This post started out as a "Discontinued" review. I was ready to rave about another favorite sauce you can no longer get, when BAM...the Garlic Head website was back up after a two-year hiatus.
Garlic Head is one of the most unique BBQ sauces I've ever come across, and I'm glad to see they're back in the condiment game with a new label and some recipe changes.
FLAVOR - Super INTENSE GARLIC, with a sugary tomato base, rounded out with even more garlic, a bit of onion and a very mild vinegar zest
CONSISTENCY - Spackle. Seriously, you could probably hang wallpaper (delicious wallpaper!) with this stuff. The new configuration is thinner than the original, and it's still the thickest BBQ sauce I've ever come across!
APPEARANCE - Burnt sienna, with visible pieces of minced garlic and other spices
SMELL - Slightly smoky pungent GARLIC, with tomato undertones
AVAILABILITY - Available
INGREDIENTS - Brown sugar, water, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, cider vinegar, honey, molasses, onions, olive oil, salt, spices
First off, check out that ingredient list. As noted in our Reviewing Process, we don't necessarily score synthetic ingredients lower, but you've got to love a sauce that is au naturel. No HFCS. No ever-present xanthan gum. No potassium sorbate. Plus, Garlic Head is gluten and allergen free.
The bottle notes, "If you have a recipe that calls for two cloves of garlic, and you use two cloves, this sauce is not for you." I couldn't have said it better myself. If you don't love....LOVE...garlic, you should probably be put in jail. Also, you might want to consider another sauce.
I prefer to use Garlic Head on chicken (it makes a mean BBQ Chicken Pizza), but I imagine it's pretty good on pork (recipes here). It also makes for a great garlicky dipping sauce. Keep an eye out for The Condiment Bible's review of their Spicy version later this summer.
Special thanks to Keith from K and L Products for providing the review samples.
