Alberta black garlic, four weeks in the making

What is black garlic?

Despite its name, black garlic isn’t a different variety of garlic. It’s regular fresh garlic transformed through the Maillard reaction, the same browning reaction between amino acids and sugars that gives seared and roasted foods their flavour. The process changes the garlic’s flavour, colour and texture.

How we make it

1. Selection. We start with hardneck garlic bulbs grown here on the farm. Quality going in decides quality coming out.
2. Heat and humidity. The bulbs go into the oven at about 150°F with 80–90% humidity.
3. Time. They stay there for four weeks while we monitor them to keep the reaction steady and the conditions constant.
4. Transformation. The sharp bite of raw garlic turns savoury, sweet and full of umami, and the cloves turn deep brown to black.

What does it taste like?

Black garlic loses most of the bitter, pungent edge of fresh garlic and picks up a savoury, sweet, almost caramelised flavour. Many people eat the cloves straight; cool, creamy pairings like cream cheese and dips really let it shine.

Black garlic in Canada, grown in Alberta

Our black garlic is made from Alberta-grown Russian Red garlic on our own farm, so you know exactly where it comes from. Buy it online, pick it up at our self-serve stand near Coalhurst, or talk to us about supplying your kitchen or store as a wholesale black garlic supplier.