I have to admit, I can be a bit of a food snob. In no other aspect of my life am I picky. I absolutely love to hit up the local thrift store, and I’m allergic to paying full price for anything related to fashion. However, when it comes to food, I can have some intense opinions.
Case in point: jarred garlic. When I see someone calling for this in a recipe, or using it in a viral recipe on social media, I shudder a little. Everything about it is unappealing to me—the smell, the texture, and the off flavor I feel it gives to everything it touches.
Now, as snobby as I can be about food, I’m also fairly self-aware. Sometimes I need to “touch grass,” as my kids would say, and figure out if my reaction towards certain foods and cooking shortcuts is outsized. I decided to reach out to some of my friends in food to get their take on this popular kitchen shortcut.
The Aromatics Authorities
Clare Langan: Chef, cookbook author, and writer of On Cooking on Substack
Rachel Dolfi: Culinary producer, cookbook collaborator, recipe developer, and food writer based in New York City
Credit: Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock
What Chefs Really Think About Jarred Garlic
Is jarred garlic as bad as I think? Spoiler alert: Yes, yes it is. However, these culinary powerhouses, who all have refined palates and experience developing solid, trustworthy recipes, are much more thoughtful about it than I am.
Here’s Langan’s hot take. “It’s true. Jarred garlic is universally despised among chefs. It often contains preservatives like citric acid that give it an “off” flavor.” However, she appreciates that it can be a real timesaver for cooks and has a very clever suggestion for what you can do to save time, but still preserve that fresh garlic flavor.
“Grate, mince, or pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped,” she advises. “Store in a sealed jar covered with olive oil for up to a week. When you need raw garlic for a recipe, scoop out what you need. You’re also left with a garlicky oil you can use anywhere you want garlic flavor.”
Dolfi also shares my sentiments on the flavor and does not mince words at all. “I hate jarlic. It’s like the difference between real lemon juice and fake! You can taste the citric acid.” But being the incredibly kind and empathetic person she is, she also sympathizes with cooks who may just be starting their culinary journey. “I try not to rag on it if it’s someone that doesn’t cook for a living. I do see the point of convenience for people who don’t enjoy cooking or see it as a chore.”
As for Tane, she admits that she doesn’t think about it often because she’d never really consider using anything but fresh. She does, however, recommend another shortcut that I also lean on during heavy prep days: pre-peeled garlic. “It’s a little treat to myself,” says Tane.
When cooking for weddings, baby showers, and everything in between, any little shortcut helps. Langan agrees. “If it’s the peeling that bothers you, pre-peeled garlic is the second-best choice to fresh,” she says. “A microplane grater makes quick work, no chopping required.”
I think it’s safe to say, you’ll probably never find a chef who waxes poetic about the merits of jarred garlic. However, cooking for a living, or just for yourself or a family, isn’t easy, so any steps you can take to save time are understandable and encouraged.
If you are looking to save some prep time, I recommend skipping the jarred stuff and stock up on frozen garlic cubes instead. They’re available at Trader Joe’s and don’t have citric acid like the jarred version. You can just pop out a cube whenever it’s needed and still get plenty of natural garlic flavor.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
Dining and Cooking