Garlic is a staple in kitchens worldwide, celebrated for its distinct flavors, rich aromas, and numerous health benefits.
While white garlic is the familiar, fresh garlic variety found in grocery stores, black garlic offers a unique twist with its inky black color and complex umami flavor.
Let’s dive into the significant differences between these major types of garlic. Looking at their flavor, nutrition, how black garlic is made and suggestions on how to use in recipes.
The Basics: What Are White and Black Garlic?
White garlic is also known as raw garlic or ordinary garlic. It’s the most common variety of garlic, scientifically referred to as Allium sativum L.
Its pungent cloves are widely used in cooking for their strong smell and pungent flavor. Most white garlic bulbs are available at your local grocery store and are typically harvested as whole bulbs.
Black garlic, on the other hand, is white garlic transformed through an aging process involving high temperature and high humidity. During this fermentation process, the garlic undergoes a Maillard reaction (a chemical reaction responsible for browning foods). This darkens the cloves to an inky black and enhances the flavor profile to a sweet flavor with hints of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
The Flavor Profiles
Regular white garlic offers a pungent odor and sharp flavor that many love in dishes like pasta, sauces, and roasted vegetables.
Raw white garlic also brings a strong allicin concentration, responsible for its intense aroma and medicinal properties.
What Does Black Garlic Taste Like?
In contrast, black garlic cloves have a milder taste with a sweet flavor that can be likened to balsamic vinegar or even soy sauce. Its umami flavor and unique flavor make it an intriguing addition to recipes like salad dressings, soups, and even desserts like ice cream.
I think it tastes a bit like a fig and garlic combination.
Nutritional Value and Potential Health Benefits
Both white and black garlic offer various health benefits, although black garlic is often touted for its high levels of antioxidants due to the chemical changes during its aging process.
Studies show that black garlic can help reduce oxidative stress, combat free radicals, and protect against oxidative damage. All of which can positively impact heart health and brain function.
Additionally, black garlic is noted for potentially supporting the immune system, managing blood sugar levels, and benefiting blood pressure.
These potential health benefits stem from animal studies and the increased amount of antioxidants present in black garlic compared to its white counterpart.
White garlic, with its high levels of allicin, remains powerful in promoting heart health and aiding the immune system. It is also known to reduce lower levels of bad cholesterol and support overall wellness with vitamin C and other medicinal properties.
Though black garlic offers many of these same benefits, it often does so in a gentler, milder way, which makes it ideal for people sensitive to the strong odor of white garlic.
The Making of Black Garlic: Fermentation and Storage
The production of black garlic involves exposing whole bulbs of white garlic to high heat (about 140°F to 170°F) in a humidity-controlled environment for a long time. Usually several weeks.
This process can be done at home using a rice cooker or slow cooker with careful temperature monitoring. After achieving the desired black color, store black garlic in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Black garlic powder has also gained popularity for its easy way to add flavor to dishes without handling black garlic bulbs directly. You can often find it in health food stores or specialty sections of grocery stores.
Black Garlic is Chewy
Black garlic gets its chewy texture from the fermentation and aging process it undergoes. Here’s what happens during this transformation:
The key to black garlic’s texture is the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that occurs at controlled high temperatures and high humidity. This reaction not only changes the color to an inky black but also transforms the garlic’s structure, making it softer and chewier.
As the garlic ages, it loses water content, causing the sugars and amino acids to become more concentrated. This results in a denser, sticky, almost caramel-like texture, similar to dried fruit, which gives black garlic its characteristic chewiness. (Sort of like how a grape turns into a raisin).
The long aging process also breaks down the cell walls in the garlic cloves. While raw garlic is firm and crunchy, black garlic’s cellular breakdown makes it softer and easier to chew, while still retaining some structure.
The result is a unique texture, soft, chewy, and slightly sticky. That makes black garlic ideal for adding a distinctive mouthfeel and rich flavor to a variety of dishes.
Culinary Uses: Where and How to Use Each Type
White garlic is versatile, widely used in sauces, marinades, stir-fries, and more. It pairs well with ingredients like olive oil, herbs, and other pungent flavors. Garlic scape and cloves of garlic from purple garlic varieties add another layer of freshness to dishes.
Black garlic has become a trendy ingredient in the United States for dishes that call for a milder taste and a touch of sweetness. It’s perfect in salad dressings, risottos, and as a garnish for roasted vegetables or even desserts. Its unique flavor complements rich foods and can be a great addition to your next culinary adventure.
Black Garlic and White Garlic: Which Is Right for You?
Ultimately, both black garlic and white garlic bring their unique strengths to the kitchen.
For a different flavor with a milder taste, opt for black garlic in dishes where the pungent flavor of raw white garlic might be overpowering. Black garlic’s significant differences make it worth exploring if you’re interested in nutritional value and diverse culinary uses.
How to Store Black Garlic
Black garlic can be stored in a few different ways to extend its shelf life. Here’s how to keep it fresh and flavorful.
Store black garlic in an airtight container at room temperature, ideally in a cool, dry place like a pantry. This method can keep black garlic fresh for about 3-6 months, depending on the humidity levels in your home.
If you prefer longer storage, keep garlic in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. This can help maintain freshness and moisture for up to 6-12 months.
For even longer storage, vacuum-sealing black garlic before refrigerating helps prevent exposure to air and moisture, preserving its flavor and texture.
Can You Freeze Black Garlic and White Garlic
Yes, both can be frozen to extend its shelf life. Here’s how.
Peel the garlic cloves as this makes them easier to use directly from the freezer.
Place the cloves in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Removing as much air as possible will help prevent freezer burn and maintain the garlic’s unique flavor.
Garlic can last in the freezer for up to a year. However, freezing may slightly alter its texture, making it a bit softer once thawed.
Usage Tip. You can use frozen black garlic directly in recipes without thawing, especially if blending it into dressings, sauces, or marinades.
Can I Eat Raw Black Garlic
Yes, you can eat raw black garlic!
Eating raw black garlic can be good for you. Eat it on its own as a snack. Add to salad dressings, spread on toast, or incorporated into sauces and marinades for an added depth of flavor. It’s delicious and easy to enjoy without any cooking needed.
Whether you’re a fan of the strong odor of regular garlic bulbs or the milder taste of black garlic, incorporating either variety into your diet can offer health benefits that support a well-balanced lifestyle.
References
Serious Eats. Hey Chef, What Can I Do With Black Garlic?
WebMD. Health Benefits of Black Garlic.
