Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey

Lacto-fermented garlic cloves in raw honey has been on my list of ferments to try for a while now. I love garlic and I love raw honey, so it sounds like a match made in heaven! Join me as I go through another wacky fermentation experiment to cultivate this immune boosting super food loaded with TONS of health benefits!

mason jar filled with garlic cloves bubbly from lacto-fermentation in raw honey, placed on a cutting board with heads of garlic and a spoon resting on a vintage piece of china - Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey - Life Full and Frugal

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What is Lacto-Fermentation?

You might be wondering what in the world does lacto-fermented mean? Here is an excerpt from Nourishing Traditions that explains the wonderful, naturally occurring process of lacto-fermentation:

“Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria. Starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria. These lactobacilli are ubiquitous, present on the surface of all living things and especially numerous on leaves and roots of plants growing in or near the ground.” (Nourishing Traditions, pg. 89)

For millennia, this is how people preserved the food they worked so hard to produce. And this was long before the advent of modern refrigeration. It is a beautiful process God gave us! It not only preserves fruits and vegetables, it also makes them easier to digest. Lacto-fermentation helps make the vitamins and enzymes in these foods more readily absorbed by our bodies. Beautiful!

mason jar filled with garlic cloves, fermenting in raw, unfiltered honey, resting on a vintage dish with a marble tile backsplash in the background -Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey - Life Full and Frugal

What are the Health Benefits of Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey?

Health Benefits of Garlic:

Boosts Immunity
Fights off Colds and Flu
Lowers Blood Pressure
Contains anti-Bacterial, anti-Viral, and anti-Parasitic Properties
Naturally Prevents/Fights Cancer Because it Contains Allicin

For reference, be sure to check out Dr. Eric Berg’s video on the health benefits of garlic. Also see this article on the cancer fighting properties of garlic and allicin.

Health Benefits of Raw Honey

Loaded with Enzymes
Also Contains Amylase, which helps digest carbohydrates
Anti-Bacterial
Prebiotic – feeds probiotics during lacto-fermentation
Helps Relieve Seasonal Allergies

For reference, check out Donna Schwenk’s blog posts on both garlic and honey. Also see this article on how raw, unfiltered honey can alleviate seasonal allergies.

So you see, when you lacto-ferment garlic cloves in raw honey, all these natural health benefits get a boost. It takes two foods that are already good for you, and makes them even better!

Pouring raw, unfiltered honey over a jar full of peeled garlic cloves -Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey - Life Full and Frugal

Is it Safe to Eat Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey?

Botulism – Some people will always be concerned about the possibility of botulism whenever you discuss fermented foods. It is NOT a concern if you use RAW HONEY. Raw honey is acidic and the pH will not allow the proliferation of botulism.
Raw honey is a natural preservative. Archeologists found perfectly preserved honey in the tomb of King Tut. It’s the only food on earth that never goes bad!
As always, when fermenting, use common sense. Be sure to use quality ingredients and sterilized containers. If whatever you are fermenting stinks, or smells rancid, throw it out!
Do not give honey to babies under the age of 1 year old. They do not have the stomach acid needed to break it down.

How to Make Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey:

What You Will Need:

A Very Clean Jar with a Lid
Several Heads of Garlic
Raw, Unfiltered Honey, preferably local to your area

Note* I used a quart jar and around 6-7 heads of garlic. Peeling the garlic took five forevers…you don’t have to start out making this much. Obviously, I was fully committed. Go big or go home…

Directions:

Break up the heads of garlic and peel the cloves. This will be easier if you gently crush the cloves with the flat part of a chef knife. This will also release some of the juices, aiding in the fermentation process.
Place the peeled garlic cloves in a clean mason jar. Leave a couple of inches of head space so that your jar doesn’t leak.
Pour raw, unfiltered honey over the garlic cloves. Make sure they are all completely covered. They will float to the top, but that is normal. Screw on the lid and roll the jar to make sure the garlic cloves are well coated. You will probably have to do this daily.
Cover the jar with a towel and allow to ferment. You might have to “burp” the jar at least once a day for the first week. That just means you will let off some pressure. Bubbles will form on top within 24 hours. That’s perfect! It means it’s working!
You can allow your garlic to ferment in honey for several months. The honey will get more and more runny, and the garlic will mellow in flavor over time. It also might change in color, but that is normal. If properly cared for, lacto-fermented garlic cloves in raw honey can last for years!

jar filled with honey fermented garlic cloves with a spoon drizzling honey into the jar - Lacto-Fermented Garlic Cloves in Raw Honey - Life Full and Frugal

How to Use Honey Fermented Garlic:

Take a teaspoon of the honey as a cough syrup.
Chew one lacto-fermented garlic clove at the first sign of a cough or a cold.
Add the garlic and/or the honey to salad dressings and marinades for a probiotic boost to your meal.
You can use the garlic infused honey as a glaze. My husband likes to drizzle a little on his pizza!
Take one garlic clove daily for building and maintaining natural immunity.