Equally Useful

While garlic powder is not the same as fresh garlic, both prove equally useful in the kitchen.  Fresh garlic, in all its wonder, provides a variety of flavor depending on how it is prepared.  Ari LeVaux of slate.com describes fresh garlic as a, “gustatory chameleon that’s at once spice and vegetable.”

In his article Garlic Powder Is Awesome, he disputes the common distaste for garlic powder by highlighting the benefits it brings to the table.  “Garlic powder acts like glue behind glitter, adding a subtle fullness of flavor that may be more difficult to detect, but nonetheless makes the meal taste better,” he writes.

Whether its soup, salad, or meat, sprinkling garlic powder will boost the flavor of each dish compared to an otherwise identical dish.  LeVaux says he often finds himself adding fresh garlic at the beginning and end of meal preparation, and sprinkling garlic powder in the middle of cooking.  “The trick is,” he writes, “never add so much that someone could say, ‘I taste garlic powder.’”

Photo courtesy of slate.com.

Dish Difference

Different dishes call for different uses of garlic.  When seeking a sweet or mild flavor, add fresh garlic to the dish in the early stages of preparation, thus allowing time to cook down the raw taste of the fresh ingredient.  For dishes with a strong garlic presence, add fresh garlic at the end of cooking to achieve the pungency desired.

In some cases, garlic powder provides a heavier garlic flavor than fresh garlic.  Chef Rob Connoley of Curious Kumquat explains that dried spices differ from their fresh counterparts in that, “they’re typically stronger in flavor,” providing a more “aggressive” bite to a dish.  Powder works well in dry rubs or seasoned flour, since it blends easier than fresh garlic.  He also suggests using garlic powder in high-heat cooking procedures such as pan-blackening, where fresh garlic would burn.

In the end, the choice between fresh garlic or garlic powder (or both) depends on the desired flavor of the dish.  Both ingredients serve their own purpose and work well together to transform a number of meals.

What have been your experiences when cooking with fresh garlic vs. garlic powder?  Do you have certain dishes that work better with one over the other?  Have you tried cooking with both?  Share with us your experiences below.

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) was founded in 1909 and is the national association of the U.S. flavor industry.  FEMA’s membership is comprised of flavor manufacturers, flavor users, flavor ingredient suppliers, and others with an interest in the U.S. flavor industry.  The association is committed to ensuring a safe supply of flavor ingredients used in foods and beverages enjoyed by billions of men, women, and children around the world.