Why Kirkland's Minced Garlic Seasoning Should Stay On Costco Shelves

If you cook with garlic often (and if you don't, you should), you might have been tempted by that big jar of Kirkland minced garlic on the shelves at Costco. Instead of keeping whole garlic bulbs on hand, and then painstakingly peeling and chopping them for each recipe, perhaps you imagine yourself spooning out a little at a time, keeping your hands, knives, and cutting board clean and odor-free. But not so fast. This seemingly time-saving product came in toward the bottom of our list of 11 Popular Kirkland Spices And Seasonings At Costco, Ranked.

What we love about garlic is its pungency, which is at its max when you first cut into a clove. Cutting it ahead of time means less flavor because the aromatic compound that is emitted when you break into it dissipates after a while. So, when it comes to the cloves in Kirkland's jar, they could've been cut weeks prior to your purchase. Plus, the garlic is packed in water, not oil, so the powerful taste is more diluted. Count us out.

Instead, stock up on a few bulbs of garlic next time you're at the store. If you store them in a dry, cool place with plenty of air circulation, such as in a basket or a mesh bag, they can last up to six months. It's also a good idea to keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent them from sprouting. As you cook, pull cloves from just one head at a time, as they last longer when they're whole.

Peeling them may seem tedious, but it really isn't difficult once you learn a few tricks. From rolling the cloves to smashing them with the side of a knife, there are lots of techniques to help that papery covering slip right off before chopping them up. If you happen to have a garlic press, you don't even have to peel the cloves before mashing them since it will get trapped inside the press. One sniff is all you need to remind you what you'd be missing if you got your garlic from a jar — loads of potent, mouth-watering flavor.