Fresh Garlic Clove Guide (Printable Version)
Easy methods for prepping fresh garlic cloves to enhance savory dishes naturally.
# What You Need:
→ Fresh Produce
01 - 2 garlic cloves
# How to Make It:
01 - Remove 2 garlic cloves from the garlic bulb.
02 - Place one clove on a cutting board and press gently with the flat side of a chef's knife to loosen the skin.
03 - Remove the papery skin from each clove and trim off the root end.
04 - Mince, slice, or crush the garlic cloves as required for your dish.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- One knife move unlocks the best flavor in your everyday cooking.
- Fresh garlic tastes nothing like the jarred version once you know how to prep it.
- This skill takes five minutes and changes everything you make from that moment on.
02 -
- If you skip the knife-press step and try to peel the clove cold, you'll wrestle with it and the skin will cling; that flat-knife press is the real move that saves time and frustration.
- Garlic's heat mellows with cooking time—fresh minced garlic in a hot pan for thirty seconds tastes sharp and alive, but simmered in a sauce for ten minutes becomes round and sweet, almost nutty. Know which flavor you're after before you start.
03 -
- The smell of garlic on your hands fades fastest if you rub them on something cold and metal—a sink faucet works perfectly—before washing with soap.
- A clove that's been sitting in the sun or heat will have a stronger, sharper bite; a clove that's been cool and dark tastes milder and sweeter, so store accordingly depending on what flavor you're after.