Yes, I use granulated garlic all the time, especially for things like rubs and marinades; and always when I'm out of fresh! The best one I've found that doesn't harden into a blob is from Penzey's.

another seconding Penzey's granulated garlic....AND it lacks that medicinal smell that Tone's and McCormicks have.

I had a loaf of bread get beat up in the freezer and the foil tore and it got stale....so I grated it for crumbs, toasted the crumbs and am bagging it with various seasonings. For that I prefer the granulated garlic rather than fresh.
Linda C

If you've a Costco in your area, the Kirkland brand granulated garlic is quite good, less expensive than buying small jars, and I've never had it cake up. If I need garlic powder for some reason, I just put some of that in my spice grinder.

Good idea Rachel! I lots of spice bricks and a few unused spice grinders.

I've bee putting silicone gel packs in the jars when I remember.

I also have the Penzey's granulated garlic, because they sent me a coupon for a free bottle. I did have to learn to read the instructions, it seems that 1/4 tsp. is equivalent to a clove of garlic, and I got a little heavy handed.

I still have quite a lot of it left, though, because I still have fresh garlic that I bought at magic Land lasst year, I'm hoping I'll grow my own again this year.

Cathy/Mustangs, I know you dried some garlic because you brought jars of it to Chicago! That could probably go in the grinder too.

Annie

Teresa nc:

Hi Yau-ll haven-t talked to you in a while.
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I have not used fresh Garlic since 1962, when I had the Pizzeria.

Except once in a while when my DD brings some up to me.

She is still on the Sauteeing fresh Garlic thing,
even though she knows I-ve won competitions.

The best Garlic Powder I have found for Aroma and Taste, is McCormicks 21 ounce bottle.

I buy it in BJ-s

It has a texture of Talcum Powder, so it is good for many dishes, including Garlic bread.

My family and friends are picky about Spaghetti Sauce, so
I would not use it if the flavor was not there.

I keep it in the freezer, in a Zip lock bag and take out a
small amount into a Spice jar.

LOU

PS:
I also have a Garic Grinder, for fresh.

LOL! No wonder you never use fresh garlic! That's a cheese greater!
And a nifty one at that....cordless electric. Great grater for a hunk of parmesan, but I'll bet it's a lot of trouble to use with anything that isn't hard like aged cheese or chocolate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cheese grater

Annie, Good thought; I have been using a meat mallet and ziploc bag until now to turn the dried cloves into powder.

LOL !!! Linda you are a riot. My side hurts from laughing.

I buy my Locatelli already grated, so that is a Garlic Grater.

I do not use fresh Garlic, because I get the same results,
sometimes better.

Lou

Some things put anti-caking ingredients in the spices. I'm guessing that humidity is your villain? If you have a vacuum sealer you could seal the bulk in a glass jar and take out a bit to use in a time frame that it won't cake up. Maybe transfer it to a good tight sealing glass spice bottle.

Come to think of it the only times I had trouble with spices caking up were in the camping kits. They would be stored in the garage. Heat in the summer, cold in the winter, possibly a lot of humidity at times. Otherwise I don't have much trouble but I've started buying the smallest size I can (within financial reason of course).

I've also started using the jarred garlic now as a compromise to fresh and so far so good. I don't use enough to justify buying much and I don't usually plan for it to buy it when I need it. I don't make regular grocery runs - lots of pantry type cooking.

Well, I bought the smallest jar of powdered garlic when I did a shopping last night after work. It was only $1.18 - Hispanic label, smells good, we'll see how it lasts.

BTW, I've got a little round thingey that comes in my asthma meds....could that be to absorb the humidity? Couldn't I put that in the jar of powdered garlic? Shouldn't hurt me if it was in the pill bottle, right?

I will try the Penzey's granulated garlic when I next order from them.

Cynic, I tried the jarred garlic years ago and just didn't care for the texture of it. It seemed to stay too firm even after cooking it - so I went back to the fresh. Might be time to try it again?

Thanks everyone!
Teresa

Teresa, I agree that the texture of jarred garlic is different, the little pieces stay really hard. As for those little packets, I think if those little packets are safe in vitamin bottles and your prescriptions, they'd be fine in your garlic powder.

I find that cloves of garlic keep really well, the stuff I got at MagicLand last summer is still fine, hasn't sprouted, I keep it in the basement where it stays cool. Heads of garlic are usually 3 or 4 for $1 at the grocery store and they keep well, so I don't bother using anything else.

Elery does use garlic powder, though, for rubs, when he's smoking meats, so if I had a bunch and it was sprouting or spoiling, I'd probably stick it in the dehydrator and then grind it up for him to use.

Cathy, I can just see you in the kitchen, beating up that garlic! The problem would be that I'd beat the stuff up so much I'd ruin the plastic bag, I'm bad at that.

Annie

I understand having garlic powder on hand to use in a pinch. But it really doesn't compare or come even close to fresh garlic.

Fresh garlic is easy to keep on hand and easy to store. It is one of those ingredients along with onions, shallots, celery and parsley that I always have on hand.

At one time I would use garlic powder when I made schnitzel, I would season the flour with it. But I found a better option of rubbing a crushed or cut garlic clove over the flattened chicken breast or pork before dipping into the flour. Flavour was better.

Ann

I thought there was only garlic powder and garlic salt.

I use fresh, but also have garlic powder on hand. I use it in my spice mix, and for dry rubs. I've never used garlic salt, and am not sure what granulated garlic is.

jasdip, the granulated garlic at Penzey's is a relatively new product. I think that it's just dried garlic, chopped finely instead of ground to a powder, so it's a lot like garlic powder, IMO. And I still have nearly a whole jar of it in the cupboard in the very unlikely event that I might run out of fresh garlic. Elery will probably use it up this summer when he starts the smoker, which will be very soon.

Ann, I agree, the flavor of fresh garlic is just better for the things I make. I suppose if I was mixing it all up with a bunch of tomato products, basil, various herbs, onions and cheese, I wouldn't notice it so much, but since I just don't "do" red sauces, I guess I can't say that definitively either.

When I make garlic bread I just "smush" the garlic with the flat side of the knife until it's a paste, and use that.

I've been trying to think of what I use garlic in, and I think I don't really use a whole lot of garlic, although I like it.

Annie

Actually Annie, I think you would notice if fresh wasn't used in a tomato sauce. I know my family and friends would.

I use a microplane to grate the garlic into a paste for garlic bread.

I'm trying to think of what I DON'T use garlic in. LOL!

I use garlic in all salad dressings....but those meant to be used on a fruit salad. Always in all stews, in all tomato based sauces, on pork chops or a pork roast, in BBQ sauce for ribs, sometimes on fish, but not always....in a simple butter browned sole I don't...but I do in shrimp and scallops.
I use garlic on oven roasted potatoes and I boil a fewc loves with potatoes for mashing.
I put garlic in spinach and in pan fried asparagus.
Last weekend my son made some chicken dish for the 4 of us using half a cup of peeled garlic cloves in the sauce. That sure wouldn't have been any near the same with powdered garlic!
I do use Penzey's granulated garlic in breadings and crumb mixtures and have been known to sprinkle some on buttered French bread and pop it into the toaster oven as a quick garlic bread.

Most of the time I use a garlic press, I only use a grater if I need 4 or 5 cloves, and if I will be sauteeing it I just coarse chop the garlic, Thursday night I made chicken cutlets with a sauce of sliced mushrooms and sliced garlic, sauteed in butter with lemon and wine. I had a small leftover portion for lunch today....yummy!
Linda C

Perhaps, Ann T, but since I don't really like tomato sauces, I'd probably just be thinking that I really didn't like it, and be planning a snack for later because I'd eat only enough of it to be polite, LOL.

I do use garlic in a lot of things, but only a little bit of garlic. I don't use it in salad dressings, since my favorite dressing is some homemade yogurt with a bit of honey and some mustard. I use that both times a year I might eat a green salad, LOL.

I do put it in BBQ sauce but almost never on fish or seafood. I put it in pork roast, depending on the other flavors, but not usually with beef, unless I'm making stock. I haven't made garlic bread in a long time, although I have a few recipes that take a chopped or minced clove right in the dough before baking. I seldom use it with potatoes, especially mashed, I like those plain. I've never used it with asparagus, but occasionally I'll add it to greens. Chicken dishes sometimes get garlic but that "40 garlic clove" chicken that's gotten some good press was way too garlic-y for me and I had heartburn for two days.

I've roasted it and used the puree in things and I like David's garlic soup a lot. So, as you can see, I add garlic to a lot of things, but just a little bit of garlic.

I had a garlic press, found it pretty much useless. I do have a microplane, so I'd grate it if I needed much, but I seldom do so I mostly mash it with my knife blade.

If I have something where garlic is an important component, I'd never consider using anything except fresh. And, since I use small amounts, it's easy to use fresh too. Since it pretty much lasts all year, I don't see any reason to expend any additional energy (my own or that which I purchase from the electric company) and dry the stuff. Even if I run out it's cheap and readily available, even here in the boondocks.

So, for all those reasons, it's fresh garlic in my kitchen and those who like the powdered stuff are more than welcome to all of my share of it.

Annie

I use the blender, with some salt, a good amount of olive oil and a lot of peeled garlic then blend everything to a paste.

I put the garlic paste in the freezer and only take out as much as I need for about a week's worth of cooking. It is just like fresh garlic.

Very convenient and easy to do.

dcarch

dcarch

One of the good things about living in a moderate climate is that your garlic doesn't sprout. Mine does. It lasts approximately 1 month. My home seldom gets below 78 degrees. Those darn cloves sprout so quickly, I just buy a couple bulbs every few weeks. And I use the Penzy's stuff.

LOL, Arlene, it's been a long winter, I don't know about that "moderate" climate. (grin)

You are right, though, I can keep garlic and potatoes, onions and root vegetables all winter. I still have a few of last year's fingerling potatoes in my basement along with that garlic and they are fine too.

Even if garlic lasted a month, though, I go to the grocery at least that often, so I'd just buy a fresh head, I think, for 25 cents or whatever, and then keep a bit of the granulated stuff on hand for "emergencies". Or do as dcarch mentioned and freeze some.

Annie

Hey, Annie, I was trying to be nice!

I have frozen roasted garlic and that works fine. Never thought to freeze the fresh!

A.

My garlic sprouts all the time. I keep it in a ceramic garlic keeper dish with holes in it. Also some in my potato and onion bin. They both sprout.

I love the idea of freezing it.....never would have thought of it.

Garlic never seems to last longer than a week or two for me before it starts sprouting or drying out. I've tried many different stores but it never lasts. I haven't seen any at local farmers markets either.

I like all forms of garlic. I think each has value. My current favorite is the little frozen cubes of garlic at Trader Joe's. I like it better than fresh because I don't have to worry about it going bad, it's pre-measured, very fast and convenient and it tastes really nice.

I only have clumping issues when I shake the spice container over steaming pots. I try to remember not to but sometimes I forget. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Dorot Garlic

If you can buy local garlic in the summer and store it properly it will last about six months without sprouting.

The problem with the garlic that is sold in grocery stores, at least around here, is that it is shipped or transported often in refrigerated units. Once it arrives in a grocery store it warms up and starts to sprout. So it pretty much doesn't matter what you do with it when you get it home, it will eventually sprout. BUT garlic is rather inexpensive so when garlic starts to sprout I just buy more.

One of our grocery stores sells garlic in one kilo mesh bags for $2.99. If after a month the few remaining bulbs start to sprout I toss them out and buy more. I can't imagine being without fresh garlic.

I've also seen the little frozen cubes of garlic along with little cubes of frozen herbs. Probably from the same company mentioned above. I don't know what this produce costs in the US but it is expensive in Canada. I think it is around $3.99 for the garlic. Based on the amount of fresh garlic I use, that would bankrupt me. LOL!

I've been meaning to try Monique's of La Table De Nana, method and freezing it the way Dcarch suggested.

Ann

I finally got around to trying Monique's preserved garlic in olive oil.

Found half pound packages of peeled garlic cloves for $1.00 at a local vegetable store.

The half pound made two jars that are now safely in the fridge. I have another half pound that I intend to pulse up and freeze as per Dcarch's suggestion.

I am sorry I am going to work now and don't have the time to talk about this.

Please do a search on " Garlic in oil ". There is a reason why I freeze my garlic in oil in the freezer. It is for food safety.

dcarch

Dcarch, I have done a search for the reason you mention - Food Safety. Apparently garlic store this way in the fridge is good for a couple of weeks. Especially since I added lemon juice to the mix.

But I had already decided to freeze it just to be on the safe side.

Ann

for those who don't know what this conversation is about....garlic as a low acid root vegetable can grow the spoors of botulism in an airless enviornment. Refrigeration retards this as does freezing and the addition of an acid to the mixture (like lemon juice or vinegar or even wine).
Un refrigerated garlic in oil is an invitation to trouble.
Even so the incidences of botulism relating to flavored oils is very very VERY small...like 5 cases in the past several years as one source said.
Linda c

I put in info that maybe someone can use. It is not only what I like.

It is what many others like or I would not be using it.

Many of the recipes I see here do not appeal to me but that is just my tastes.

I would not discourage anyone from using them.

It has always been my goal to keep about 90 % of the people happy.
The other 10% may have their own personal tastes.

I really do not like someone telling me my Sauce is inferior, because I use Powdered Garlic.
It is not the only ingredient in a Pasta Sauce.

In fact I do not like being critisized continually, when I am trying to help someone,
especially when it is unfounded.
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This Post was supposed to be about Powdered Or Granulated Garlic and to keep it from getting hard.
I posted the best Garlic Powder that I have found to date.

Since there are recipes Posted, I should really Post my Spaghetti Sauce recipe again.

Just in case someone has missed it, in the past.
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LOU-S SPAGHETTI SAUCE ( GRAVY )

Canned Tomatoes: I use one of the following brands
Contadina, Red Pack, Hunts, All Red, Tutto Russo , Chento.

When using fresh Tomatoes, I Pulse them in a Blender but
leave some small pieces of Tomatoes and add one small can of Tomato Paste.

Ingredients:

1 Large 29 ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 Large 29 ounce can of Puree
1 small can of Tomato Paste
Or
65 ounces of fresh Tomatoes ( Pulsed in the Blender )
1 small can of Tomato Paste

Put all the Tomatoes in a Pot large enough to hold the meat too.
Start to simmer while adding the other ingredients.

2 teaspoons of Powdered Garlic ( add more later to taste ( OR )
Use 4, fresh Garlic Cloves, chopped small and Sauteed.

one half of an Onion , Chopped Small or 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
3 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon of salt ( or to taste )
3 teaspoons of Sugar ( add more later if Sauce is too Acidic )
An Italian pinch of powdered Cloves or 3 Whole Cloves
three Quarters teaspoon of Oregano
One and one half teaspoons of Parsley
one half teaspoon of Basil
one quater teaspoon of Black pepper
one half teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon of Chicken flavored Soup Base
Add a Large handful of Parmesan or Romano cheese, when Sauce is done.

For Meat. I add a Chicken Thigh, Meat balls and Sausage.
Simmer one and a half to 2 hours. Take the Chicken out when it is tender..

For a Meat Sauce, Sautee some Sausage and Grind Meat Chopped small
and add after an hour of simmering.

LOU

Up thread , I said I blend garlic with oil and salt to a paste and store in the freezer.

Here is also what I do:

After the paste is made, I put the paste in a Ziplock bag and freezer the paste into a slab. After the slab is frozen, I then cut the paste slab into cubes, about 1 1/2 cloves of garlic per cube.

So very convenient.

dcarch