Pairings: Garlic

garlic. bold just brings it.

It’s a good guess your breath shoots some dirty looks at garlic. Your taste buds, on the other hand, embrace a love affair with this vegetable’s unforgiving, powerful, pungent taste—an affair growing only bolder once garlic exposes its fondness for pork.

  • raw

    Uncooked and untouched, the sharp bite of raw garlic abruptly awakens the senses—smell and taste in particular. The unusually “harsh” flavor spearheads a rather heated taste. In terms of quantities, less here is definitely more.

  • roasted

    Unlike raw garlic, the roasted rendition pays off with a milder, sweeter taste. Touches of smokiness and nuttiness evolve this version to complete succulence. Roasted garlic’s been known to also lead a double life as a spread for breads or condiment for crackers.

  • infused oil

    Step aside, dressing. Walk away, marinade. This true Italian-inspired flavor bomb bursts in north, south, east, west and beyond with a galaxy of tastes. Especially once good doses of herbs and spices are invited to the party.

  • black

    Sweet and syrupy with noteworthy kicks of balsamic vinegar. It’s often seen mingling with crowds of Asian-inspired entrees. Can you blame it? This caramelized garlic is just the natural way for dishes with flavors boasting more complicated sides.

In the past, garlic received a bad and fully undeserved rap, no thanks to unflattering nicknames that stuck, like Onion’s Distant Cousin and The Stinking Rose. Boo! Time to give this taste-packed veggie its due. Yay! Raw, roasted, infused or black, it’s impossible to deny the intensity that makes garlic so…garlic.

Pork and garlic. They are a match made in heaven. Or in a slow cooker, once you give the green light to one of these ooooh-gotta-try-this-tonight dishes.

Try “basic bold” raw garlic with Pancetta Rolled Pork with Ajo Blanco Sauce

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Try “sweet went strong” roasted garlic with Grilled Backribs with Roasted Garlic Gremolata

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Try “flavor-zinged” garlic-infused oil with Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms, Squash & Herbed Garlic Oil

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Try “tangy, molasses-like” black garlic with Pan Fried Pork Chops with Mushrooms & Black Garlic

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want more? try one of these:
Recipes