Olive oil Question

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I'd like to make garlic-infused olive oil for use in cooking and over pasta,

etc.

 

What is the best way to go about this? Should I immerse peeled cloves in a

bottle of oil and let it sit for a few days? or can I leave them in there?

 

Any ideas anyone?

 

Karen S

[Guest guest]

At 08:32 PM 5/25/00 -0400, Karen Sonnessa wrote:

>

>I'd like to make garlic-infused olive oil for use in cooking and over pasta,

>etc.

>

>What is the best way to go about this?

 

Clostridium botulinum is, itself, harmless. It is the toxin it produces which

is often lethal. It will develop well in a moist, low-acid and anaerobic

(airless) environment. This is why the herbs & spices in oils should be

pickled or dried if long-term storage is intended. For short term use, Risa's

suggestion is perfectly safe.

 

Here is an excerpt from the rec.food.preserving FAQ at

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/food/preserving/part3/

 

8.1.3 [How do I make flavored oils?]

 

Okay. Flavoring oils are a bit trickier than vinegars, because like potting,

the oil creates an anaerobic situation. Its quite possible to culture _C.

botulinum_ in this way.

 

[Check out the herb flavored oil recipes in Henriette Kresses' herb FAQ at

http://sunsite.unc.edu/herbmed/culiherb.html]

 

Oh yes, one last thing. I prefer to label my bottles, instead of putting a

token sprig of whatever in. The token sprig is a spot for spoilers to grow,

at least in my hands .

 

8.1.4 [Garlic (chiles, herbs, dried tomatoes, etc.) in oil. How safe is

it? How can I make them safely?]

 

You can flavor oils with garlic, etc. within reason. Frankly, garlic is

best preserved as dried heads in a garlic braid, not in a garlic and oil

paste. It has been tragically shown that garlic and oil pastes, and by

extension garlic cloves in oil, provide a good anaerobic medium, perfect for

_Clostridum botulinum_ to develop. You want to pickle garlic and other

root vegetable flavorings in some sort of acid, either vinegar or citric

acid. Check out the botulism questions in Section 5 -

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/food/preserving/part5/ for more information.

 

Here's another solution for garlic in oil flavoring..

 

kallisti (Patrick Grealish)

Re: Garlic and spices in oil

 

I have been making garlic olive oil for a few years now. After I heard of

the possible contamination troubles I didn't like the idea of using vinegar,

so I, instead, roast my garlic which makes IMO an even better tasting oil.

I roast a whole head of garlic double wrapped in aluminum foil for about 2

hours @ 250 F. Then squeeze out the garlic cloves into the oil. ~300 ml per

one head of garlic. This may be too strong (or weak) depending on your like

of garlic. Also I've tried adding dried herbs (rosemary, thyme and oregano)

to the garlicked oil. It is very good. I hope this is helpful.

 

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