If you haven’t tried it, you’ll want to, and when you do, you’ll probably want to know how to make black garlic.

You’re probably already know about the amazing health benefits of garlic, right? If you’re interested in more on that plus black garlic health benefits, this should help. But we’ll link this at the end of this article as well, so you don’t have to jump over there just yet.^[1]https://www.gardensall.com/food-as-medicine-fuel-health-vitality/^[2]https://www.mytrainerfitness.com/black-garlic-health-benefits/

Try it First, But Pretty Sure You’ll Like It

Have you tasted black garlic before? If not, you’ll want to try it to make sure you love it enough to put in the time and effort to learn how. It’s not hard, but there are a few challenges, which we cover in this article.

To taste it, there are many sellers on Amazon, ranging in price from $1.09/oz to as much as $5.19/oz for organic fermented black garlic. There’s even a black garlic salsa, mayonnaise and seasoning by McCormick, all of which are making me hungry just writing about it!

Each clove of garlic contains over 400 beneficial compounds.

How to Make Black Garlic

First… what appliance do you need? There are actually machines on the market now, most often called ‘black garlic fermenter’.

While the process of making black garlic is often called ‘fermenting’, the actual process does not involve fermenting, but rather, a microbial breakdown process call the Maillard Reaction. Garlic turns black due to a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that occur at warm temperatures that causes the sugars to cook down and brown, though this stops short of caramelizing.^[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction

RELATED: See our other garlic articles:

• Types of Garlic & Growing Garlic
• Curing garlic
• Freezing garlic
• Storing garlic

Black garlic is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars, so not true fermentation involving microbial reaction.

Black Garlic Makers

Back garlic fermenters have mixed reviews as a category. So be sure to scan the lowest reviews of the ones you’re considering. Beyond that, consider these other options and choose which sounds best for you to start.

Appliances to Ferment Garlic

• Black garlic fermenters – fastest, more contained, smaller
• Crock pot – a small crock pot can be an inexpensive option
• Rice Cookers – adequate; inexpensive
• Instant Pot – adequate, but ties up your Instant Pot for two or more weeks

Also called black garlic machines, you can buy black garlic fermenters. However, we’re in favor of using whatever you have on hand first and the only thing you need for the the garlic to “ferment”*, is to keep the garlic at a steady warm temperature of approximately 140℉,(60℃) over a long period of 2-6 weeks.

How to Make Black Garlic:
Ferment garlic bulbs at a steady 140℉ for 2-6 weeks.

Start Simply with What You Have

If you already have a rice cooker, crock pot or instant pot, you might want to try those first before investing in another appliance. However, it will mean that your cooker is not available for use for 2-6 weeks.

All of these cookers tend to work well if you follow the best practices. If you don’t already have any of these appliances on hand, the most basic rice cooker is generally the most economical solution. Although a reader just found this crock pot for just $12 on Amazon, (as of this update on 4/29/22, so prices subject to change of course).

If you like to experiment and compare, you might want to try two different appliances at the same time. As delicious as the black garlic is, you’ll probably want to get another batch going as soon as this one is finished anyway.

If you’ve already tasted black garlic, then you’re probably hooked. This delicious darkened delectable disappears quickly, because you’ll be wanting to put it into everything!  That means keeping your garlic fermenter busy making more right away. Now we know why it can be expensive to buy: it’s time consuming and uses energy to keep it “cooking” for 2-6 weeks!

Rice cookers are the least expensive option for fermenting black garlic.
The biggest advantage of black garlic fermenters is the humidity control.

Garlic Fermenter

As with most appliances, there are mixed reviews on the garlic fermenting machines. The majority are favorable, however there are so many variables that it can be hard to laser in on the cause of the negative reviews and whether it’s the machine or the user.

For example, some reviewers complained about the garlic being tough, dry and/or tasteless. However, it’s not known if the people making it took the most optimal approach and followed all instructions.

Examples of possible user-error variables include keeping the garlic in a sealed container for optimal moisture, whether the garlic was fermented too long or not long enough, or whether they let it cure for the recommended period afterward.

So just do your research and scan reviews before choosing one.

Black garlic has many of the nutritional benefits of raw garlic, but is higher in some of the most beneficial compounds.
~MyTrainerFitness.com

Issues With Black Garlic Making Include

(See solutions in the next section below)

• Dry
• Tasteless
• Tastes burnt
• Takes a long time
• Turned brown, not black
• Overpowering garlic smell
• Too much or too little humidity

Troubleshooting Black Garlic Making

If your black garlic doesn’t turn out well, this might help:

• DRY: If your garlic turns out to be too dry, it may not have been sealed well. Keep the garlic sealed.
• HARD with less flavor? It likely didn’t ferment long enough; “cook” it longer.
• RUBBERY: This could mean that it fermented too long, so less time in future.
• NOT BLACK: If yours isn’t very black when you open it, chances are it didn’t cure long enough.

NOTE: The smell can be overpowering, so preferably if you can place in a garage or storage facility away from your house.

“Be sure to mention the smell, we have several reports of renters being removed from one black garlic making foray.”
~Craig Dunek, owner, Black Garlic North America

If you’re interested in garlic nutrition and health benefits, you may enjoy this article.

Solutions to Problems with Black Garlic Making

Solution to Odor When Making Black Garlic

Place your garlic fermenter in an isolated place, such as a garage or shed.

Make sure your garlic is healthy, clean, dry, and a full—intact—clove, and if using a garlic fermenter, follow all instructions carefully.

For NON Garlic Fermenter Machines

1. Place garlic in a sealed container inside the heating unit to retain moisture
2. Extend the fermenting time in the machine
3. Extend curing time once out of the machine

Here’s the shortest way to make it.

Tips for the Best Black Garlic

1. Any garlic is fine; best are those with the red or purple tinged exterior
2. Wash garlic if it contains dirt, such as in homegrown
3. Dry completely – you can place near a fan or cool dry area to expedite, but the garlic bulbs must be dry
4. Place whole dry bulbs in a single layer in the cooker tray
5. If you’re using a garlic fermenter, with a second tray, place that in as well.
6. Turn on for two weeks. (Shorter for tougher, chewier texture longer for softer, scoop-able texture)

If you’re not sure, take a bulb out after two weeks and test it. When it’s ready, turn the cooker off. If it’s not yet as you want it to be, then let it cook another week and test it again.

We haven’t had a chance to experiment with both approaches yet. If you do (or have) please let us know your results; we’d love to hear and to add them to this article if you like.