# Homemade Black Garlic

Homemade black garlic needs no special ingredients — just 20 whole heads, plastic wrap, foil and a food dehydrator held at 60 °C for four weeks non-stop. The month-long slow Maillard reaction turns every clove jet black and dried-fruit sweet — the stuff restaurants charge serious money for, made from the cheapest garlic of the year. The recipe includes the first thing to make with it: a fried black-garlic Parmesan sandwich spread.

- **Prep:** 30 min · **Cook:** 40320 min · **Total:** 40350 min
- **Servings:** 20
- **Difficulty:** Easy
- **Cuisine:** Asian
- **Category:** Side Dish
- **Video:** [Garlic Season: Confit, Black Garlic & the Ultimate Dip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edebLghSQfI&t=146s) (recipe starts at 2:26)
- **Recipe page:** https://webspoon.world/recipes/homemade-black-garlic/

## Ingredients

### Black garlic

- 20 heads garlic (whole, unpeeled)
- plastic wrap (one tight layer per head)
- foil (second layer — locks the moisture in)

### Black-garlic Parmesan spread (first thing to make)

- 100 g butter (softened)
- 50 g Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 head black garlic (cloves squeezed from their skins)
- bread + cheddar (for the sandwich)

## Instructions

1. Wrap each head whole and unpeeled in plastic wrap, as tight as the film allows; twist shut and snip off.
2. Add a second tight layer of foil around every head — the double wrap locks the moisture in, and moisture is the whole game.
3. Set all the parcels on a rack in a food dehydrator at 60 °C / 140 °F and leave it running for 4 weeks non-stop. Yes, really.
4. A month later, unwrap: the cloves are completely black, soft and dried-fruit sweet — one slow Maillard reaction did all the work.
5. For the spread: mix the softened butter, Parmesan, chili flakes, parsley and the squeezed-out black garlic cloves.
6. Spread on bread and fry spread-side down until it turns into a garlic-Parmesan crust; top with cheddar and close the sandwich.

## Notes from our kitchen

The dehydrator runs four weeks around the clock — that is the real recipe. Budget for it: a small dehydrator at 60 °C draws little power, but check yours is rated for continuous use and give it ventilation space. The wrap matters more than the appliance: any moisture that escapes is sweetness lost.

## Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

- Calories: 190
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 18g
- Carbs: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 220mg

## FAQ

### Is it safe to run a dehydrator for four weeks straight?

Food dehydrators are designed for long, continuous low-heat runs, and 60 °C is the bottom of their range — but check that your model is rated for continuous use, keep its vents clear, and place it somewhere the constant warmth and faint garlic smell will not bother anyone.

### Why does the garlic turn black and sweet?

A month at 60 °C drives one extremely slow Maillard reaction — the same browning chemistry as a steak crust, stretched over weeks. Sugars and amino acids recombine until the harsh sulfur bite is gone and the cloves taste like tamarind-fig dried fruit with deep umami.

### Can I make black garlic in an oven or rice cooker instead?

Most ovens cannot hold 60 °C for weeks, and running one that long is impractical. The common home alternative is a rice cooker on its keep-warm setting, which sits near the right temperature — same double-wrap, same month of patience. The dehydrator is simply the most hands-off option.

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Source: [Homemade Black Garlic — Webspoon World](https://webspoon.world/recipes/homemade-black-garlic/)