How To Dehydrate Garlic Scapes (And Make Powder)
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Learn how to dehydrate garlic scapes so you can enjoy adding these flavorful treats to your soups, stews, and favorite dishes all year long. Make sure to turn some into garlic scape powder it’s a cheep and tasty replacement for garlic powder!
Garlic scapes are an early summer treat you just have to try. If are wondering what garlic scapes are they are the flowers from hardneck garlic plants.
When you grow garlic it’s important to remove the scapes or the plant will put all of it’s energy into growing the flower and seeds instead of the garlic cloves that you actually want to harvest.
This means anyone growing hardneck garlic has lots of scapes to use up in the summer. If you aren’t growing your own make sure to check your local farmers markets for garlic scapes. They are often sold in little bundles.
I love making garlic scape pesto and pickled garlic scapes every summer but another great way to preserve them is to dry the scapes. It’s a easy process and they are so handy to have on hand to add garlic flavor to your favorite soups and stews.
How To Dehydrate Garlic Scapes
Step 1. Wash
Wash your garlic scapes under cool water to remove any dirt or bugs from the garden. Then spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and let them dry, you can pat them with another towel or paper towels to speed up the drying process.
Step 2. Trim And Cut
Trim off the flower ends (you can save them and pickle the garlic scape flowers) then cut the stock into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces.
This is the best size to use if you want to use the garlic scapes in soups or stews later.
If you plan on just making powder then you can speed up the drying process a lot by chopping up the scapes in your food processor.
You don’t want to puree them just chop them finely.
Step 3. Dry
When you have finished preparing the scapes spread them out evenly over your dehydrator tray.
Place into your dehydrator and dry ate 135F for 12 to 24 hours or until they are dry and brittle.
When done turn off your dehydrator and let them cool for 15 to 30 minutes. Then pour the scapes into glass jars with tight fitting lids.
How To Dry Garlic Scapes In The Oven
If you don’t have a food dehydrator don’t worry you can still dry your garlic scapes in your oven. Preheat your oven to it’s lowest temperature setting, between 150F and 170F will work it’s best if the temperature is 180F or lower.
Clean and cut the garlic scapes as shown above, then spread them onto parchment lined baking trays.
Place it into your oven on the middle rack. They will take 3 to 5 hours to dry.
You’ll want to rotate the tray and stir the scapes up every hour or so until they are dry.
How To Store Dried Garlic Scapes
After drying leave the jars of garlic scapes on your counter but out of direct sunlight. Every day for a week give the jars a shake and look for any sign of moisture build up.
If you see any condensation pour them back on to your dehydrator trays and dry for a few more hours. This is a very important step to prevent mold.
Once you know the jars of scapes are fully dry you can vacuum seal them and place into your pantry.
Make Garlic Scape Powder
Making your own garlic scape powder is easy! Place some of the dried scapes into your blender or a coffee grinder you use for processing herbs and grind until they’ve powdered.
Pour the powder into fine meshed sieve and shake this will let the fine powered come through leaving the large bits behind.
You can save them for adding to soups and stews or reprocess them in the grinder until they are powdered.
Use the garlic scape powder in any recipe you would normally use garlic powder.
How To Dehydrate Garlic Scapes
Ingredients
- garlic scapes
Instructions
In A Food Dehydrator
- Wash your garlic scapes under cool water to remove any dirt or bugs from the garden. Then spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and let them dry, or pat dry with a clean towel or paper towels to save time.
- Trim off the flower ends then cut the stock into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces and spread evenly over your dehydrator trays.
- Place into your dehydrator and dry ate 135F for 12 to 24 hours or until they are dry and brittle.
- When done turn off your dehydrator and let them cool for 15 to 30 minutes. Then pour the scapes into glass jars with tight fitting lids.
How To Dry Garlic Scapes In The Oven
- Preheat your oven to its lowest temperature setting.
- Clean and cut the garlic scapes as shown above, then spread them onto parchment lined baking trays.
- Place it into your oven on the middle rack. They will take 3 to 5 hours to dry.
- Rotate the tray and stir the scapes up every hour or so until they are dry.
Make Garlic Scape Powder
- Place some of the dried scapes into your blender or a coffee grinder and grind until they’ve powdered.
- Pour the powder into fine meshed sieve and shake to separate fine powered from the large bits.
- Store the garlic scape powder in an airtight container.
Notes
These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.
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Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.
