The Right Way to Pickle Sweet Garlic: Avoid Common Mistakes and Master the Perfect Recipe for Crispy, Tangy Goodness That Lasts a Year
Walking through the farmers' market these days, you’ll see mounds of fresh garlic piled high—plump purple-skinned bulbs and milky white varieties glistening with dew. Vendors shout, "New garlic in season! Time to make sweet pickled garlic!" And they’re right: this is the prime time for garlic at its juiciest, perfect for creating that crave-worthy crunchy texture. But hold on—don’t just dump sugar and vinegar into a jar and call it a day. Last year, my husband, Lao Wang, tried cutting corners with a sugar-vinegar-only approach, only to end up with mushy, cloying garlic and a jar coated in white mold! Today, I’m sharing my family’s centuries-old recipe that guarantees perfectly balanced sweet-and-sour garlic with an addictive crunch, preserved flawlessly for up to a year.
