Dehydrating Garlic Scapes & How to Make Garlic Scape Powder
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Dehydrating garlic scapes is one of the best ways to preserve excess scapes, and the delicious powder can be used in many different ways. Keep a stash of dry scapes on hand to add to garlic bread, sauces, dressings, and more! They also make great gifts.
It’s scape season! If you find these spindly, curly-cue green shoots at the farmers market or have some in your garden, dehydrate them for long-term storage! This method is really hands-off, and once dried, they can be used for up to a year or longer! Drying your scapes is really the best way to preserve them and fortunately, it’s pretty darn easy to do.
Garlic scapes are the flowering heads of hardneck garlic plants. They appear during late spring or early summer, and are removed to direct the plant’s energy to growing big beautiful garlic bulbs. That means we get to enjoy these delicious green garlic-flavored veggies just once per year!
If you have too many scapes on hand, take a look at these other methods to preserve garlic scapes, including over 20 delicious scape recipes!
Can you dehydrate garlic scapes?
Yes! Dehydrating is a great way to preserve your fresh garlic scapes for later. This also makes them shelf-stable, so you don’t have to take up any space in your freezer. The process is very simple, too, and then you can use your dehydrated garlic scape powder just like garlic powder in your favorite recipes!
Why you’ll love dehydrating garlic scapes
- Preserve the harvest – We’re not about to let garlic scapes go bad around here! If you have way too many to eat fresh, dehydrating is a great way to use up a bunch very quickly.
- Low effort method – I love using different food preservation methods, but sometimes you need something easy. Dehydrating is very low effort. Just chop the scapes, spread them on the trays, and dry. The next day, pop them into glass jars or blend them into a powder. It’s a great technique for busy (or tired) people!
- Versatile ingredient – Once dried, your dehydrated scapes can be used in many different recipes. Add them to salad dressings, homemade garlic bread, scrambled eggs, and so much more. They can also be added to soups and stews or used as a seasoning mix!
Equipment
To dehydrate your own scapes, you’ll need:
- Food dehydrator and dehydrator trays
- Baking sheet with parchment paper (for dehydrating in the oven)
- Spice grinder (for making scape powder)
- Airtight container or glass jar for storage
- Cutting board with a sharp knife OR a clean pair of scissors
Ingredients
- Fresh garlic scapes – Rinse and dry the scapes, then trim off 1-2 inches of the woody stem and the flowering head. Cut the scapes into very small pieces, approximately 1 centimeter long.
How to Dehydrate Garlic Scapes
Dehydrator Method
1. Place the garlic scape pieces in an even layer on a dehydrator tray.
2. Dry at 135 F for 6-10 hours. Check after 3-4 hours to see how well they are drying. Larger pieces may take much longer; continue drying until they are completely done.
3. Once the scapes are completely dry, transfer them to an airtight storage container and close. Use as desired.
Oven Method
1. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting it can tolerate (usually 170 F).
2. Arrange the scape pieces in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
3. Place the tray in the oven and prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon.
4. Allow the scapes to dry for 4-6 hours or until completely dry. Stir occasionally.
5. Once fully dried, remove from the oven and store the dehydrated garlic scapes following the instructions below.
How to Make Garlic Scape Powder
1. Place your fully dried garlic scape pieces in a spice grinder and blend until you have a very fine powder.
2. Transfer the powder to a clean spice jar and use it like garlic powder!
Storing Suggestions
For the best results, your dry garlic scapes should be stored in an airtight container or jar. I like to use a regular mason jar for easy storage.
It should be kept in a cool, dark, and dry place, like your pantry or spice cupboard, for approximately 1 year. If you live in a damp environment, you may want to place a desiccant pack in your garlic scape powder to minimize clumping.
Tips & Variations
- Use the food processor. Cutting curvy, wonky scapes into even-sized pieces can be a little frustrating. One easier option is to blitz them into small pieces in the food processor, then spread the mixture out on your dehydrator tray. It will dry even faster, too!
- Use a spice or coffee grinder. I’ve tried grinding dried scapes in a food processor and with a mortar and pestle, but it never worked that well. I get the best results using an actual spice grinder. There’s nothing quite as effective.
- Dry all the way. This can’t be understated. One of the main results of dehydrating foods is dehydrating them completely. Any residual moisture can grow bacteria and mold, ruining your harvest.
- Make your own custom garlic scape spice blend. Mix your dried scapes with dried chives, dried jalapenos, dried garlic, and any other spices you would like. This can be a fun way to make your own homemade spices!
How to Use Dehydrated Garlic Scapes
I like to add larger pieces of dried scapes to soups, stews, and sauces. These recipes are ideal because the dry pieces need to rehydrate to soften.
However, I prefer to use garlic scape powder. It’s already ground into a powder, so it’s really easy to use. Just add it to any recipe in place of garlic powder. It will have a milder, slightly herby flavor that’s really lovely.
Scape powder is also a great addition to scrambled eggs, quiches, cream cheese, dressings, sauces, and so much more! Because it’s so versatile, I almost always blend my dry garlic scapes into powder before using.
More Scape Recipes
Can’t get enough garlic scapes? Me neither! Here are some of my favorite recipes:
FAQs
It depends on the size of the pieces. I like to dry mine for about 6-10 hours at 135 F, but I cut them into small 1-centimeter-long pieces. Longer pieces may take closer to 24 hours to dry.
Yes, but I recommend the dehydrator when possible. Last year, I tried drying scapes in the oven several times, and I found that they dried really hard on the outside. This is good in theory, but it made them very hard to blend into a powder.
This year, I’ve tested drying in the dehydrator several times, and they always blend beautifully. I find it best to dry at a low heat, which ovens really cannot handle. In a pinch, the oven will do, though!
I used 135 F, and it worked very well. In general, I aim for 90-105 F for herbs, but 135 F works a little faster and you still get a great result.
Related Recipes
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Dehydrating Garlic Scapes & Making Garlic Scape Powder
Equipment
- Baking sheet with parchment paper (for dehydrating in the oven)
- spice grinder (for making scape powder)
- glass jar
- Sharp knife or clean kitchen scissors
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh garlic scapes, (or any amount of scapes you have)
Instructions
Dehydrator Method
- Place the garlic scape pieces in an even layer on a dehydrator tray.
- Dry at 135 F for 6-10 hours. Check after 3-4 hours to see how well they are drying. Larger pieces may take much longer; continue drying until they are completely done.
- Once the scapes are completely dry, transfer them to an airtight storage container and close. Use as desired.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to the lowest setting it can tolerate (usually 170 F).
- Arrange the scape pieces in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Place the tray in the oven and prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon.
- Allow the scapes to dry for 4-6 hours or until completely dry. Stir occasionally.
- Once fully dried, remove from the oven and store the dehydrated garlic scapes following the instructions below.
How to Make Garlic Scape Powder
- Place your fully dried garlic scape pieces in a spice grinder and blend until you have a very fine powder.
- Transfer the powder to a clean spice jar and use it like garlic powder!
Notes
Nutrition
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