s harvest season without sprouting or going funky? Braiding garlic, onions, or shallots can increase their keeping quality by several months. In the case of garlic it can prevent the cloves from sprouting through to the next harvest season, even when kept in a warm kitchen. Onions and shallots vary in their keeping quality. However, a long keeping onion like yellow cooking onions will keep even longer when braided for winter storage, and properly cured.
How to cure onions, garlic, and other allium bulbs
Alliums need to be cured by exposure to air in order to form the paper-like wrappers around the bulbs. When they are first pulled from the soil this wrapper is damp and prone to mold. However with proper curing this wrapper forms a protective layer over the bulb. The wrapper itself is high in antioxidants and prevents spoilage, if left intact. Curing usually takes a week to 10 days in the shade, protected from frost.
How to braid garlic, onions, and other allium bulbs
Braiding the long, green leaves or stalks of bulb alliums helps them last longer in storage. At harvest the leaves are generally moist and green. During the curing period the energy in the stalks is transfered to the bulb, increasing its keeping qualities. This can be enhanced if the green leaves are braided and the braid is hung to dry in a spot with good air circulation. While garlic that is stored in the head in a clay jar, tends to dry out or sprout in a few months, braided garlic will last a full year to the next harvest.
Watch this tutorial to see how you can easily braid garlic for longer storage
This technique will work on any bulb allium. However, only the most pungent onions have a long keeping quality. Sweeter, juicier onions tend to have a shorter shelf life due to their higher water content. Even these will last longer if braided at harvest. However, they won’t last for an entire year, so plan to use them first.
Tutorial Instructions:
Download the printable instructions here.
How to braid garlic and onions to extend their shelf life
Step 1: Choose 3 large or 5 small garlic heads. Tie them together at their necks using an elastic band.
Step 2: Divide the garlic bunch into 3 strand of equal thickness.
Braid by taking the strand on the right and crossing it over the middle strand. Lay it between the middle strand and the left strand.
Step 3: Take the strand on the left and cross it over the middle strand. Lay it between the middle strand and the right strand.
Step 4: Take the strand on the right and cross it over the middle strand. Add a new garlic head by placing it over top of the right strand. Tuck the stalk of the new garlic head in the middle along with the strand of stalks from the right side.
Step 5: Take the strand on the left and cross it over the middle strand. Add a new garlic head by placing it over the top of the left strand. Tuck the new stalk in the middle along with the strands from the left side.
Step 6 and 7: (Repeat steps 4 and 5) You can add 1 to 3 garlic heads at a time, always incorporating their stalks into the bundle of stalks you are working with. Alternate between the right bundle of stalks and the left bundle of stalks to make your braid.
When you have finished adding garlic heads to your braid, continue braiding until you have about 12 to 15 inches in free braid, with no garlic heads in the braid.
Step 8: Tie the top of the braid with twine to secure the braid and provide a loop to hang it with.
Step 9: Trim any roots on the garlic heads and any stray pieces of stalk before hanging.
Hang in a cool, dry spot to dry and cure over 5 to 7 days. Protect from frost if necessary.
Using your hands brush off any loose papery skins before bringing it indoors to your kitchen.
To use cut off the garlic head from the braid using scissors.
Use this technique to braid onions or shallots too
Garden grown onions or shallots may also be preserved by braiding and hanging in your kitchen.