How to Make Black Garlic at Home: Easy Black Garlic Recipes

Are you looking to take your garlic to the next level? If yes, then learning how to make black garlic is the perfect idea. You might have seen pictures of shiny black garlic cloves or even tasted them at a restaurant and wondered what makes them so unique. Black garlic is simply aged garlic, but it goes through a slow and natural transformation that gives it a dark color, soft texture, and rich, sweet flavor.

The process of making involves heating whole garlic bulbs over several weeks, which causes a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction. This reaction changes the garlic’s color to black and gives it a deep, caramelized flavor that tastes like a mix of balsamic vinegar, molasses, and tamarind.

What Is Black Garlic?

Black garlic is prepared through the fermentation or aging process of ordinary garlic bulbs at controlled temperatures and humidity. It is neither roasted nor spoiled, but naturally changed with slow heat. The outcome is soft, chewy, and gustatory black cloves with a sweet umami flavor, which lack the sharpness and odor of fresh garlic.

This old-fashioned type of garlic has been used since ancient times in Asian nations and is said to possess more antioxidants compared to ordinary garlic. Not only is it healthy, it is also delicious. It is a popular ingredient in the superfoods of many people who want to enhance their immunity and overall health.

Health Benefits of Black Garlic

Compared to raw garlic, black garlic is more beneficial to health. The process of aging increases the concentration of antioxidants and amino acids. It aids in combating free radicals in the body, is heart-healthy, enhances immunity, and even possesses anti-inflammatory effects.

It is also easy to taste, thus easy to chew on when the raw garlic is too strong to consume. They use it as a salad ingredient, a sauce, or a spread so that they can enjoy its taste and its health advantages.

How to Make Black Garlic at Home

It is actually very easy to make black garlic at home; one just needs to be very patient. These are done by simply placing garlic bulbs (wholesome) in a warm, damp place for 3-6 weeks. In the process, the garlic changes to black naturally, soft and chewy, and acquires a sweet and tangy taste. 

You do not require any special instruments to prepare it; a rice cooker or slow cooker would be just fine. Begin with fresh and firm bulbs of garlic, and wash them gently with a dry cloth (do not wash them). Loosely wrap each of the bulbs with aluminum foil or a paper towel to aid in retaining moisture. 

Then put them in your rice cooker or slow cooker, and turn it to the Keep Warm (not Cook) and leave the lid on. Keep the temperature constant at 60o °C to 80 o C (140 °F to 170 °F). Keep the garlic in this state for some weeks, periodically examining it. In time, the cloves will become dark, soft, and sticky. 

After they are completely black, take away the bulbs and allow them to cool. Keep in an airtight container. The garlic will last up to a week at room temperature, or microbees at the refrigerator for up to three months. There are numerous uses of black garlic, which is applied to toast, combined with pasta or sauces, or salad dressings, or it is just a very special, naturally sweetened treat.

Quick Overview of Making Black Garlic at Home

Choosing the Right Garlic for Aging

When preparing black garlic, fresh and firm bulbs of garlic should be used. Any variety is fine, but a lot of individuals like purple garlic as it gives a richer taste, as it goes bad. Never use soft, sprouted, or moulded garlic. Wipe anything off, but do not wipe the bulbs with water. Should you have to rinse them, dry them thoroughly before growing old.

The process should not make the garlic. Removal or peeling of the cloves will result in improper aging, and the resulting garlic might not ferment.

How to Make Using a Slow Cooker

Once your garlic bulbs are clean and dry, place them inside a slow cooker or rice cooker. Make sure you use the “Warm” setting, not “Low” or “High.” The “Warm” setting provides the right balance of gentle heat and humidity.

Arrange the garlic bulbs inside the cooker with space between them. Do not overcrowd. Usually, 5 to 6 bulbs fit perfectly. Close the lid tightly and let the garlic age for about 3 to 6 weeks.

Opening the lid frequently should not be done during this period. It is important to maintain a constant temperature and humidity. It will be opened too often, which will make the process sluggish. Checking once a week is recommended to make sure that the cooker is left in the “Warm” setting and that it is functioning correctly.

It should not be forgotten that the odor of garlic will be pronounced in this process. The cooker should preferably be in a well-ventilated place, or not within the main living room.

Open one of the bulbs and see the cloves after 3 weeks. Should they be soft and black and somehow sticky, thenit is all set. Otherwise, carry on the process for one more week or two.

Storing Black Garlic

Once your garlic has turned black, remove it from the cooker and let it cool completely. Do not peel off all the skins immediately. Store the whole bulbs in an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 3 months.

If you prefer, you can also refrigerate to extend its shelf life. The cloves can be easily squeezed out and used as needed in recipes.

How to Use Black Garlic

Now that you have learned how to make black garlic at home, it’s time to use it in delicious ways. Black garlic adds a deep, sweet, and savory flavor to almost any dish. You can use it in place of regular garlic or combine it with other ingredients for a rich umami taste.

It can be mashed into sauces, mixed into butter, blended into salad dressings, or spread directly on bread. Its flavor goes well with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Black Garlic Herb Butter Recipe

One of the easiest and tastiest ways to use your homemade black garlic is to make black garlic herb butter. It adds a luxurious flavor to bread, steak, vegetables, or pasta.

To make herb butter, you will need:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter (room temperature)
  
• 1 or 2 cloves of black garlic
  
• 1–3 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh herbs (like parsley or thyme)
  
• Optional: Chives, salt, or black pepper to taste
  

Mash the butter and black garlic together using a fork or hand mixer until smooth. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, then mix again until combined. Place the butter mixture on parchment or plastic wrap and roll it into a cylinder shape. Twist the ends and refrigerate it.

Your black garlic herb butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for longer. Slice off pieces as needed to add to cooked dishes or as a spread.

Black Garlic in Everyday Cooking

It may be used in any dish that you typically use fresh garlic. Nonetheless, one should keep in mind that it does not taste sharp or spicy, but it is sweet and molasses-like. It is ideal in sauces, soups, marinades, and even desserts.

It may be spread on toast or crustini, stirred into pasta sauce, or even mashed potatoes and it goes well with roasted meat such as beef, pork, and chicken.

In the case of salads, a mash of a couple of cloves of black garlic mixed with olive oil and vinegar creates a creamy-tasting dressing. You may also combine with other herbs and spices to create a rub to be used in roasting or grilling meat.

Black Garlic Rub for Meats

If you love grilled or roasted food, try making a black garlic rub. Mash a few cloves of black garlic and mix them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs like rosemary or thyme. Rub it on chicken, steak, or fish before cooking. The result is a flavorful crust with a rich umami taste that makes every bite delicious.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to make black garlic, how to make black garlic at home, and some easy black garlic recipes, you can enjoy this flavorful ingredient in your kitchen anytime. It’s a slow process, but the result is worth every minute.

This is not only provides your food with a depth of flavor and sweetness, but it also has astonishing health properties. You can use it in butter, sauces, or in dressings; it will add a unique, gourmet touch to your meals.

Get a couple of garlic bulbs, your slow cooker, a little patience, and then start making your own batch of tasty black garlic now.

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