Garlic is a powerful ingredient so make sure that you're using it right. Here are 6 tips

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Garlic is one of those ingredients that is always in a cook's toolbox. Whether it's adding it to salad dressings, pasta, rice dishes or more, there's little that garlic can't be added to. When prepared properly, it can even add a unique flair to desserts such as ice cream. But even the best cooks let garlic get away from them sometimes.
That's because while versatile, garlic can be a bit tricky to use. It burns extremely easily, can be too potent for some dishes, and is not always prepped in the most effective way. All of these things can turn even the biggest garlic lovers away from it every once in a while. But, if you follow the tips below, you'll never have to break up with garlic again.
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1. It burns very easily
Garlic burns very easily, particularly when it's been minced or sliced. This is mostly true when garlic is sauteed, because it typically lies right against the direct heat of the pan. And when garlic does burn, it turns extremely bitter and ruins any dish. Trust us on this one, if you burn garlic you're going to have to start your dish all over again.
When sauteing garlic, always add it right at the end or at least when adding other ingredients such as mushrooms or leafy spinach. This will provide a cushion that will protect the garlic from that direct heat. When cooking with liquid, such as a sauce, garlic can be added at the beginning but always add the liquid soon after. It will bring down the temperature of the pot and again, the garlic won't be right against the direct heat.
2. Keep the heat low when on direct heat
When you do add garlic right to the pan to saute it, don't have the heat too high. This isn't just because it will burn as we've already pointed out above (although it will do that, too). But it's also because even when kept in whole cloves, having the heat too high won't allow it to meld into the beautiful deliciousness it could be. Instead it will become crispy and stick out in the dish instead of blending into it, which is unpleasant.
3. Roast it
Roasted garlic is nothing like raw garlic, or even sauteed garlic. It turns soft and completely mellows out that harsh potency. This is what makes roasted garlic almost sweet. Roasting garlic can be eaten on its own (and after you taste it, it likely will be), but it's also great in recipes that call for raw garlic, such as salsa. This will give you a great garlic flavor but won't overpower dishes like raw garlic can.
To roast garlic, cut the top off an entire head and drizzle it with olive oil. Season the head of garlic lightly with salt and pepper and wrap the entire thing tightly in aluminum foil. Roast it in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until it's soft and slightly golden brown. When cool enough to handle, simply squeeze the cloves out of the head of garlic and use however you'd like!
4. Know how to cut it
Sometimes you don't want to roast the garlic because you want the pungent flavor. But you also don't want it to be too pungent. What do you do when that's the case? Just remember that the smaller you chop garlic, the more potent it is. Mince it really small and the pungency will be as strong as it could possibly be. Slice it and it will still be pungent, just a little less so. And, if you want just a hint of that garlic potency, simply smash the garlic clove lightly with the flat side of a knife. This will just break it apart slightly while still keeping it whole; just enough to give that dish just a whiff of garlic.
5. Grate it
There are a lot of good reasons to grate garlic on something such as a microplane rather than chop it. The first is that it's simply easier. You won't have a sticky cutting board, sticky fingers, or bits of garlic you have to collect up from the counter.
But there's another reason to do this, too. Grating garlic makes it fluffier, which will help it blend more easily into dishes. This is especially important for dishes that require a perfect texture such as salad dressing or homemade aioli.
6. Know what to use and when to use it
Typically in cooking, using fresh is always best. In many cases, that's true for garlic too, but not all. Stir-fries, sauces, roasted vegetables and more will likely all benefit from a healthy dose of fresh garlic. But when it comes to things like dry rubs or seasoning bread crumbs or croutons, dried garlic powder is the only way to go. Garlic powder is still packed with lots of garlic flavor and won't leave you chewing on hunks of garlic that could very well burn when they're sticking out of a crouton.
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And the one kind of garlic that should never be used? Pre-chopped garlic in a jar. There are all kinds of chemicals contained within them that you simply won't have to put up with when you use fresh garlic but even more importantly, it simply doesn't have the flavor fresh garlic does; not even half as a matter of fact. When garlic is chopped, it immediately starts losing its flavor, and the allicin it contains, which is what makes garlic so healthy. So use dried liberally, and use fresh as much as you want. But never feel that you have to resort to the packaged stuff.
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