minced garlic in a jar - yay or nay?

lyingliarlies

Anybody here use it? We go through a ton of garlic, so the jarred stuff would save lots of time and it's cheaper. The ingredients are just garlic, water, and citric acid.

Any thoughts on this riveting topic? :P

JeffandLeslie

Yep love it. We go through a lot.

minerswife17

I know my mom uses it and likes it. I never have. I buy the already peeled garlic. Saves a ton of time. I just prefer mincing it myself. 

rockyrollgirl

 I just prefer to mince it myself.

notkateanymore

Yuck. I buy already peeled but never the crap in the jar.

lyingliarlies

rainbowdasher said:

I don't like it personally. It has too much water in it to saute properly but I do use it occasionally for soups or spaghetti. 

Trader Joe's has one that is more like a paste and it comes  in a jar too. It's not as watery as the other chopped kind.

I also think you would need more of the jarred than fresh in order to get that garlic taste, maybe I just like fresh garlic a little too much.

:P

Yeah, I almost always saute it in olive oil first and wondered how that would work with the kind jarred in water. Seems like it would lose some flavor Too, like you said.

@Minerswife17 already peeled garlic sounds like a good option since I don't mind mincing (I like bigger chunks anyway) but get annoyed peeling so many cloves.

minerswife17

lyingliarlies said:

I don't like it personally. It has too much water in it to saute properly but I do use it occasionally for soups or spaghetti. 

Trader Joe's has one that is more like a paste and it comes  in a jar too. It's not as watery as the other chopped kind.

I also think you would need more of the jarred than fresh in order to get that garlic taste, maybe I just like fresh garlic a little too much.

:P

Yeah, I almost always saute it in olive oil first and wondered how that would work with the kind jarred in water. Seems like it would lose some flavor Too, like you said. @Minerswife17 already peeled garlic sounds like a good option since I don't mind mincing (I like bigger chunks anyway) but get annoyed peeling so many cloves.

Yes! Peeled garlic was made for people with children! It really is a timesaver! 

dizzycooks

Nope. I just crush it with my knife and take the skin off that way.  I think the flavor is better with fresh.

hmd

I bought some (organic, of course, lol) recently, and it is better than nothing.  Also better than dried flakes, etc.  

We don't use it a lot, so it is easier for me.  

jensriot

I use it almost every day.

thechickencoop

It probably only takes a few more seconds to peel and mince fresh garlic then to open a jar and scoop some out.  

I just crack off a clove, smash a little with the side of my knife, the peel will crack right off, then use my microplane grater right in the bowl/pan/whatever.  Seriously, takes 30 seconds and tastes so much better.

bumpuser924057

I don't love the stuff in the jar, but my supermarket has puréed garlic in refrigerated tubes in the grocery store and THAT stuff is great. Saves me a lot of prep time.

notkateanymore

Those of you who say you're saving so much time with the jarred crap are doing it wrong. It takes like 3 seconds to use fresh.

penguingrrl

I think I just don't smell garlic on my hands lol! Like, it's there more than not so I no longer smell it! 

I use garlic most nights (when we first moved in together DH asked me if I knew how to cook anything that didn't start with garlic and olive oil and I honestly answered him no). I've used jarred, mostly when money was really tight and it was far cheaper than fresh. I buy it packed in olive oil, not water. It definitely doesn't taste as good and only saves you a few seconds, but once in a rare while those few seconds are precious and I'll use it then.

jensriot

Peeling and chopping up a garlic clove isn't bad. I frequently need tablespoons of minced garlic, so the jarred does save some time for me

DH loves the smell of garlic. Once upon a time, I was chopping up garlic and he came in for a hug. He asked if I got a new perfume and thought I smelled wonderful. Ha ha.

lollitots

I don't like the jar type. I usually use a garlic press instead of mincing it. I have even been known to just trim the end and press it with the skin on (seriously, this works, only the "meat" comes out). We love garlic over here and go through a lot of it.

jensriot

lollitots said:

I don't like the jar type. I usually use a garlic press instead of mincing it. I have even been known to just trim the end and press it with the skin on (seriously, this works, only the "meat" comes out). We love garlic over here and go through a lot of it.

I may try this.

chelseymat

I don't like the jarred by my grocery store has crushed garlic frozen in these little tiny ice cube trays….I think its 1 tablespoon servings…..anyway its just like doing it yourself and it saves tons of time. I always keep it on hand in case I run out of the real thing.

raraavis28

I use jarred....but my objective when cooking is to cut as many corners as I can get away with....this is definitely in the "corners I can get away with" category.

magentawarped

I use a ton of it...I have a lot of crock pot recipes that call for garlic, and it just makes it that much easier.

likeanoldtimemovie

This is making me think of that Friends episode where Phoebe and Monica get in a fight over Phoebe playing her guitar outside Monica's restaurant.

"You'd better get back in that kitchen, Monica. The garlic's not going to overuse itself."

(Also, when I first started cooking with real, fresh ingredients (as opposed to boxed meals), I was obsessed with the smell of garlic and decided to eat a raw piece. OH MY LAWD.)

minerswife17

likeanoldtimemovie said:

This is making me think of that Friends episode where Phoebe and Monica get in a fight over Phoebe playing her guitar outside Monica's restaurant. "You'd better get back in that kitchen, Monica. The garlic's not going to overuse itself." (Also, when I first started cooking with real, fresh ingredients (as opposed to boxed meals), I was obsessed with the smell of garlic and decided to eat a raw piece. OH MY LAWD.)

) 

I took a bite before too!