Black garlic has become a trendy ingredient in North America and Europe. It consists of dried black garlic that has been ground into a fine powder. The traditional way to make black garlic is to heat heads of garlic over low heat for several weeks. Cooked low and slow for a long time, the garlic caramelizes and darkens to a brown that is so dark that it is almost black. Black garlic powder retains much of that caramelization flavor. So, how do you best use black garlic powder? Below are some of the best ways.
Table of Contents
- As a salad dressing spice
- As a garlic butter spice
- As a popcorn spice
- As a dry rub spice
- As a garlic bread spice
- As a pasta spice
As a salad dressing spice
Like regular garlic powder, black garlic powder is well suited to salad dressings. Black garlic powder will work fine in creamy dressings like ranch, but you will get the best results by adding it to a vinaigrette where its pungent garlic notes.
As a garlic butter spice
Black garlic powder enables you to make an extra flavorful — and colorful — version of garlic butter. Just mix a teaspoon of your black garlic powder into a quarter cup of softened butter, along with a tablespoon of shredded Parmesan, and you can have yourself a savory spread. You can use this black garlic butter as a sandwich spread on its own or as a condiment, and you can use it to baste grilled poultry or steak.
As a popcorn spice
Black garlic powder is great as a popcorn topping. Combine the powder with butter and salt, or use olive oil as a healthy, flavorful butter alternative.
As a dry rub spice
Black garlic provides two of the main flavor notes that are essential for any dry rub: pungent garlic and umami. Black garlic powder turns up the standard garlic powder flavor and pairs well with other typical dry rub ingredients like onion powder and paprika. The caramelized taste that you get from black garlic powder can give your dry rub an extra twist that sets it apart from the standard blend of dried herbs and spices. Black garlic powder will complement most proteins that you would grill or smoke, including poultry, beef, and pork.
As a garlic bread spice
Like regular garlic powder, black garlic powder is an excellent tool for giving garlic bread its garlic flavor, but it’s an even more aggressive form of it. Black garlic powder will boost the garlic bread’s umami note that you would otherwise get only from the Parmesan cheese in the topping. Using black garlic powder allows you to get umami from two sources instead of just the Parmesan, or you can make your garlic bread vegan by omitting the cheese.
As a pasta spice
With black garlic powder, you get the benefits of regular garlic powder and Parmesan cheese, and both of those ingredients are perfect complements for pasta. You get the earthy sulfurous qualities of garlic that has been caramelized to make it slightly sweet. The caramelization process gives the garlic a similar umami funk to that of Parmesan cheese. Add a little olive oil to your black garlic powder and pasta mix, and you have the foundation of a rich and flavorful vegan meal.