How Much Granulated Garlic Should One Use

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

Garlic powder is actually available in three different forms. They are regular granulated, roasted granulated, and fine powder. The regular version, is the most commonly used variant. When used, it takes about 20 minutes for all the flavor to be released.

If you do not want the sharp taste of the regular variety, you can substitute it with the roasted type. It is perfect for adding a mellow and nutty flavor to your recipe. A lot of people do not like to work with fine powder, as it can be very messy to work with. This variant has a flour-like texture.

Hence, it often clings to damp surfaces, but it works well for rubs and shakes. The advantage of using this type is that, the flavors are released much faster as compared to the granulated versions. It is the recipe, which will decide, which variant you will actually use.

Although some manufacturers of garlic powder add anti-caking agents to avoid clumping, this is not always the case, and one may have to take precautions to keep it away from any kind of moisture to protect it.

This product is made from dried garlic, and it contains no salt or spices. It is the grinding process, which makes the difference between the powdered and granulated versions, of which the latter 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 the powder and it may not be as readily available as the other products.

If there is a particular recipe, that demands the use of granulated garlic and you do not have it, you can make use of various substitutes. However, you will have to be careful with conversion, so that you either do not overuse, or under-use it. The first option, which you can use is garlic powder.

You should use half the quantity of powder, as compared to the granulated version. For example, if a recipe demands 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic, you should use only ½ teaspoon of the powder. However, you will have to be careful, when you use the powdered version, as it has a tendency to stick to the pan.

You can also use garlic juice as a substitute. In this case, You should double the quantity mentioned. For example, if a recipe demands ¼ teaspoon of the granulated version, then you will have to use ½ teaspoon of the juice. Minced garlic can also be used as a substitute.

To rehydrate granulated garlic, take ½ teaspoon of garlic and add it to 1 teaspoon of water. It will equal 2 fresh cloves. If you want to add this ingredient to tart foods like tomatoes, etc, it is recommended, that you use re-hydrated garlic, as the acidic nature of the food will stop the garlic from developing to its full strength.