Garlic paste vs whole garlic for long braise

Question

I have fresh garlic paste on hand I'd like to substitute for whole garlic in a braise (chicken adobo). The estimated braising time is 30 - 40 minutes. My concern is that due to the insane amount of surface area exposed in the garlic paste, the garlicky flavor will all but have been cooked off by the time the braise is finished. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

You're right to be concerned. Garlic paste does generally cook off a lot faster than whole, minced, or sliced garlic, and could become bland after 40 minutes of cooking. Given the long braise, my suggestion would be to figure out a way to introduce the garlic paste later in the cooking ... say, 15 minutes before the chicken is done.