While there are plenty of people who , for the lower-maintenance chefs out there, popping open a jar of minced garlic is the better way to go. But while it saves you time, effort, and sticky hands, it does sort of feel like you enter a delicate balance of time and refrigeration once that jar is opened. The good news? Your minced garlic can actually last for quite some time if it's handled correctly, even after that first seal is broken.
The first step in storing your garlic right is keeping it in the fridge. Commercially packaged minced garlic that includes preservatives can be kept in the fridge for 18 to 24 months. Of course, this depends on how tightly you screw the lid on since less air in the jar means more time added to the freshness clock.
But with the refrigerator working its cold magic, the spoilage process slows down, so you've got plenty of garlic to zest up dishes well into the future. Now, let's talk expiration dates and whether the garlic is safe to use after the jar says it's expired. Turns out, .
It has more to do with the date the manufacturer estimates it'll start to lose its freshness. So no need to panic when the calendar flips. As long as the garlic looks and smells good, and the jar has no cracks or damage, it should be fine to use beyond that date — though it might not pack as much of a punch, flavor-wise.
Signs it's time to toss the minced garlic But while garlic doesn't spoil in the dramatic and rank ways some other condiments might ( ), it does hav.
