Recipe & Benefits: Fermented Hot Garlic Honey

I am 48 years old and in the throes of perimenopause, and let me tell you, it has been a rollercoaster. My body has changed in ways I never expected, and some days I barely recognize it. One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is how I eat. I used to sit down and enjoy three larger meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. These days, I find that I’m much more comfortable eating smaller amounts throughout the day. I’ve become more of a grazer, choosing smaller snacks and meals more frequently rather than trying to eat a large amount all at once.

I’ve also noticed that large meals can leave me feeling very full and bloated, so I’ve naturally gravitated toward foods and drinks that feel easier for me to digest, including smoothies, soups and other nourishing liquids. Everyone experiences perimenopause differently, and what feels supportive to one person may not feel the same for another. For me, paying attention to these changes and listening to what my body is asking for has become an important part of how I nourish myself through this season of life.

When I came across fermented hot garlic honey, I was intrigued. I had seen it popping up all over social media, but this is actually an old-fashioned home preparation that people have made for generations. I decided to try it for myself, and it has become something I enjoy keeping on hand, particularly as we move toward cold and flu season.

I personally enjoy the combination of raw garlic, honey and a little heat, and I like having it as part of my everyday food routine. I’m not suggesting that garlic honey is a treatment for perimenopause or that it will have the same effect for everyone. For me, it is simply one of the foods I enjoy and have found supportive as I navigate the changes of this stage of life.

There are a few different ways to make garlic honey. The traditional version uses raw garlic and raw honey and allows the mixture to ferment over time, making it probiotic-rich. Keep in mind that fresh garlic introduces moisture and creates food-safety considerations, there is also a more controlled method that uses heat. I’m including both approaches here so you can understand the difference and decide which preparation feels right for you, with the safety considerations in mind.

Traditional Raw Garlic Honey

Ingredients

1 cup raw, unpasteurized honey (must be raw, unpasteurized honey)
Several cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
½–1 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more or less to taste

Method

Place the peeled garlic cloves in a clean glass jar. Lightly crush or chop the garlic to release some of its juices. Add the chili flakes if you like a little heat.

Pour the raw honey over the garlic, making sure the garlic is completely coated and submerged. Leave a little space at the top of the jar for the fermentation process. Use a clean utensil to gently stir or turn the mixture so the honey surrounds the garlic or you could turn the jar upside down.

How to Burp the Jar

Fermentation produces carbon dioxide gas, which builds pressure inside the sealed container.

• Frequency: Burp the jar once a day for the first 1 to 2 weeks. As activity slows down after a couple of weeks, you can do it less often.

• Technique: Slowly and carefully crack or twist the lid open just enough to hear the hiss and let the trapped gas escape, then tighten it back down. Do not open it fully or violently, as foaming liquid can bubble up under pressure.

• Coat the garlic: While burping during the first week or two, tighten the lid fully and briefly flip or invert the jar upside down so the honey recoats any garlic cloves that floated to the surface, then return it upright and loosen the lid slightly again.

If you choose to make this traditional version, follow established food-safety guidance rather than assuming that bubbling or fermentation automatically means the mixture is safe. Fresh garlic is a higher-moisture ingredient, and combining it with honey changes the environment of the food. I recommend researching current food-safety guidance and understanding the risks before choosing this method.

Important Safety Tips

• Botulism prevention: Raw honey is naturally acidic and sugary, which prevents harmful bacteria like Clostridium botulinum from growing. To be extra safe, you can test the pH; if it is above 4.6, add a splash of apple cider vinegar to lower the acidity.

• Infant warning: Never feed honey or honey-fermented products to infants under one year old.

• Do not refrigerate: Keep the jar at room temperature; refrigeration halts the active fermentation process.

Hot Garlic-Infused Honey

If you would prefer a more controlled preparation, you can make a garlic-infused honey using heat.

Ingredients

1 cup honey
Several cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
½–1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, optional

Method

Place the honey in a crockpot and heat it to at least 140°F (60°C). Add the chopped garlic and chili flakes and maintain the honey at or above 140°F while infusing. Stir occasionally.

After infusing, strain out the garlic pieces while the honey is still warm and transfer the infused honey to a clean container. Allow it to cool and store according to established food-safety recommendations.

This version won't have the same fermentation process as the traditional raw preparation, but it gives you a way to enjoy the combination while taking a more controlled approach to food safety.

I like mine spicy, so I add quite a few red chili flakes. You can adjust the amount to suit your taste or leave them out altogether. I love the combination of sweet, garlicky and spicy, and there are so many ways to use it. Drizzle it over eggs, add it to a salad dressing, spoon a little over roasted vegetables or use it as a finishing touch on homemade fried chicken. I’m already looking forward to trying that one.

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.

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