I know a lot of people out there think that garlic powder is only for the poor proles who don't have fresh garlic on hand, and I'm here to tell you that they're incorrect. Well, mostly.
Garlic is a delightful herb, or perhaps even a delightful necessity. You'll hear people talk about the amount of garlic they add to things in terms of heads, rather than cloves, and yes, there are plenty of dishes where the more garlic, the merrier. You might not want to kiss your date after you eat them, but garlic is the basis of their flavor and if you don't use enough, you aren't getting the full effect.
That said, fresh garlic is sometimes hard to keep on hand. So you can shift to canned garlic, or jars of garlic paste, and sure, they're a fine substitute in some ways. But they still require you to have the means to store them and in many cases the time and space to use them. Garlic powder keeps forever, it doesn't require refrigeration, and it seems like it's the ideal poor-person's substitute.
To use garlic powder though, you've got to be conscious of a few things. For one, it's dry. It has left the land of fresh herbs behind and is now a dried spice (I call it a spice rather than an herb because it fits more into the world of spices). That means, guess what, you've got to bloom it for it to taste good. If you add garlic powder at the end of a dish it'll be harsh or grainy. Garlic has flavor compounds that bloom just like chiles and spices do.
But what about burning it? Yes, garlic burns much more easily in fresh form but it's still a concern. Well, the good news is that while garlic does have oil-soluble compounds in it, it also has water-soluble compounds. So the best way to bloom it without worrying about burning it is to mix it in with some hot water. You can cook it, or you can microwave it, or you can even just use hot tap water if that's what you've got to work with. Treat it like you're rehydrating it. You want about enough water to form a paste, but if you go over that, it's not necessarily a problem if what you're cooking is saucy.
Now, you've got your rehydrated garlic paste. What's it good for? Any time you're cooking it for longer than a few seconds, you can safely use garlic powder in place of fresh garlic, diced or smashed. Will it be exactly the same? No. Garlic powder has a more roasted flavor because of the dehydration process, and it tends not to be as strong. I would substitute at least a teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of garlic you're replacing.
But the good news is that you can always add more later. In fact, like many seasonings, garlic powder benefits from adding it throughout the cooking process. Yes, I said don't add dry powder right at the end, but if you're making a sauce, bloom some and add it to your onions at the beginning, add a little more each time you stir, and then at the end add some more that's been rehydrated so it won't be grainy. If you're the type of person who can't get enough garlic, add as much as you like, to taste. It's like salt.
That said, if you're the type of person who really can't get enough garlic, might I suggest using both fresh and powder? Yes, I said it. You can add your fresh when you normally add it, but add additional powder like you would salt, and you'll find that it gives you a depth of garlic flavor from fresh and biting to slow-roasted and almost sweet. You can use both. I promise, the food police won't arrest you and your ancestors won't disown you.
Garlic powder is also ideal for times when you don't want to add additional liquid. It works well in spice rubs and it doesn't burn as easily on the grill or under the broiler, particularly if you mix in a little oil or water. It also won't bite you if you use it in salad dressing or pesto without heating.
Lastly, you may have seen "dehydrated garlic" or something similar. It's just garlic powder with a fancy name. The particle sizes tend to be a bit coarser, and the cost tends to be a bit higher. Just buy cheap garlic powder. Get the stuff that costs a dollar per bottle, or buy it in bulk for less. If you find it doesn't have enough flavor, add more. You can always add more.
Go out and add some garlic powder to your great grandmother's bolognese recipe. You don't have to tell her. Or if you've got nothing but a hot plate and a jar of pasta sauce, add a little garlic powder to it. You're still cooking, even if the purists try to mock you. Garlic powder can and should be a part of your kitchen, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
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