Why Black Garlic Ketchup Deserves A Spot In Your Fridge

Mustard, mayo, relish, soy, barbecue, and hot sauces. You've probably got a kitchen full of condiments that are perfect for amping up the flavor of your most loved home-cooked meals or complementing your favorite takeout dishes. Now go ahead and clear one more spot in your fridge, because there's a new sauce on the market that's sure to become a staple in your household: black garlic ketchup.

With its deep, inky color and rich flavor, black garlic ketchup pairs well with practically any savory dish you can whip up. Fermented black garlic gives the condiment a certain complexity that just can't be found in standard tomato ketchup stocked on American grocery store shelves, which is just one chapter in the bizarre evolution of ketchup.

But if the idea of dipping a french fry in a pitch-black sauce gives you pause, do yourself a favor and keep reading. Below is a breakdown of everything you need to know about black garlic ketchup, and exactly why it deserves a spot in your fridge.

Unless you're a true condiment connoisseur, it's possible you've never heard of black garlic ketchup before. But that's okay. This gourmet sauce is newer to the market, and it's made with typical ketchup ingredients like tomato puree, sugar, vinegar, and spices. What makes black garlic ketchup special is, of course, the fermented black garlic. The aged allium lends this condiment some unique qualities, altering both the color and flavor of the sauce.

Looking at a pitch-black bottle of ketchup might seem intimidating; it doesn't have the bright and punchy hue you might be used to seeing with classics like red hot sauce, sunny yellow mustard, or even neon green Chicago-style relish. But don't let the color dissuade you from snagging a bottle for your own condiment collection. With its umami-rich flavor that pairs well with practically everything, black garlic ketchup rivals the traditional alternative in terms of both flavor and versatility.

Now that you know what black garlic ketchup is, you might have some questions about black garlic. In essence, it's regular ol' garlic that's been fermented at high temperatures and high humidity. This process reduces the content of the sulfur-containing compound allicin that's found in garlic, resulting in a less pungent flavor compared with its fresh counterpart.

The r/Cooking subreddit has plenty to say about the fermented allium, with one Redditor describing it as being sweet with a slightly caramelized taste and a savory, umami character reminiscent of balsamic vinegar. Most notably, it doesn't have any of the kick of fresh garlic, making it more versatile.

Black garlic is more commonly found in supermarkets than black garlic ketchup, but if you're adventurous and want to ferment your own black garlic, a rice cooker is all you need to make it at home.

If you dip a chicken nugget or french fry in some black garlic ketchup expecting to get a sharp punch of alliaceous flavor, you might be disappointed. Both black garlic ketchup and traditional red tomato ketchup have a vinegary acidity to them, but the parallels in terms of taste tend to stop there.

Your typical bottle of Heinz or Hunt's displays a tanginess in conjunction with savory notes of onion and garlic, along with sweetness from the added sugar. Black garlic ketchup offers an even bolder flavor but, as mentioned, the fermentation process gives the condiment a rich umami character with hints of caramelization. The overall product has a deeper, more complex flavor profile compared with the common red ketchup found in squeeze bottles at your local diner. But if you've got questions about the classic tomato version of the condiment, here's a guide on everything you ever wanted to know about ketchup but were too afraid to ask.

Beyond the departure in taste, black garlic ketchup is different from traditional tomato ketchup in a couple of other ways. For one, the price is vastly different. At the cheapest end of the spectrum, you can snag a bottle of standard ketchup for less than $2. Black garlic ketchup is much pricier, with the gourmet sauce starting at around $10 a bottle, and some brands coming in closer to the $20 range (and usually for a smaller amount).

Part of that difference in price can be attributed to packaging, which represents another distinction between black garlic ketchup and the regular tomato kind. While most standard ketchup options come in cost-effective plastic, black garlic ketchup, as of now, is packaged exclusively in glass. Though you might be shelling out a bit more for the product, the taste and aesthetic are surely points in the "pro" column. Besides, the sleek glass bottle would be a great addition to any fridgescaping customizations.

Availability is another big dissimilarity. You'll be hard pressed to find a single black garlic option at chain supermarkets, while there's generally half an aisle dedicated to traditional red ketchups, like Heinz, which takes the top spot in our definitive ranking of popular ketchup brands.

If the price of this gourmet sauce is giving you pause, you can certainly make black garlic ketchup in your home kitchen. It's not nearly as complicated as it may seem and, in fact, the base of the recipe is pretty similar to your standard tomato ketchup.

To make things easier on yourself, you can pick up black garlic cloves from your local grocery store or Asian market. As for assembling the condiment, one of the folks on the r/Fermentation subreddit says to use your go-to ketchup recipe and make some adjustments. They recommend maintaining a tomato to black garlic ratio of 3:1, as well as treating the aged allium as another sweetener, thanks to its rich, caramelized flavor. Traditional ketchup recipes also generally include onion and garlic powder. Go ahead and exclude those in order to let the flavor of the black garlic take center stage.

The bold, pleasing, and completely versatile flavor of black garlic ketchup will no doubt make it an asset in your kitchen. Go ahead and use it in the same applications as traditional tomato ketchup. Pair it with french fries (or your other favorite form of potato), crispy chicken tenders or nuggets, slather it on your burger or hot dog, or even serve it with your morning eggs.

If you're looking to incorporate the sauce into your cooking as more than a condiment for dipping or drizzling, consider using it as a marinade for meat or tossing it with veggies before roasting them in the oven. The deep umami flavor also makes black garlic ketchup a great companion to seafood, like scallops, or for use in casseroles or risottos. The possibilities are truly endless, and with such an interesting and complex taste, black garlic ketchup leaves plenty of room for experimentation.

Black garlic ketchup is still pretty new to the American market, so it's not readily available on retail sites or in spots like Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, or most other chain supermarkets. There are a handful of specialty retailers that sell it in-store, like Los Angeles-based Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market & Bistro and Chelsea Market Basket in New York City. If you are not in the area and can't simply pop in, you can always have it shipped. But just be prepared to spend an arm and a leg on shipping, depending on your location.

Your best bet for acquiring the aged allium sauce is to shop local. Check with artisan food shops in your neighborhood to see if they're offering the condiment. If that doesn't turn up any results, put on your DIY hat and try making it yourself. Who knows? Your homemade version might be even tastier than the one you order online.

Like most other condiments, don't expect to be finding tons of health benefits in black garlic ketchup. After all, sauces are there to enhance your meal, not to make up the substance of it. Black garlic ketchup is pretty comparable to traditional tomato ketchup in terms of nutritional value, in the sense that there's no real nutrients to be had. 

However, black garlic ketchup trends higher in sugar content, with the variety from Black Garlic DownVillage containing 5 grams of added sugar per tablespoon compared to Heinz's 4 grams. Though that's only a modest difference, the sodium content in black garlic ketchup is exponentially higher, coming in at a whopping 710 milligrams per tablespoon as opposed to standard tomato ketchup's 160 milligrams.

It shouldn't be a surprise either, that black garlic ketchup contains a few more calories per tablespoon. The Black Garlic DownVillage product has 30 calories, while Heinz has only 20.

Similar to a traditional tomato ketchup, you should store your black garlic ketchup in the refrigerator after you've opened it. If you're making your own condiment, it's best to store it in an air-tight container and keep it in the fridge from the get-go. That way it'll stay fresher for longer.

Like other perishable condiments, the best place in your fridge to be storing black garlic ketchup is in the door. Not only does it make it easily accessible for dressing your burger and fries or morning eggs, but it's less likely to spoil than some fresher items, like produce or animal products. Understanding where to keep certain items in your refrigerator helps you avoid storage mistakes that will ruin your food. And white you're at it, go ahead and make sure your fridge is at the right temperature, too. It's just one of many ways to make your food last longer.