preserve · Preserve
How to Make Fermented Garlic Honey
Fermented garlic honey combines raw honey with fresh garlic cloves in a simple fermentation that takes 3-4 weeks. The honey draws moisture from the garlic, creating a sweet-savory condiment with deep, mellow garlic flavor. You need only garlic, raw honey, and time.
- Total time: 3-8 weeks
- Hands-on: 15 min
- Serves: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 3-4 bulbs garlic
- amount to cover raw unfiltered honey
Step by step
- Choose your garlic. Pick firm, fresh garlic bulbs with tight skin. Avoid any with soft spots or green shoots. You'll need about 3-4 bulbs for a pint jar.
- Peel the cloves. Remove the papery outer skin from each clove. Leave the cloves whole. Crushing or cutting them changes the fermentation and can lead to spoilage.
- Fill your jar. Pack the peeled cloves into a clean glass jar, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top. Use a wide-mouth pint or quart mason jar.
- Add the honey. Pour raw, unfiltered honey over the garlic until all cloves are covered by at least half an inch. The honey will thin as it draws moisture from the garlic.
- Stir and cap loosely. Stir gently with a clean spoon to release air bubbles. Put the lid on finger-tight only. The fermentation needs to breathe or pressure will build.
- Wait and watch. Set the jar in a cool, dark place. The honey will bubble and thin over the first week. Stir every few days to keep everything submerged.
- Test after 3-4 weeks. The garlic is ready when it tastes mellow and sweet, not sharp. The honey should be runny and taste deeply of garlic. This can take 3-8 weeks depending on temperature.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Raw honey is essential — pasteurized honey lacks the enzymes needed for fermentation
- If white foam appears on top, skim it off and keep going. This is kahm yeast and harmless but can create off flavors
- The garlic cloves will float at first, then sink as they release moisture and ferment
- Store finished fermented garlic honey at room temperature for up to a year
- Use both the honey and the garlic cloves — they're equally transformed by fermentation
Variations
- Quick Version. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife before adding honey. This speeds fermentation to 1-2 weeks but creates a more intense, less mellow flavor.
- Herb Addition. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary in week two. The herbs infuse the honey with additional complexity.
- Hot Honey Garlic. Add 2-3 dried chilies or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for heat that builds over time.
Questions
- What if my honey crystallizes during fermentation?
- This is normal. Raw honey often crystallizes, and the fermentation process can encourage this. The crystals will dissolve back into liquid as the garlic releases moisture.
- How do I know if something went wrong?
- Trust your senses. Bad fermentation smells truly awful — rotten, putrid, or like nail polish remover. Good fermentation smells sweet and garlicky, maybe slightly yeasty.
- Can I eat the garlic cloves?
- Absolutely. The fermented garlic cloves become sweet and mellow, almost like garlic candy. They're perfect for spreading on bread or chopping into dishes.
- Why isn't my honey bubbling?
- Cold temperatures slow fermentation dramatically. Move your jar somewhere warmer, around 70-75°F. Also check that your honey is truly raw and unfiltered.