Do you want to see a magic trick? Then it’s time you try your hand at garlic confit. Take a few pungent, sharp cloves of fresh
garlic, slow roast them in olive oil and salt, and watch them transform into soft, sweet, smashable pieces of garlicky greatness. As a bonus, you also end up with a garlic- and red pepper-infused oil that you can use in your favorite salad dressing or marinade recipe. When it comes to uses for garlic confit, the sky is truly the limit. You can add it to mashed potatoes, blend it into your favorite homemade mayo, or use it to boost the flavor of garlic butter. Spread it on a grilled steak or add a few cloves to homemade salad dressing.
Time to address the elephant in the room: Is garlic stored in oil at risk for developing the toxins that cause botulism? The short answer is yes. The long answer is that with proper handling and storage, garlic confit is perfectly safe to consume. Since the garlic and oil are cooked at a high temperature for almost an hour, the spores that cause those toxins to develop are killed off, unlike they would be with raw garlic in oil. Store the cooked cloves in the refrigerator. Storing garlic confit at room temperature is an absolute NO-NO. Let the garlic cool completely, then transfer to a sterilized jar, making sure the cloves are completely covered with oil. Seal the lid tightly and store it in the refrigerator immediately. We’ll say it again: This garlic confit should not be stored on the countertop. The refrigerator is the only safe way to store it. For an added layer of protection, you can add a layer of plastic wrap to the top of the oil before closing the jar, to keep air out. The oil will solidify as it cools.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!