Garlic: minced, crushed, chopped, sliced. When to use each one, and what is the difference?
I’ve seen, in many recipes, that the usage of garlic varies a lot.
For example: Meaty sauces normally require that the garlic is chopped and fried before the meat is added.
Neapolitan Pizzas usually add sliced, raw garlic in very thin slices to be cooked with the pizza
Some other sauces require crushed garlic to be crushed and fried (generally with onion) before adding other ingredients.
I’ve seen as well some recipes calling for a garlic paste, made with some salt and knife skills.
Lately, I’ve been using very thin slices of garlic added in the beginning/middle of the cooking process of the sauce.
My question: What is the difference between dicing, slicing, crushing, or making a paste? What is the difference between frying the garlic before or adding it to the cooking sauce? Which one adds more flavor?
Thanks in advance.
Best Answer
It's about fat. The magic taste dealer.
When you fry it you're actually making "garlic oil". Greatly infuse sauce with garlic taste.
Sliced garlic on pizza move garlic taste to frontier. It's the first thing you taste, then come tomato and mozzarella which ease the harsh garlic. And because there is little fat that came in contact the garlic taste is not transferred to whole dish.
Crushed is used to give most taste as it's destroyed along fibers so aroma is much stronger. That's why you fry it with onions. To have both tastes strong enough to infuse anything you mix it.
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Quick Answer about "Garlic: minced, crushed, chopped, sliced. When to use each one, and what is the difference?"
Crush in order to release more flavor. If you add it whole it can be removed afterwards.Is minced garlic the same as sliced garlic?
No, they are not the same. Minced garlic is much more finely diced than chopped garlic. Chopped garlic is great for soups, stews and stir Frys, while minced is better for sauces, dips and dressings.What is the difference between chopped and crushed garlic?
Crushing the cloves releases a little of the sulfur, making the garlic flavor a little stronger. Roughly chopped garlic dials up the flavor yet again. Changing how finely you chop your garlic is one way to control the garlic flavor in your dish.Whats the difference between slicing and chopping garlic?
Large chopped garlic: Slightly larger pieces of chopped garlic heat up and evenly season a batch of chili, pasta sauce, or soup when they are saut\xe9ed then long-simmered. Slices of garlic: Large slices of garlic that are cut thinly add a softer garlic flavor.What is sliced garlic used for?
For quick-cooking, chunky dishes, like pasta sauces and saut\xe9ed vegetables, finely mince or thinly slice garlic to get the best release of flavor. For long-cooking braises and stews, roughly chop or thickly slice garlic so it slowly melds with the other ingredients.The Best Ways to Peel \u0026 Chop Garlic (And the Worst) | Epicurious
More answers regarding garlic: minced, crushed, chopped, sliced. When to use each one, and what is the difference?
Answer 2
Dice or slice when the garlic will be consumed along with the other ingredients.
Crush in order to release more flavor. If you add it whole it can be removed afterwards.
Make paste when you don't want it to be visible and all its flavor to be strong and evenly distributed in the dish (e.g. hummus as it is a paste itself, you wouldn't want it to have little lumps in it).
Use whole garlic cloves in slow cooker, and it will release its scent and flavor with time. You can remove it afterwards, the flavor will be there regardless.
Processing it before adding other ingredients, makes it release its scent and get mild-flavored.
All methods except processing will add strong flavor to your dish. The paste will be the strongest, as you consume all of the garlic.
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