Chef Mike extols the virtues of one of the most perfect foods in the world
It’s hard to imagine that after six thousand years of use as food, seasoning, medicine, aphrodisiac, currency, and magic potion, there would be anything new in the world of garlic news. But lo and behold, after a half dozen millennia, this ubiquitous allium has crept its way back into the world’s collective culinary consciousness in a way that seemed to have slipped past garlic enthusiasts from Tutankhamen to Pliny the Elder; from L.F. Diat to Paulie Cicero.
We modern folk with functioning taste buds may think that garlic has always been a part of everything right and good about food, but in the early 1900’s garlic was actually shunned by American gourmands who referred to it as “Bronx vanilla” and “Italian perfume.”
Thankfully, just before WWII, the American palate became woke to the value of garlic, not just as a deliciously versatile seasoning and positive culinary force, but eventually as a way to make unlimited amounts of bland, white breadsticks seem like a good idea.
Now, here we are in 2018 and the food world is atwitter at the (re?)emergence of a vastly different version of allium sativum—black garlic. Why would anyone want to turn garlic black, let alone eat it? Because black garlic is not simply a different color from the bulbs of white, run-of-the-mill garlic you grab from the bulk bin at FoodMart—it’s a gloriously different ingredient altogether.
Black garlic is indeed black. Cloves of regular white garlic are aged under controlled heat and humidity over the course of several weeks, eventually turning into soft, inky black umami nuggets. There are no additives or preservatives used in the process.
The enzymes in fresh garlic that give it that sharp bite begin to break down under these conditions and facilitate the Maillard reaction—the same chemical process that not only creates browning in our favorite foods, but also works to create the flavor compounds we can thank for deep meatiness of a grilled steak and the dark, rich taste of molasses.
Black garlic was first used as an ingredient in Asian cuisine, probably originating in China or Korea, where they would pack bulbs of fresh garlic into clay pots and let them slowly bake in the sun for up to two months. In Thailand, black garlic is believed to increase longevity, but in Korea it is rumored to bless women with supernatural powers as well.
I have been feeding small amounts of black garlic to my wife over the past several weeks and thus far she has not developed the power to manipulate shadows or lead departing souls to the other side. I’m monitoring the situation closely, however. Just in case.
There’s a common misconception floating around the garlicsphere that black garlic is fermented. Strictly speaking, it does not meet the technical requirements for fermentation because there is no microbial action involved in its transformation.
It’s created through an enzymatic process like garum, nam pla, and ishiri, so rather than fermenting, it’s actually just been roasted really low and really slow. This low and slow cooking wholly transforms mild-mannered white garlic into soft, smooth cloves of sweet, dark umami. Imagine molasses-like richness with a sweet-savory, aged balsamic syrupy flavor that I would compare to slightly acidic dark caramel candy or a sweet tamarind gummy bear—but so much more complex and delicious.
Because of the time and resources involved in making black garlic it’s fairly expensive, which leads many people to attempt to make it at home, usually documented in a sad YouTube video of their failure.
It IS possible to make black garlic at home, but it requires a dedicated rice cooker, a suitable outdoor black garlic making location (the smell may launch an EPA investigation) and the patience of Job.
So unless you plan on eating an immortality-promising amount of the stuff, I would recommend buying it ready-to-eat from a specialty grocer such as Fresh Market, or order from one of the many black garlic producers available online.
Unlike white garlic, black garlic has a very subtle and muted flavor that can easily be overpowered. It’s very soft, which makes it easy to mash into a puree and spread on bread, rub onto steaks, or create Bob’s infamous “Bet It All On Black Garlic Burger.” It can be added to cream sauces, pasta or virtually any dish that needs an extra bump of deep umami flavor.
My personal favorite is a purée of two parts overripe figs to one part black garlic for a hoisin-type sauce that’s perfect for roasted chicken, duck, pork or steak. Experiment, eat and enjoy!
Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan currently living abroad who has trained chefs, owned and operated restaurants. Join him on Facebook at facebook.com/SushiAndBiscuits