Granulated Garlic

Garlic belongs to the onion family and is a close relative of shallot, leek, chive, etc. It has been used all throughout the world for culinary as well as medicinal properties. It has a pungent and spicy flavor, which mellows and sweetens to a considerable extent while cooking. Garlic is consumed in different forms like granulated garlic, powdered garlic, garlic oil, garlic flakes, etc. Each one of these can be substituted for the other.

What is Granulated Garlic

It is nothing but garlic powder made into granules. Garlic powder is actually available in three different forms. They are regular granulated, roasted granulated and fine powder. It is regular version, which is commonly used in the recipes. When it is used, it takes about 20 minutes for full flavor to be released.

If you do not want the sharp taste of regular granulated garlic, substitute it with roasted granulated garlic. It is perfect for adding a mellow and nutty flavor to your recipe. However, a lot of people do not like to work with fine powder of garlic, as it can be very messy to work with. Fine powder has flour-like texture. Hence, it often clings to damp surfaces, but works well for rubs and shakes. However, there is an advantage of using it, because the flavors are released much faster as compared to the granulated version. You may now face a granulated garlic vs garlic powder dilemma. Which of the two is better, etc. It is the recipe, which will decide, which of the two will you actually use in your recipe.

Do you wonder, how is granulated garlic actually made? Well it is made from dried garlic and it contains no salt or any other spices. It is the grinding process, which makes the difference between powdered and granulated version of garlic. Granulated version has a coarse texture. It can be stored for several months in a cool and dark place. There is an advantage of this form of garlic, that it does not turn rancid. However, the disadvantage is that it can be expensive, as compared to garlic powder and it may not be as readily available as the other products.

Granulated Garlic Substitute

If there is a particular recipe, that demands the use of granulated garlic and you do not have it, you can make use of the various substitute. However, you will have to be careful with conversion, so that you either do not overuse, or under-use it. The foremost substitute, which you can use is garlic powder. You will use half the quantity of powder, as compared to the granulated version. For example, if a recipe demands 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic, you will use only ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. However, you will have to be careful, when you use garlic powder, as it has a tendency to stick to the pan. You can also use garlic juice as a substitute. You will double the quantity mentioned. For example, if a recipe demands ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic, then you will have to use ½ teaspoon of garlic juice. Minced garlic can also be used as a substitute.

You can also substitute granulated garlic for fresh garlic, by hydrating it. To rehydrate granulated garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic and add it to 1 teaspoon of water. It will equal 2 fresh cloves of garlic. If you want to add garlic to tart foods like tomatoes, etc, it is recommended, that granulated garlic be re-hydrated, as the acidic nature will stop garlic from developing to its full strength.