I find myself sneaking a spoonful of this sweet, garlicky, spicy honey throughout the day. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why anyone bothers eating honey that isn’t infused with garlic.
How to Safely Ferment Garlic Honey
Let’s get the important stuff out of the way first. Anytime you store garlic, there is a chance of botulism. This recipe adds fresh cloves of garlic into raw honey, which is naturally acidic and stops bacterial growth. That said, if you have concerns, test the honey before eating it. If the pH level is above 4.6, you can add some apple cider vinegar to raise the acidity. It will speed up the fermenting process and will water down the honey, but it’ll be just as delicious.
Use Raw Honey
This recipe is about as easy as it gets. First you need a lot of garlic. How much? Well, 15 to 20 cloves. That’s about two heads of garlic. You could do less and get plenty of garlic flavor, but it tastes better with more. Add the garlic cloves to a clean jar along with some crushed red pepper flakes. Then, cover with raw honey. It is important to use raw honey for this recipe or it will not ferment. You can find raw honey at most major grocery stores these days. The label should say raw honey on it. Seal the jar and store it in a cool place. Now the hardest part: WAIT.
Shake and Burp the Garlic Honey
Keep an eye on the jar for the first few days. Give it a shake once a day to make sure the garlic is covered in the honey. Also, open the jar once a day to “burp” it and let off any built-up gas. Exploding honey jars aren’t fun. After five days, your honey will be ready and you can slather it on whatever your heart desires!
Can You Eat the Garlic?
While the honey is the star of the show, I’m not one to waste garlic. It’s definitely good—milder than raw garlic, but not as mild as roasted garlic. I tried a clove straight out of the jar—for science—and found it to be pretty tasty, although it was a little bitter. That said, I’d cook with the garlic—add them to these delicious mini pretzels! You can rinse off the cloves, if the honey won’t mesh with the recipe, or use them as is. Another way I love using the garlic? Mince a clove and mash it with softened butter. Put that on toast with a drizzle of the fermented garlic honey and it’s a next-level garlic toast.
More Ideas for Using This Garlic Honey
This garlic honey might be the most versatile condiment out there. I’m having a hard time thinking of things you couldn’t put this on.
This honey is made for pizza—a must-try! Smeared on toast or dip for bread Drizzled on grilled meats like lamb, pork chops, or even burgers Drizzled on grain salads In an egg or breakfast sandwich Drizzled on ice cream
For the Love of Garlic
Roasted Garlic Garlic Confit Garlic Bread Roasted Garlic Chicken Roasted Garlic White Pizza Sauce
You need to use raw honey (not pasteurized honey) for this recipe to ferment. If you’re unsure if the honey is raw or not, just look at the label of the jar. Honey is acidic enough to stop bacterial growth—botulism is a concern with storing garlic. If you are concerned, you can test the pH level of the honey with a pH litmus strip. If it is above a 4.6, stir in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to increase the acidity. Use the honey drizzled on pizza, breads, toast, meats, or pretty much anything. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
