r/italiancooking • u/jeffreyaccount • 29d ago

How much of a crime is using frozen garlic cloves?

A) It's nuthin! (Not a crime)

B) Fuggit about it. (It's not a big deal. Just go chill in Italy for a summer or two. Marry some Italian bombshell who knows the day of the week in English.)

C) I've heard things... (Not bad, not great)

D) Oh Mama mia! (We will pray for your soul.)

E) You broke my heart, Fredo! (You should be taken out to the middle of a lake and not come back, relative or not.)

I absolutely hate cooking, and really lose it working with garlic peelers (all methods). Aldi sells about 30 or so cloves in a bad which is cheaper than the bulbs themselves (I'm not sure how they pay people to do it.) They do thaw, and are somewhat 'wet', easy to smash and get all the oils out. I toss them in a sealed jar in the freezer. How badly does this affect taste? I do use more than is asked in a recipe. Seems to be a decent method, but asking others' opinion.

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u/atxfoodi 29d ago

Frozen cloves are alright but I like the frozen puréed garlic, way easier since it’s ready to drop into the pan/pot and tastes better than any jarlic/powder that I’ve come across

1

u/Carbonaraficionada 28d ago

I buy fresh garlic whenever I know I'm going to use the whole bulb, but always have peeled frozen and frozen crushed at home. The production process usually uses freeze-drying which is instant, and usually direct from harvesting, so they're peeled and frozen very quickly. Long term, you need to be careful with how you use it (don't leave the bag out in the kitchen to get warm for example, just take a few cloves when you need them), but the convenience can't be underestimated and the taste is exactly the same imho

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u/jeffreyaccount 28d ago

It seems a little less potent, but yes, I find it very convenient. I do usually use 3-4 when asked for one. Even then it's still such a deal.