What Kind of Garlic Do You Cook With?

February 4, 2009

The other day I went to Trader Joe's with my girlfriend Kristal. One of the ingredients on her grocery list was frozen crushed garlic. I was surprised and wondered why she didn't use fresh garlic. Apparently she prefers the crushed variation because it saves time and doesn't leave the smell of garlic on her hands. It got me thinking about alternative forms of garlic.

38 Comments

Twinkle 4 years 15 weeks

I use fresh, frozen and jarred garlic. We don't live anywhere near a grocery store so I don't always have fresh garlic on hand.

eshellmoyer 4 years 15 weeks

fresh is the best, but I like the peculiar way the jar stuff tastes and my dried sea salt/garlic grinder is awesome for preparing chicken breast in about three seconds. It's like how sometimes you just want flavored coffeemate instead of real half and half.

reeeeka 4 years 15 weeks

Depends on what were making and how much time I have. We have Dorats, fresh and jarred.

ElizabethRae 4 years 15 weeks

I keep a huge jar of garlic in water. It's too quick and easy to pass up. I use fresh for certain dishes, I just don't keep it on hand.

live 4 gossip 4 years 15 weeks

I have never heard of frozen garlic before! I would think it would have an odd texture.

marie-lee 4 years 15 weeks

Fresh garlic but I use the jarred stuff (I always check the label to get the one with the highest percentage of garlic) if I can't buy anything Australia as I try to buy Australian produce whenever possible.

mcfolly 4 years 15 weeks

Fresh, only, all the time. And lots and lots of it!!

Alithyra 4 years 15 weeks

Fresh, fresh, fresh. Though I will admit to using garlic powder as well, but the fresh always tastes better.

emalove 4 years 15 weeks

Always fresh for me.

mnp 4 years 15 weeks

I think you can only find this at some Asian supermarkets but I found packaged fresh and already peeled cloves of garlic. =) It made it so easy to use! But then again, I ended up tossing away the garlic because I couldn't use it all at once.

Lily Inferno 4 years 15 weeks

freshest is bestest..it what i like anyway. heh

mellie_608 4 years 15 weeks

The trick to rubbing on metal is that it needs to be stainless steel. I don't have one of those fancy stones, I just CAREFULLY rub with dish soap on the dull side of one of my larger knives, it works great.

lawchick 4 years 15 weeks

LOL true song on feeding us powder! The stainless trick works for me. but I swear the day after eating something with lots of garlic in it (espe. fresh!) I smell like garlic, which is disgusting!

mellie_608 4 years 15 weeks

I use fresh in most cases, but I've tried them all. Jarred in oil, just minced in a jar, refrigerated peeled and individually packed... There really is nothing like fresh, once it's been chopped up it seems to lose its' intensity.

sucraRush 4 years 15 weeks

Correct me if I'm wrong but using fresh garlic is the healthiest wrong because there are no preservatives whatsoever in them?

kiwitwist 4 years 15 weeks

fresh for me... though I do buy that kind of frozen thing with cilantro

True Song 4 years 15 weeks

I have tried rubbing my hands on every metal thing in our house, and my hands still smell for days! But I just use a press for garlic so I don't have to touch it. Onions, though, christ! I'm going to start wearing rubber gloves.

Spiderlove 4 years 15 weeks

@Tina Denali... if you rub your hands on something metal after chopping or peeling (or touching) garlic, it takes the smell away 100%.... and for the record, only fresh.

True Song 4 years 15 weeks

>those who use jarred are seen as having poor taste while those who only use fresh are seen as smug (which, I have to say, they usually are.) True that. I use both, but if any of you fresh die-hards come to my house for dinner I'm slipping powder in your food! Muahahaha

TinaDenali 4 years 15 weeks

I bought a huge jar of minced garlic at Costco last year (and it just ran out) and I wasn't very impressed with it. It SMELLED like garlic, but you had to put SOO much in just to get a garlic taste. It was very mild. So, I am back with fresh. My only problem is I am a massage therapist... so garlic fingers for days just doesn't fly with my clients. So to solve this problem: Hubby chops garlic. :)

Jude C 4 years 15 weeks

Fresh. I'm not a prissy cook.

flyingroo 4 years 15 weeks

C'mon guys, how much time does it take to smash 2-3 cloves and then chop finelly?!? I don't buy the "no time" excuse :-D

laurelm 4 years 15 weeks

I always use fresh, but I have heard the frozen from Trader Joe's is awesome and great to use. Sigh I have no Tj's here though...

limelindsey 4 years 15 weeks

I always use fresh....but I hate the way my hands smell afterward. I don't use it very often, this frozen garlic is looking better and better! Oh how I love the Trader Joes.

LaurenG22 4 years 15 weeks

Only fresh. and EWWW to powder!

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38 Comments

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