Pile of unpeeled garlic cloves
The Garlic Mistake That Gives Dishes An Odd Taste

NEWS

By KATHRYN STEANE
Garlic being sauteed
Since garlic is low in water and high in sugars, the sugars can quickly burn when you overcook the vegetable. This results in a bitter flavor that can leave
your dish tasting odd.
Finely chopped garlic cooking in oiled pan
However, overcooking garlic is a mistake you can easily avoid if you start cooking it in a cold pan. Simply place it in a cold, oiled pan before cooking it over medium-low heat.
Garlic being cooked and stirred in pan
Once the garlic starts simmering and emitting its aroma, keep stirring until it softens and reaches the desired color. This will give your garlic a mellow flavor — not a burnt one.
Chopped onion, scallion, and garlic in pan
To avoid overcooking when you need to cook garlic with other ingredients, let them cook almost entirely before adding in the garlic and cooking it all for 30 seconds to a minute.