Opinions on garlic..

[MichelleCindy]

Hi everyone,

When it comes to garlic there are a few options... you can go straight for it and have it fresh, you can buy it crushed in small cans, you can roast it then add it to your recipe, you can use garlic powder, etc.

I tend to use garlic in different ways depending on the recipe..

I was wondering what your preferred method is for using garlic, or if it varies, let me know why! Or, if you find there is a better alternative to garlic I would love to know that as well.

Michelle

 

[GrillingFool]

I much prefer fresh garlic, and lots of it.
Don't like the jarred garlic, but have no problem with
dry granulated or powdered.
Interestingly, granulated dry garlic is hard to find where
I live; grocery stores just don't carry it.

 

[CraigC]

Its either fresh or powder for us. Fresh most often in our dishes and powder for rubs and seasoning blends.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I prefer using fresh garlic. I seldom roast a whole head of garlic. I have garlic powder and garlic granules. Use if I want a smooth sauce or if I am out of fresh. I do Not use garlic salt nor the stuff in jars or plastic tubes.

I had garlic granules pushed into broccoli tops at a restaurant once, finished with lemon, or else I squeezed the lemon on. Very tasty. Don't know how they did this. Did some cook's helper sit and stab garlic on a plate with all the broccoli cuts before or after cooking. I wasn't as successful doing this at home, nor do I have the patience to find out the best way. Anyway, a simple yet elusive way to use garlic granules.

 

[buckytom]

Its either fresh or powder for us. Fresh most often in our dishes and powder for rubs and seasoning blends.

+1.

i've found very different levels of quality in powdered or granulated garlic, so i try to buy the best i can (read more expensive. just hope i'm not getting ripped off).

 

[msmofet]

LOTS of fresh garlic. I do use granulated garlic powder in my all purpose seasoning blend that I make up which I use in conjunction with the fresh garlic most times. I also use garlic flakes in the herb blend I make up for my grinder.

 

[merstar]

I mostly use fresh garlic, crushed and chopped.
I also use a good quality granulated garlic powder. It took me awhile to find one I really liked, and once I did, I stuck to it. (not literally, LOL)!

 

[merstar]

+1.

i've found very different levels of quality in powdered or granulated garlic, so i try to buy the best i can (read more expensive. just hope i'm not getting ripped off).

I agree. There are so many bad ones out there! My preferred brand is Penzey's.

 

[buckytom]

I mostly use fresh garlic, crushed and chopped.
I also use a good quality granulated garlic powder. It took me awhile to find one I really liked, and once I did, I stuck to it. (not literally, LOL)!

lol, i wonder if rubbing yourself with lemon pepper would help that...


i'll have to try penzey's. thanks.

 

[merstar]

lol, i wonder if rubbing yourself with lemon pepper would help that...

Hahahaha!

i'll have to try penzey's. thanks.

It's really good - closest to fresh that I've found. Let me know what you think if you try it. Their toasted onion powder is also great.
I'm not happy about their overly high prices, but I'll keep buying select items from them, since other brands I've tried have been either subpar or not to my taste.

 

[Katie H]

Almost entirely fresh garlic here. I roast a lot of garlic and use it in different breads and in my pizza dough. I use some, very little, garlic powder or granulated garlic. I never use the jarred "fresh" garlic. It's only the two of us but we still manage to use at least one head of garlic per week.

 

[buckytom]

Hahahaha!

It's really good - closest to fresh that I've found. Let me know what you think if you try it. Their toasted onion powder is also great.
I'm not happy about their overly high prices, but I'll keep buying select items from them, since other brands I've tried have been either subpar or not to my taste.

thanks again. i've completely gotten away from using powdered onion since it's been even worse than the garlic.

i might as well order a few things if they combine shipping.

 

[merstar]

thanks again. i've completely gotten away from using powdered onion since it's been even worse than the garlic.

i might as well order a few things if they combine shipping.

I agree with you about the typical onion powders being even worse than the garlic powders! I don't remember most of the brands I tried in the past, but as far as garlic powder is concerned, I do remember McCormick being one of the brands, and it was horrible - overly strong, and not in a good way. It had the worst smell and taste - it tasted like garlic that had gone rancid. I also tried Spice Islands, which generally has great stuff. It was finely powdered, rather than granulated, and tasted too mild for me - it would probably be good for someone who's not a garlic lover, and prefers a very mild taste.

Penzey's has 2 kinds of granulated onion powder: White onion and Toasted onion - I've only tried the toasted onion and it's excellent. According to their catalogue, the white onion "has a sweet raw onion flavor," and the toasted onion "has a French onion flavor," which is perfect for me.

Penzey's shipping policy has changed recently - If you buy $30.00 worth of stuff, it's free shipping. Anything under that is $7.95, which is a little steep if you're only spending $10 -$15.00 or so.

 

[buckytom]

great, thanks once again.

looks like i'm buying $30 worth of spices.

 

[merstar]

great, thanks once again.

looks like i'm buying $30 worth of spices.

You're very welcome!

 

[Steve Kroll]

I almost always use fresh garlic, although a few months back I bought some organic garlic powder from the co-op store where that was fantastic. Unlike the granular products you normally see this was almost the consistency of talcum powder. It worked great in rubs, where it almost dissolved into the meat.

When I ran out, I went back to get more, but they didn't have the same product.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Fresh and granulated, because that's what we like. We use it in everything.

 

[Somebunny]

I use mostly fresh garlic, but I do keep granulated on hand. I never thought much about the quality of granulated, perhaps a few folks could name their favorites. Maybe I need to do some serious taste testing

 

[Dawgluver]

I have no problem with the prechopped jar stuff, though I keep fresh on hand, along with garlic and onion powder.

 

[Addie]

Fresh and powdered here. I use mainly fresh. I toss a few cloves into the pasta water, potato water, in veggies when I steam them, almost in everything. You can never have too much garlic. Besides, it is good for your heart health. I use the powdered for rubs on meat if I am not placing s;ivers of fresh garlic into the flesh.