FLAVOUR STORY: GARLIC POWDER

Creative Uses

• Garlic powder works in any recipe that calls for dried or fresh garlic. The difference is intensity. Use a light hand and taste as you go when stirring it into salad dressings, rubs, marinades, sauces and stews.
• The strong flavour of garlic powers many Mexican dishes. Garlic powder makes it easy to amplify the savoury warmth of taco fillings made with beef or pork and cooked tomato sauce for burritos. We love it in uncooked dishes, too. Think fresh tomato salsa, guacamole and homemade jalapeño hot sauce.
• Any dish with ground beef—meatballs, meatloaf, chili, hamburgers—is a great candidate for garlic powder. Sprinkle it in. Its fine texture helps to ensure garlic flavour is evenly distributed throughout the dish.

Perfect Pairings

• Garlic powder is an excellent base for garlic toast or croutons. Mix it with softened butter, parsley flakes and a touch of salt. For an added twist, stir in Parmesan cheese. Spread it on a baguette or Italian bread and broil for an easy addition to any dinner.
• Nuts and seeds make an extra-special snack or garnish when roasted with a touch of garlic powder and a hint of thyme or marjoram. We especially love pumpkin seeds toasted with garlic powder and cumin as a garnish for butternut squash soup.
• Butter’s creaminess mellows garlic and garlic brings character in return. It’s a great combo to have in the freezer. Stir garlic powder into softened butter and roll it into a log. Then wrap and freeze. Cut slices to top grilled steak, garnish a baked potato or dress simply steamed vegetables.

Substitutes

Q: If I don’t have garlic powder on hand, what makes a good substitute?

A: If you have dried minced garlic in the pantry, crush it and use an equal measure. If you have fresh garlic, substitute one medium-size clove, finely minced, for each 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. That works in reverse, too! If your recipe calls for fresh garlic, you can substitute 1/8 teaspoon per clove.

History/Fun Facts

McCormick garlic powder starts with fresh, whole heads of garlic. We remove the papery husk and gently dry the cloves before grinding them to a powder that will easily rehydrate and disburse in your recipes. The process mellows and rounds out the flavour.