This year I think you're ready to conquer the culinary catwalk with a garlic braid. Nothing says "I'm living the life you want to" like an artisanal garlic braid hanging in the kitchen.
So you've harvested your onions or garlic and are feeling a little fancy. THIS year you want to rock a garlic braid. Because you're cool and determined and they look great in a kitchen.
For this tutorial I'm going to use onions but the exact same technique is used for braiding garlic.
When braiding garlic you're supposed to use softneck types but you can also braid hardneck garlic, it's just a bit harder. Literally. The necks really are hard so you'll have to soften up their stems by soaking only the stems in water or wrapping them in a wet towel for half an hour or so (to make them pliable for braiding).
Or just gently work the stem until it becomes pliable.
Oh wait. You don't grow your own onions or garlic? O.K. well put that on your calendar for next year. Here's How to Grow Garlic and here's How to Grow Onions. Garlic is planted in the fall and onions in the spring so plan accordingly. I'll meet you back here next year for when you're ready to braid.
For everyone else ... let’s get started. Grab 13 heads of garlic (or onions), from grandiose to modest, and let's twist our way to country kitchen elegance.
How to Braid Garlic (or onions)
Lay out 13 heads of garlic in front of you and divide them from biggest to smallest. Group together 3 large, 4 medium and 6 small.
- Place the 3 largest heads together and tie a piece of twine with a 2 foot tail around them. The string holds the initial 3 heads together plus gives the braid support if you start to run out of stalks to braid. This is most helpful when you're braiding onions with few leaves.
- Now add the largest of your medium sized heads over the centre and braid the 3 stalks just like you would hair counting every time you cross over. You want to braid three times. So count one, two, three and stop.
- Criss cross 2 medium sized onions over the stalks so they're on either side of the middle onion. Remember to keep your stalks lined up.
- Braid the stalks again, one, two, three. Continue in this pattern until you've added in all of your onions or garlic.
5. When you're out of heads, continue to braid the stalks and then fold them down behind. Secure the turned down braid with the tail of twine.
How to Braid Garlic (or onions)
How to Braid Garlic (or Onions)
An easy to follow tutorial on how to make a garlic braid or onion braid.
Materials
- 13 heads of garlic or bulbs of onions
- Twine
Tools
- No tools needed.
Instructions
- Lay out 13 heads of garlic in front of you and divide them from biggest to smallest. Group together 3 large, 4 medium and 6 small.
- Place the 3 largest heads together and tie a piece of twine with a 2 foot tail around them. The string holds the initial 3 heads together plus gives the braid support if you start to run out of stalks to braid.
- Now braid the 3 stalks just like you would hair counting every time you cross over. You want to braid three times. So count one, two, three and stop.
- Criss cross 2 medium sized onions over the stalks so they're on either side of the middle onion. Remember to keep your stalks lined up.
- Braid the stalks again, one, two, three.
- Continue like this using up your medium sized garlic first and ending with the smallest ones.
- When you're out of garlic, continue to braid the stalks and then fold them down behind. Secure the turned down braid with the tail of twine.
Notes
Just keep braiding the twine with the garlic as you go. It doesn't matter which stem you hold it with.
The main reason to braid garlic is because it looks good. There's no evidence it will last longer if you braid it as opposed to keeping it in a ventilated cotton bag.
Garlic will store for up to 6 months if you keep it in a place with a bit of humidity, like near the stove where you'll be boiling water etc.
To use the garlic either pluck off a piece of cut the entire head (starting with the head closest to the top of the braid)
Garlic Braiding Tips
- Yes! Braiding garlic is exactly like French Braiding as a matter of fact. :)
- Softneck garlic is the easiest to braid, but hardneck garlic will work if you make the stems pliable by soaking them in water and massaging them. Or you can honestly just bully them into place. I only grow hardneck so I've learned to work with it.
- A garlic braid will last up to 6 months if you keep it in a well ventilated area with 70% humidity and a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you want to though, you can absolutely keep it in conditions other than that (like in your kitchen), it will just start to dry out and sprout earlier.
- Cut the top head off first and then work your way down the braid.
Still confused? Braiding produce probably isn't for you. Perhaps you can get some enjoyment out of just playing with the ball of twine. Luckily for you, balls of twine also look pretty cool in a kitchen so it's not a complete loss.
THANKS! I have ALWAYS wanted to know how to do that and we have oodles of onions and garlic in the garden!
Ummmm....Lovely??
I love it when I read a post title of yours and think, "eh, not something I'll probably want to do, but Karen's always funny, so I'll read it." And then, I read it and immediately want to re-produce what you've taught us. I suddenly MUST braid some onions or garlic for my kitchen. You have a knack for giving us that which we had no idea we needed to know.
When you cut an onion or garlic head off to use do you cut one from the top or the bottom of the braid?
Bee - Cut from the top and work your way down. ~ karen!
So I've got it all braided together but now my hair smells like onions and my hat won't fit over all these bulbs. I'm not looking forward to trying to sleep with this hairstyle, either.
I really wish there was something better than LOL or HAH! I actually guffawed. ~ k!
this is exactly what I needed to know today cuz i have garlic curing in the garage. Thanks!
They look so nice hanging in your kitchen..I would hate to use them..How long do they last before they go bad??
Nancy - The garlic won't stay there. It was just for a pretty picture. It will last for months if kept under the right conditions, which is a slightly cool room. Around 60 degrees or so. The warmer and drier the room the quicker it will sprout and shrivel up. ~ karen!
Can you braid my hair Karen!?
http://www.dawnajonesdesign.com/
Dawna - I used to have a horse. We showed Hunter and Eventing. Occasionally Dressage. I can braid like nobody's business! French braid, reverse french braid, herringbone ... you name it I've braided a mane or tail with it. Do you have a mane or tail? ~ karen
As always, brilliant!
That is so cool! So wishing we planted onions or garlic now :( We only did scallions. Next year!
I would get a huge charge out of this except that the blasted rabbits have decided that one of our gardens is their own personal eating refuge! Alas, my onions have been chewed to the ground. I am thinking about an electric fence and spy cameras to see how they are getting in! Any ideas, ladies?
I kept the Nike suit for myself for winning gold at "firstsies" this morning. It could so easily have been yours.
It looks kind of like French braiding, but with produce. Did you let them 'cure' or dry before starting, or do you do this anytime after they are out of the ground?
Jen H - Good point. Let them cure first. Otherwise they'll have trouble drying while they're all braided tight. For the garlic, the stalks will get hard after curing so you have to soak them in water or wrap them in a damp towel for a while to make them pliable again. ~ karen!
Very cool! Now I wish I had a garden with garlic and onions so I could have cool braided stuff on my walls
exellent! I really want a braid of both garlic and onion (that I made myself) hanging in my kitchen. NIce video- it made me lauhg when you popped you head in to smile at the camera.
Gawd you're funny....play with a ball of string. Love the sarcastic humour. :)
I always wondered how this is done. Thanks so much for showing!
That reminds me of a braid of garlic that I once bought in France. It was smoked! It was not only delicious and the cloves were very juicy, it also lasted much longer than normal garlic.
I don't know how to do it, I have no smoker and no garlic ;-) But if you have a lot of garlic, maybe you can give it a try.
So beautiful, it almost made me cry. Wait. no, that was a flashback to the last time I chopped onions. Anyway, great demo. Can't wait to braid my 2013 bumper crop!
That's just beautiful. Now I wish I had put some onions in my garden.
The video is super helpful too.
In the spirit of the Olympic games, I award you the first ever gold medal for bulb braiding. Congratulations, Karen, on making history! Hurrah! Hurrah!
YES! When do I get my Nike track suit?! ~ karen