Montana Giant Garlic (Hardneck)

Montana Giant is a hardneck Porcelain garlic known for growing some of the biggest bulbs and tallest plants in the field. Each bulb holds 4 to 6 jumbo cloves wrapped in thick white skin, and the size alone makes it a standout at farmers markets.

The flavor starts with heat and a deep earthy garlic taste, then settles down instead of lingering. The quick fade makes it work raw. Sliced thin over a salad, folded into fresh salsa, or stirred into aioli, it tastes full without taking over the dish. Cooked, it turns sweet and rich. Growers who know Music garlic often say Montana Giant tastes better.

The cloves are large and peel easily, which saves time in the kitchen when you are prepping a big meal.

Montana Giant is a strong grower with good cold tolerance and better disease resistance than many varieties. It does especially well in northern states with hard winters. Bulbs store well, often holding until early spring under cool, dry conditions.

As a hardneck, Montana Giant sends up a curling flower stalk called a scape in early summer. Cut the scapes off and the plant puts that energy back into the bulb. The scapes are worth keeping. They have a mild garlic flavor and are good grilled, chopped into stir fry, or blended into pesto.