Black garlic is said to have originated in Korea where bulbs of garlic would be packed into clay pot and would bake in the sun for a couple weeks, the heat slowly roasting them until the turned black. Contrary to a common misconception, black garlic is actually caramelized, not fermented as there is no microbial action. An amazing thing happens to cloves during the carmelization beyond just turning them black. The garlic becomes very soft and jelly candy like (think Gummi) and the sharp flavor disappears into an unctuous, sweet-savory, balsamic syrup and molasses flavor. You can literally eat the cloves like candy without the fear of offending everyone around you when you opened your mouth.
A few years ago I was introduced to black garlic on the set of a cooking show. It was used very simply – sliced and sprinkled on a pizza. I have used it similarly and in other dishes where it was chopped up and incorporated into a dish. Since then I have always wanted to make it into a sauce or in this case, a double-duty marinade and sauce.
Black garlic varies wildly in price from $7 to $10 for a couple ounces to $25 for a pound (a pound is A LOT of black garlic). You can get a couple bulbs at Trader Joe’s for around $12. I know it’s a little spendy, but totally worth it. I buy this one a pound at a time – it’s already peeled and it’s organic. I keep it in my fridge and it lasts for months.
London broil has absolutely nothing to do with London nor a particular cut of meat, but it is usually on sale during grilling season and is perfect for small gatherings of friends and family. Or if your like me, grill one up for dinner and have plenty left over for salads and steak sandwiches. Click here to get the scoop on London broil.
- 2 pounds London broil
- -
- ⅓ cup peeled black garlic
- 1 Fresno chile, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for grilling
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for grilling
- Olive oil, for grilling
- Place London broil in a shallow container just large enough to hold the meat. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of blender and puree. Pour marinade over the meat and turn the meat a couple times to coat. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, flipping at least once. Remove from refrigerator and hour before grilling.
- Set up grill for direct heat cooking over high heat. Brush and oil grate before cooking.
- Remove the London broil from the marinade; use your fingers to scrape away the excess marinade back into the container. Reserve the marinade. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper then rub with a small amount of oil.
- Pour marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and use to brush on steak while grilling.
- Place steak on grill and cook about 5 to 6 minutes, flip and baste with heated marinade and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare or an internal temperature of 125°F to 135°F.
- Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes tented with foil. Thinly slice across the grain for serving. Serve with extra sauce.
