What Does Black Garlic Taste Like?

If you are wondering whether the black garlic is worth the extra few bucks and if it would taste great, this guide has got you covered. 

Let’s dive right into it. 

What is Black Garlic? 

Black garlic is essentially aged garlic. By putting the raw garlic through low heat and humidity, the cloves of the garlic can be turned black. 

Although you can buy them at stores, they can be more expensive. But you could save some money by making it at home. All you’ll need is a nifty rice cooker. 

What Does Black Garlic Taste Like? 

Black garlic has sweeter and tangier notes than regular garlic. The black garlic has a molasses-like flavor and offers a more caramelized and mellow flavor, as opposed to the strong pungent taste of garlic.

The aging process, also known as the Maillard process, turns the garlic softer and chewier. The aging process not only changes the texture and taste of the garlic but also enhances the nutritional properties and health benefits of regular garlic. 

Black garlic, with its sweet and smoky flavor, works well in most recipes you would use garlic in.

But the soft texture and caramelized flavor make them ideal add-ons to soups and stews as well as salad dressings.

Is Black Garlic Fermented Garlic? 

Although the making of black garlic can be considered a type of fermenting process, the actual science behind it is quite different. The process that turns regular garlic into jelly-like black cloves is called the Maillard process.

Maillard reaction is also called the browning reaction.

This reaction specifically affects the amino acids and simple sugars in the garlic and changes their texture and flavor.

The flavor induced is characteristic of what we taste when we smoke or bake something.

Is Smoked Garlic the Same as Black Garlic? 

No, smoked garlic is not the same as black garlic. Smoking the garlic will not drastically change the flavor and texture of the regular garlic. It merely enhances the pungent flavor. But black garlic has an entirely different taste and texture. 

But that being said, black garlic does have a smoky flavor due to the reaction it undergoes over time. 

What Are the Different Types of Black Garlic? 

Black garlic can vary depending on the kind of garlic used for the aging process. The black garlic can be single-clove ones or multi-clove ones.

The single clove garlic is one bulb of garlic inside the peel, whereas the multi-clove garlic has several pods within, which need to be peeled separately.

But they are essentially the same in flavor and other properties.

How to Make Black Garlic? 

You can make black garlic at home with nothing more than a rice cooker and a couple of garlic. The process is quite simple, and you can get black garlic ready within 10 to 15 days.

You know the garlic is ready when the peel has turned a dark brown shade, and the garlic is soft and squishy to touch.

To get a clearer picture of how to go about making black garlic at home, check out this video –

What is Black Garlic Oil? 

Black garlic oil is a seasoning oil made by roasting regular garlic in canola or vegetable oil. Unlike the name suggests, black garlic oil is not made from black garlic. You could make at home or buy them at stores. They are great to add on to ramen or noodles.

Bottom Line 

I hope this article helped you figure out everything you needed to know about black garlic and its flavors. 

If you have any doubts or would like to add something you know, it would be lovely to hear from you. 

Feel free to share this article with all your garlic-loving family and friends to help them unlock a new range of flavors.