How to Make Garlic Powder

Preparing the Garlic

Separate the garlic cloves. Peel each head of garlic and separate all the cloves of garlic within each head. The amount of garlic powder you wish to make will depend on how many garlic cloves you use. Each head of garlic will have about 10 cloves; sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. For a smaller batch of garlic powder, use one head of garlic. For bigger batches, use more.

Peel the garlic cloves. You can use your fingers to peel away the skin on the clove, or crack open the skin with your knife. Simply place a clove on your cutting board, and lay your knife directly on top of the clove. Gently push on the knife and garlic clove to loosen and crack the skin around the clove. You don’t want to push down too hard on the clove, because you want to keep the clove whole, and in tact so you can slice it. Use your fingers to peel off the skin away.

Thinly slice each clove. Use a knife to slice off the root ends of the cloves. These ends are tough, and not necessary for flavoring. Then use your sharp chef’s knife to thinly slice the cloves of garlic. Slice the garlic cloves about ¼” thin lengthwise, or even thinner if you like. When all the garlic cloves are sliced, place them on a baking sheet or a dehydrator sheet lined with parchment paper.

Making the Garlic Powder

Dry the garlic in an oven. You can dry the garlic in an over or a dehydrator. If you’re using an oven to dry out your garlic, preheat your oven to one of the lowest heat setting. On most ovens, this is between 150 and 200° Fahrenheit. When your oven is completely heated at a temperature between 150°F and 200°F, place the sheet of garlic into the oven and cook for about an hour and a half to two hours. While the garlic is drying, you can check on it and stir the garlic bits around to ensure they are drying out evenly. Remove the sheet of garlic from the oven and let the pieces cool. You'll know that the garlic is thoroughly dry when the pieces snap, break, and crumble easily in your hand.

Dry the garlic in a dehydrator. If you’re using a dehydrator to dry out your garlic, set the temperature to a lower setting, at about 125°F. Allow the garlic to dehydrate for about 8-12 hours. When you remove the garlic from the dehydrator, the garlic bits should be brittle to the touch. That is when you’ll know that they are completely dried.

Grind the dried garlic. You can use a coffee grinder, blender, food processor, spice mill or mortar and pestle to grind up the garlic pieces. Grind the garlic to your desired consistency. Sift through the powder with your fingers and remove any large chunks. These chunks can be gathered and reground. Grind the garlic for a shorter amount of time if you want the powder to be chunkier. Grind the garlic for a longer amount of time if you want the powder to be finer. Allow the garlic to sit in the grinder for about 10 minutes. This will allow the garlic bits and their fumes to settle, so you don’t breathe in the harsh garlic odors.

Blend flavors to make a new seasoning. If you happen to have onion or chili powder, red pepper flakes, or other spices around your kitchen, consider blending you garlic powder with other flavors and powders to make a unique and robust seasoning. This blended seasoning can be used on all kinds of food, from pizza to pasta.

Store your garlic. Store your garlic powder in an airtight container somewhere cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight. Mason jars are a good storage container for homemade garlic powder. Freezing your garlic powder is also an option.