Fresh Vs Minced Garlic (Jar)

Mickey

Wanted your thoughts: Fresh Vs Minced Garlic in a jar.
Bought the jar product last month for use in one of Frank’s ideas (that worked out well). Tried it in meatloaf and something that I can’t remember.
I am not noticing any real difference. What do you all find?

Fidel

I like fresh garlic. It is more pungent. I always peel and mince as needed.

fire egger

I agree with Fidel, fresh is a little better, however I keep the jar on hand and use often ( see post above)

Mickey

Kendell your post is what made me think of it...
I just have a very small jar .

CBBQ

I think the fresh garlic taste better. I use it when I cook for my wife and I or close friends. I even use it when I cater smaller special events. But any other time I use the minced garlic in the jar.

eenie meenie

Mickey, I always use fresh. I've seen the jars of minced garlic and it just doesn't look very fresh or appealing.

However, at the Korean grocers they have 5 lb bags of peeled garlic cloves. They were firm and white and looked fresh. I am seriously thinking about giving that a try and mincing it is the food processor the next time I do a Korean cook. Those recipes call for so much garlic, I'm tempted to take a short cut. If I ever try it I will post.

fishlessman

problem with the jar for me is it goes to the back of the fridge and then i dont know how old it is.the fresh stuff i can look at and determine if i want to use it. when i need alot i buy the prepeeled in the supermarket, dont know why but its always cheaper than the unpeeled cloves, a buck gets you about 80 cloves peeled. it doesnt look too good after a week in the fridge so i need a dish that calls for it like lechon asado

EggHeadFred

Can't beat fresh garlic.

fire egger

ha, I thought that was quite the coincidence

Little Chef

Rebecca - I buy the pre-peeled often from a Latin Grocer here, for the very reason you say. We use a LOT of garlic! As long as it is firm and fresh, no problem.
And as far as the rest of the thread, minced garlic in a jar is horrible IMO. It is usally packed in citric acid or olive oil, and never tastes the same as fresh cloves. Just my two cents.

eenie meenie

Michelle, Fabulous!!!!!! That will be a real time saver. It looked great in the bag, but I was afraid to try it. I'm not much one for processed foods in general, although I love a good mortadella sandwhich!

Carolina Q

Never tried garlic in a jar so I can't help there, but I have a related question. I seem to recall that there are some food items that you should not vac seal. Is garlic one of them? Would the cloves stay fresher longer? I leave garlic on my counter in a ceramic container with a loose fitting lid. Would vac sealing be better? Or something else?

Little Chef

Rebecca: The ingredients on the bag should say "peeled garlic". If it says more than that, move on to another store.

Little Steven

Rebbeca,

Don't do it. Honestly those cloves are treated with preservatives. It is Chinese garlic anyway. Believe me I've tied it. Forget any kind of preserved garlic as well.

Steve

Unknown

garlic in a jar is garbage

eenie meenie

Oh Steven, you just took the wind out of my sails. I use sooooo much garlic, that it would be nice to have a short cut. You are correct that I don't want anything with additives. Did your bag of garlic list additives?(please do not comment about the mortadella by the way). What's with Chinese garlic? With Gilroy, CA why would anyone in the US import Chinese garlic? If the bag of garlic just states "peeled garlic" would you buy it Steve?

Michelle, do our laws dictate that the additives be listed and that the country of origin is listed?


This is for you Steven http://www.thesneeze.com/steve-dont-eat-it/

Little Steven

Rebbeca,

Canadian garlic farmers are going out of business. Things like garlic and ginseng are some of the only crops that will grow in tobacco soil. The supermarkets here buy Chinese garlic at $0.40 a lb. You have no idea what the growing conditions are and it has travelled thousands of miles. The oriental markets sell huge bags of peeled garlic. I don't trust it, and it is essentially flavourless. I can do down a couple of buds
in a few minutes including chopping. Mexico and Texas garlic are in the stores now. For the price, why would you take a chance on such a significant ingredient?

Steve

eenie meenie

Steven, thanks for the heads up. My local grocery store gets their garlic from California. Can't say I've noticed a difference in taste when I've picked up garlic elsewhere. The cost really isn't factor for me (garlic is cheap), but it sure would be nice not to have prep 6 or more heads of garlic. You do know that I am a slacker.

Bash

Tell us what you really think! :P

EGGARY

My one concern about fresh garlic is that some of it is coming from CHINA. I got some a couple weeks ago from an Italian store and it was crap. I just picked up a big container of peeled garlic from Costco. Sometimes I will use a lot at one time and it is convenient not having to peel.