If you’re anything like us, you believe that garlic should be measured by your heart, and not by a recipe. One clove? More like three cloves, right? It’s no secret we’re huge fans of throwing garlic into pretty much any savory recipe, even if it gives us bad breath. Totally worth it. We didn’t think garlic could get any better, but recently we discovered black garlic. And let us tell you… GAME. CHANGER. Find out what’s so amazing about black garlic and see how to make it for yourself!
Why Black Garlic?
Regular garlic has that spicy, sharp, tangy goodness that we love, but by putting the garlic through the chemical process of the Millard reaction, we get an enhanced, yet sweeter and richer version of one of our go-to spices. The final product is a mellow, caramelized, smokey, almost sweet and yet tangy flavor that is sure to blow your mind! Go ahead and give it a shot. Find out how, below!
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Step 1: Prep The Bulbs
A lot of people think black garlic is a fermented item, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, it’s a matter of low and slow cooking that gets the juices to caramelize, forming a chemical reaction within the garlic itself. First things first. Grab as many garlic bulbs as you can and wrap each one in a layer of plastic wrap, and then two layers of tin foil. This will keep everything together and keep the garlic from drying out. That’s really all the active work that is required from you. The rest is simply playing the waiting game.
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Step 2: Cook On Low
There are a few methods to getting this delicious variation on garlic. If you have a dehydrator, you can place your bulbs in there, however, for the rest of us, a rice cooker will work just fine. You can use your Instant Pot or a regular rice cooker. Place a grate on the bottom of the rice cooker to keep the garlic from sticking to the bottom. Then, turn on the rice cooker to the “Keep Warm” setting and let the garlic sit for at least 3 weeks. Yes, it’s a long time, but the end result is totally worth it!
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Step 3: Take Out & Cool
Check the garlic after a few weeks to see if it’s turned completely black. It’s important that you keep it cooking until the garlic is black. Not brown or dark brown, but completely black. Unwrap your garlic bulbs and let the sit out at room temperature for a day or so, and then transfer to the fridge where you can store them until you use them.
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How To Use Black Garlic
Ok, so you have your black garlic, now what? You can make black garlic butter, sauces, marinades, really anything you would put regular garlic in will taste even more amazing with black garlic. Some people even put it on ice cream. Go ahead and try out some black garlic and tell us what you think in the coments below!
Get more details about black garlic in the video below.
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