Black garlic… I love this stuff. Get on board. I use it whenever I can as I love the amount of depth of flavor it creates in a dish. Use it wisely, and you’ll be rewarded with this delicious umami flavor bomb.Anyway, Here is a little rundown on how to use black garlic, plus a couple of recipes for a little inspiration!
What is black garlic?
It is when whole garlic bulbs have been aged through a fermentation process at a constant regulated humidity and low temperature for at least a month, and up to three months. The humid environment ferments the garlic causing a Maillard reaction, where the garlic cloves turn black and sticky. The flavor of black garlic is not as intense as regular garlic but rewards with a delicious, subtle, rich, and complex flavor in a black-colored clove that adds immense depth to a dish. Use this fermented garlic wherever a recipe calls for garlic or experiment when you want an added oomph to a recipe.
Black garlic can be found in most gourmet food stores and trust me, is totally worth it! Black garlic salt and black garlic powder are also readily available and total flavor bombs in the kitchen
How to use
Add cloves to soups, stews, and many other slow-cooked dishes to add depth and flavor. If you make a sub-par casserole and you are trying to fix it, add a clove or two!
Make a black garlic sauce by adding a little to your pan sauces to make a delicious gravy.
Mix some black garlic butter into a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes.
Add some puree (black garlic cloves crushed) to homemade aioli or mayonnaise. Use the black garlic aioli as a condiment on burgers and fries. Out of this world!
By far, my favorite way is to add crushed cloves of black garlic to a good butter and smother the butter (and let melt) over a resting steak for an amazing main course – you can thank me later!
Smear a clove on a slice of sourdough, then top with smashed avocado and a poached egg for a cracking weekend breakfast.
Add a clove to two to a bottle of balsamic vinegar and leave to infuse. Mix into a salad dressing with a little olive oil.
Slitherers of black garlic make a delicious addition to pasta dishes alongside some extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Here is what you need to make black garlic
Whole bulbs of fresh white garlic
A dehydrator, slow cooker, or rice cooker. In this case, my preferred method for preserving is a rice cooker.
The details
Here are the simple steps to make your own black garlic in a rice cooker:
1. Start by getting some fresh heads of garlic. You can use as many as you want, (I made 3) depending on how much black garlic you want to make.
2. Peel off any excess papery skin layers of the fresh bulbs, making sure to keep the cloves intact with an outer layer of skin attached. Make sure each bulb is clean of dirt. To clean them wipe with a clean, dry cloth. Don’t use water as this will affect the aging process.
3. Place the garlic cloves in the rice cooker’s inner pot. For best results, make sure they are arranged in a single layer and not overcrowded, and do not touch each other.
4. Close the rice cooker’s lid and set it to the “Warm” or “Keep Warm” setting. The goal is to maintain a consistently low temperature of around 140°F (60°C) for a long period of time, typically around 4 weeks. Leave it in a dry place where it can be left undisturbed.
5. Check the garlic cloves after the first 2 weeks (and every week after that) to see if they are turning black and becoming soft. The fermentation time can vary depending on the rice cooker and the desired level of blackness.
7. Once the garlic cloves have turned black and are soft to the touch, they are ready. Carefully remove them from the rice cooker and let them cool at room temperature.
And that’s it!
Storage
After cooling, store the aged garlic bulbs in an airtight container in the fridge. Be aware that unrefrigerated fermented garlic can turn moldy if not stored correctly. It can last for several months when stored properly.
Here are a couple of recipes for a little inspo…
Black Garlic Butter
This quick and easy homemade black garlic butter gives a subtle yet rich and intense flavor to a good steak, sauteed vegetables and so much more!
Serve alongside my Herbs de Provence roast chicken on roast night or as a side to a weekend BBQ, however, I find it’s a good side dish to pretty much any gathering… Because, well, Potatoes!
Make this recipe
Big Batch: Slow Cooked Beef Stroganoff (Dutch oven)
Stew and pasta… talk about ultimate comfort food!
Make this recipe
Black Garlic Roast Chicken
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Just how a roast chicken should be!
Make this recipe
How do you use black garlic? Let me know in the comments
Black Garlic Salt is a great way to boost the flavor of vegetable dishes, like Black Garlic Butternut Gratin, or dips and sauces, like Black Garlic Salted Salsa Verde or aioli. Sprinkle it on meats or vegetables before grilling or cooking. Use it as a finishing salt on everything from eggs to soup.
How to eat black garlic correctly? According to doctors, each day can eat one to three lonely black garlic, equivalent to 3-5 grams; when eating should chew carefully so that the ingredients promote their use; Do not exceed the dose because it can cause adverse reactions and side effects.
It's great dolloped on pizza or spread on the pizza dough before adding sauces and cheese. Or, smear it on bread for sandwiches, or serve it alongside grilled meats or fish. Add to sauces: Black garlic will bring sweetness and depth of flavor to sauces, marinades, and dressings.
A whole head of black garlic will last at room temperature for one month if you let it breathe or keep it in a package. Peeled black garlic cloves will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for around one week.
Cover and cook on the Keep Warm setting for 2 weeks, without opening the lid. After 2 weeks, check garlic. It should be soft, fermented, and black in color. If not, continue to cook on the same setting, checking weekly, 1 to 4 more weeks.
One of the first things that you will notice about black garlic vs white garlic is that the darker variety has a distinct lack of aroma, as compared to its pale relative. Because the darker variety has basically been caramelized and fermented, it has a much sweeter, milder taste than its white counterpart.
How much should you eat? Although no official recommendations exist for how much garlic you should eat, studies show that eating 1–2 cloves (3–6 grams) per day may have health benefits ( 1 ). If you notice any side effects after eating more than this amount, consider reducing your intake.
By reducing inflammation, the antioxidants in black garlic can help boost your immune system. The antioxidants fight free radicals and prevent oxidative stress that lead to cell damage. A healthy immune system means that your body is able to fight infections and bacteria more effectively.
The process of making black garlic is less difficult than it is long. It can be aged for up to 60 days but will be ready to use after three weeks. There are quite a few DIY methods, but the best approach without additional kitchenware is to age your bulbs in a slow cooker or rice cooker.
Flavour Pairings: Black garlic pairs well with a range of ingredients, enhancing their flavours. Some excellent combinations include: Meats: Beef, pork, lamb, poultry (especially roasted or grilled)Seafood: Shrimp, scallops, white fish.
Black garlic is a valuable source of biologically active substances that can support anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapy. Compared to Allium sativum, black garlic has fewer side effects and is easier to consume.
Black Garlic cloves are mild and sweet enough to just eat the cloves right out of the bulbs without worrying about that intense garlic breath. It's one of our favorite ways to eat it!
As the garlic cures, reactions between garlic's amino acids and sugars temper its flavors, concentrate its sugars, and turn the cloves from juicy, firm, and creamy white to dense, chewy, and dark brown-black.
(Black garlic-making consensus is that too-high a temperature will age garlic faster but can result in a bitter and sour bulb. Slow is the way to go, just like the best winter stews.)
Black garlic contains more antioxidants than regular garlic. It also has more of a compound called S-Allylcysteine (SAC). SAC helps the body to absorb allicin. With a greater concentration, black garlic may be more effective at helping your body get the benefits that allicin provides.
Directions. Combine canola oil and 10 cloves minced garlic in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until it starts to brown. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic turns completely black, about 10 minutes (garlic will become very sticky in the process).
The mature and fruity taste, with garlic accent, makes it incredibly versatile for all kinds of cooking styles; barbeque, stir-fried, salad dressings, dips, and marinades.
Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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