Garlic Honey

[Whisky Fish]

Years ago I was reading up on home remedies. I can't source this, but I read where, during the civil war they would have jars of honey with cloves of garlic soaking in them. In the field hospitals they would use this as an antiseptic ointment, I also read where it makes a great sore throat remidy. So naturally I had to try it. It works great for sore throats and is pretty damn tasty to boot. I just throw about 5 cloves in a small jar and store it in the cabinet. Anyone see where this is dangerous? Can't imagine it goin bad, I just googled it and got a ton of hits as a cold and flu remidy.
It also works great as a rib glaze ingredient.
Just anuther hunk of trivia to fact check.

[MrsB]

So for the sore throat, to you just add some to a hot drink?

[Squirrel]

OMG Mrs. B. I wanna know what you wrote that embarrassed you. I've not heard about the garlic in honey, but that sounds pretty cool. Thanks for sharing that. I have a friend with terrible allergies and she takes a spoonful of local honey and it really helps her. My granny would make us a hot toddy with honey, lemon and moonshine when we had bad cough. I faked a bunch of bad coughs.

[Mark R]

Bacteria will not/can not grow in honey. It is a great antiseptic....if you can shake off the bees!

[Whisky Fish]

So for the sore throat, to you just add some to a hot drink?

Yup a little brandy doesn't hurt either. Or you can just do a spoonfull.

OMG Mrs. B. I wanna know what you wrote that embarrassed you. (Me Too!) I've not heard about the garlic in honey, but that sounds pretty cool. Thanks for sharing that. I have a friend with terrible allergies and she takes a spoonful of local honey and it really helps her. My granny would make us a hot toddy with honey, lemon and moonshine when we had bad cough. I faked a bunch of bad coughs.

[Fishawn]

Good stuff JT..... Honey is pretty amazing stuff..... Well, then again so is garlic. Gonna have to get me a little plastic bear bottle just for dat .... Hmm.... Yellow, Red, Green or Blue cap

[Hoser]

I could be wrong here, but the way I understand it, botulism spores are triggered by a no-oxygen environment, and the presence of moisture. When you put the garlic in the honey you are in effect cutting off the oxygen supply to it, and risking a case of botulism.

I'd do a lot more googling and reading before I continued that practice.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...vis_garlic.pdf

Just my $.02

[IrishChef]

I could be wrong here, but the way I understand it, botulism spores are triggered by a no-oxygen environment. When you put the garlic in the honey you are in effect cutting off the oxygen supply to it, and risking a case of botulism.

I'd do a lot more googling and reading before I continued that practice.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...vis_garlic.pdf

Just my $.02

Bacteria will not/can not grow in honey. It is a great antiseptic....if you can shake off the bees!

I must have missed this when it was first posted. I would strongly advise against this. You cannot feed honey to infants due the the small amount of botulism spores/toxin contained in it. Combine that with some untreated garlic, and you are just asking for issues, IMHO.

[Mark R]

I could be wrong here, but the way I understand it, botulism spores are triggered by a no-oxygen environment, and the presence of moisture. When you put the garlic in the honey you are in effect cutting off the oxygen supply to it, and risking a case of botulism.

I'd do a lot more googling and reading before I continued that practice.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...vis_garlic.pdf

Just my $.02

Nice reference to garlic but no connection or reference to honey. Honey is very high in Ph and has other antibacterial properties. Bacteria cannot grow in honey.
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ne...kills-bacteria

There are more..

[IrishChef]

Nice reference to garlic but no connection or reference to honey. Honey is very high in Ph and has other antibacterial properties. Bacteria cannot grow in honey.
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ne...kills-bacteria

There are more..

NO, but it can and will grow in the garlic.....

[Mark R]

NO, but it can and will grow in the garlic.....

Saturated in honey? Any documentation? You know more than I prolly, but my info is that the honey will prevent it. Been used that way for centuries.

[IrishChef]

I'm sure it has. Just like arsenic and mercury. But from a food safety point of view, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Mark R]

I'm sure it has. Just like arsenic and mercury. But from a food safety point of view, I wouldn't recommend it.

I have to back of of my earlier post. I can't find any instances of poisoning but it will (honey) "carry" enough CBot that it is not recommended (unpasteurized) for infants.
Good call IC!