# powder vs granulated in rubs



## dewetha (Nov 17, 2011)

I want to mix my own dry rub. while compiling a matrix of ingredients from over a dozen well liked rubs(this site, food network etc), I notice some recipes call garlic powder and some granulated garlic.onion as well.

so what does each bring to the table for a rib rub? taste, looks, cooking? etc. help explain this please.


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## tjohnson (Nov 17, 2011)

Bump for some help

TJ


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## raymo76 (Nov 17, 2011)

I just looked in one of my books for you but it just talks that both can be purchased in fresh, granulated or powdered forms. Well this should work as another bump for you.


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## rbranstner (Nov 17, 2011)

I personally hate the powder. I picked up an onion and garlic powder from Sam's club and it was powder  instead of granulated and I cuss at them every time I use them. It's like trying to put baby powder on your meat. I can't get it to come out of the container and when it does  it comes out in bigger amounts and ends up getting clumps on the meat. I HATE it! I will never buy  the powder again I will always buy granulated unless its really super big granules or something.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 17, 2011)

The finer the grind the more loss of flavor it experiences during Storage time and Cooking time...Powder loses its punch real fast and like RB said, Powder is messy and Clumps easily and sucks moisture out of the air turning into a Rock in the Jar...Go with Granulated!...JJ


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## oldschoolbbq (Nov 18, 2011)

+2


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## SmokinAl (Nov 18, 2011)

I use both, granulated is definitely easier to work with.

Didn't know the powder lost it's punch so quickly, Thanks JJ.


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## jak757 (Nov 18, 2011)

rbranstner said:


> I personally hate the powder. I picked up an onion and garlic powder from Sam's club and it was powder  instead of granulated and I cuss at them every time I use them. It's like trying to put baby powder on your meat. I can't get it to come out of the container and when it does  it comes out in bigger amounts and ends up getting clumps on the meat. I HATE it! I will never buy  the powder again I will always buy granulated unless its really super big granules or something.





Chef JimmyJ said:


> The finer the grind the more loss of flavor it experiences during Storage time and Cooking time...Powder loses its punch real fast and like RB said, Powder is messy and Clumps easily and sucks moisture out of the air turning into a Rock in the Jar...Go with Granulated!...JJ


Who I am to argue with these two knowledgeable fellow?  Besides....I agree 100% with both!!  RB -- I have the same cursed container of garlic powder from Sams.  I hate it, and mutter bad words every time I use it.  Never again!  In fact, you and JJ maye have inspired me to toss the last 25% that remains.  In my book (and my cooking), granulated is the way to go.


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## frosty (Nov 18, 2011)

The powder to me is pretty lifeless, but I had not known why.  Question answered!  I prefer the granulated, have had good luck with it and appreciate JJ's comment.

Kudos to JB JJ.


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## rbranstner (Nov 18, 2011)

JAK757 said:


> Who I am to argue with these two knowledgeable fellow?  Besides....I agree 100% with both!!  RB -- I have the same cursed container of garlic powder from Sam's.  I hate it, and mutter bad words every time I use it.  Never again!  In fact, you and JJ may have inspired me to toss the last 25% that remains.  In my book (and my cooking), granulated is the way to go.




Hooray so I'm not just crazy. My wife thinks I am every time I curse out those darn powder containers.


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## jak757 (Nov 18, 2011)

rbranstner said:


> Hooray so I'm not just crazy. My wife thinks I am every time I curse out those darn powder containers.




Each time I rant about it my wife asks me why I don't just toss it out and use the granulated I prefer.  I guess I was raised to frugal at times....but I think now I'm ready to let go of that remaining powder.


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## sqwib (Nov 18, 2011)

I use Powder for gravies, soups and things like mashed potatoes.

I however never knew that powder has less flavor, I will keep that in mind.


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## scarbelly (Nov 18, 2011)

Yup another powder hater here too.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 18, 2011)

Sqwib, It's not so much that Powder has less flavor...The essential oils in very fine ground Dry Herbs and Spices are much more Volatile and evaporate quickly...Garlic Powder that makes a Killer Rub today will have Something Missing...a month down the road when you go to make more...JJ


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## billebouy (Nov 18, 2011)

There is no "one" form of garlic that's "better"; they all have their uses.

Fresh whole cloves,

Sliced,

Finely diced,

Crushed,

all have different flavors profiles and properties (intensity, etc.), and multiply the effects by raw, cooked and how long cooked.

Similarly dried garlic tastes and behaves differently than fresh, and ground and granulated are different.

My point again is, it all depends on what you want to accomplish.  Ground in a rub, and granulated on a grilled steak, for instance.  Do you want the flavor to blend into the meat, or do you want that bit of granulated garlic mouth feel and intensity on the outside of the steak?

Biggest problem, I admit, is resisting the "great deal" of buying ground garlic at Sam's by the lb.  If you're not going to use that much in a few months, you're actually wasting your money, either by throwing away, or worse, using powder that has lost it's potency.


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## tikiboy (Nov 18, 2011)

I've worked in the spice & dehydation industry for a number of years and the fact of the matter is, Granulated is of a higher quality than Powders. If you look at granualted onion or garlic under magnification they are small pieces of dehydrated garlic or onion. Powders are basically the left-over of all processed in the factory and is made up of a majority of the plant material that make up onion or garlic with also outer skins and a small amount of root material ground and pulverized. This may not be common knowledge but it is industry knowledge. I swear by it.


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## billebouy (Nov 18, 2011)

Then the answer would seem to be, buy granulated, and grind it yourself when you want ground.

Interesting, gonna have to try that...


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## venture (Nov 18, 2011)

I use both.  Granulated would be my choice.  More flavorful and easier to use.

With either, they need time in liquid to bring up the flavor or reconstitute them.  In rubs and smokes that is not a problem.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## countryboy-q (Mar 4, 2014)

If it's a rub it doesn't matter just your preference.   Sauce I found that the granulatedlrleft white specs that didn't dissolve even after the simmer.   Used powder snd fixed it.  Didn't change flavor but the specs bothered me.


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