Processing Method and Detailed Steps for Making Sweet and Sour Garlic

Sweet and sour garlic is deeply loved by people for its sweet-and-sour taste, tender and crisp texture, fresh and refreshing flavor, and unique character. Its processing method is introduced as follows: 1. Raw material selection and handling. The garlic heads should be plump, uniform, with white skin and a fresh and tender texture; discard garlic heads with coarse old skin, pests or diseases, or rot; remove the roots and leaves of the garlic heads, leaving 2 cm of leaf stalk to prevent the garlic cloves from falling apart; remove most of the scales wrapping the outside of the garlic heads; then soak them in clean water, wash them clean, drain off the water, and proceed to curing. 2. Curing. Cure using a salt amount equal to 10% of the fresh garlic weight. When curing, first spread a layer of salt in the jar, then add one layer of garlic heads and one layer of salt, tramp tightly and press firmly until the jar is 80% full. Cover the surface of the jar with a layer of salt and press down with a stone. After curing, turn the jar once each morning and evening every day until the garlic brine in the jar reaches 3/4 of the height of the garlic, after which the jar no longer needs to be turned. On the last turning, a bamboo basket may be placed in the jar or a pit may be hollowed out so that the garlic brine collects inside, making it easier to ladle the brine. Each morning and evening, use a ladle to scoop the garlic brine from the pit or basket and pour it over the garlic heads, pouring thoroughly. After about 7-10 days, salted garlic heads are formed. 3. Sun-drying. Take out the cured salted garlic heads, drain the water, and place them in the sun to dry. Turn them 1-2 times a day, and sun-dry 100 kg of garlic heads until about 70 kg remains. 4. Sweet and sour pickling. (1) Prepare the sweet and sour liquid: The method of preparing the sweet and sour liquid varies from place to place, and the amounts of sugar and vinegar may be appropriately adjusted according to individual taste. ① Red garlic: 70 kg edible red vinegar, 22 kg brown sugar, with a small amount of soy sauce and spices added as appropriate. ② White garlic: 70 kg edible white vinegar, 22 kg white granulated sugar. When preparing, first heat the edible vinegar to about 80°C, then add the sugar and other auxiliary ingredients. After the sugar has completely dissolved, filter and set aside in the jar for later use. (2) Sweet and sour pickling: Put the semi-dry salted garlic heads into a jar, filling it to nearly 3/4 of the jar height, press firmly, then pour in the previously prepared sweet and sour liquid. Generally, the ratio of semi-dry salted garlic heads to sweet and sour liquid is 1:1. A bamboo splint cover must be placed over the jar mouth to press down the garlic heads and prevent them from floating up and leaving the brine, then seal the jar for storage. It can be eaten after one month. The longer the sweet and sour pickling time, the purer the flavor of the product. 5. Finished product quality standards. The finished product is reddish-brown and creamy yellow or milky white, with a glossy appearance; the taste is suitably sweet and sour, rich in the garlic aroma that sweet and sour garlic should have, and free of off-flavors; the garlic heads are intact, uniform in size, crisp and tender in texture, and free of garlic stems, insect damage, and moldy or rotten garlic heads; the total sugar content reaches 25%, and the total acid content reaches 1.2-1.4%.