If you love cooking with garlic, you know that this is a very flavorful item that can make many kinds of dishes more delicious.
This is also a hard seasoning to keep fresh because it tends to want to sprout or dry out even when stored in the fridge. Some people will get pre-cut garlic, but this is not as good an option as using freshly chopped garlic for each dish that you prepare.
Garlic keepers have holes that are meant to extend the life of your garlic when it is being stored.
These keepers with strategic holes also block out the light so that your garlic will not sprout. This is a great solution for keeping your garlic in great condition for quite some time.
If you are ready to learn more about why garlic keepers have holes, you need to read on!
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Are There Different Styles of Garlic Keepers?
Yes, there are some different designs that are used to make these keepers. They will all work well for your needs.
You might end up picking different materials for your storage needs based on your preferences and the environment in which you are going to be storing your garlic. These keepers can be made from porcelain, terracotta, or ceramic.
Each of these different materials offers a different appearance, and the different materials might offer unique benefits.
Terracotta is really good at keeping moisture at bay, while ceramic might offer less protection in this way but might help more with keeping light off your garlic bulbs.
Porcelain is the most fragile of these options but it is also the most beautiful to look at, which can be really nice if you have your keeper in plain sight.
Why Are Keepers Made With Holes?
Garlic keepers need holes in them to protect the bulbs from getting too much moisture from the air and too much light without cutting off all circulation to the bulb while it is stored.
When there is a lack of exposure to air of any kind, the bulb might mold or end up with bacteria growing on it.
The right balance of air circulation, light, and moisture is needed to keep the garlic that you have stored in the right shape to be used for cooking.
When your garlic gets too wet it might sprout or mold. If it gets too much light it will sprout and it might dry out.
A quality garlic keeper will keep all of the elements in the right balance to make sure that your garlic lasts for quite a while.
Where Should The Holes be Placed?
The holes in your keeper need to be placed strategically to maximize the shelf life of your garlic.
Many keepers place the holes along the bottom edge of the keeper so that less light can get in and the air is delivered at the base of the clove to prevent moisture build-up that can cause mold in the bulb.
Some of the designs that you will see place the holes in the middle of the sides of the keeper so that air circulates but no light gets in.
The best designs will not have holes near the top of the keeper or in the lid since this will be the design style that lets in the most light.
One style versus another might not impact your storage success overall, but you will need to think about the area where you have placed your keeper.
If it is very warm or sunny in this location, this is probably going to be an issue with any keeper that you pick. You will want to make sure that the sun does not get in through the holes throughout a large portion of the day.
This will definitely make the bulb sprout, so you will want to pick a cool and dark place for your keeper if possible.
Does Shape Matter?
Some people will swear that the shape of the keeper makes a big difference, but really the material that it is made from and the hole placement are the biggest factors that you need to think about.
The shape is more about visual appeal than anything else. You might find that some shapes are a better fit for your storage space or that large garlic bulbs fit into some keepers better than others.
The shape is mostly a preference that is visual in nature and is not connected with performance. You will want to pick a keeper that you like to look at if it is going to be placed on the counter, but you do not need to obsess over the shape in great detail.
A well-made keeper will handle your needs with ease, no matter what shape it is made in.
At the end of the day, you will just want to pick a keeper that you find to be nice to look at and that has well-placed holes for airflow. The shape of the keeper is mostly about your personal design taste and less about the performance of the item.
Garlic Keepers Are a Great Tool
A garlic keeper can be a great tool for your needs if you like to cook with garlic and get tired of your garlic bulbs going bad all the time before you can use them.
Many garlic keepers are made to be used on a counter or to be stored in a convenient location and they are small and simple to fit into your pantry or other areas of your home.
You will love that you can trust your keeper to take care of your garlic and make it last for a long time.
This saves money and offers you access to quality garlic for all of your favorite dishes. Cooking can be really easy if you have garlic that is fresh and flavorful on hand at all times.
Investing in a garlic keeper is a really useful thing that you can do to make sure that your garlic is always fresh and flavorful when you are ready to make dishes that call for it.
I am Brianna, a self-published author with a passion for sharing my knowledge and expertise on various topics with people looking to find the perfect items for their needs. I love ensuring that the right informative content is available to people looking for the right information. I am an avid horseback rider and reader when I am not writing.
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