You guys don’t have peeled garlic sold nearby? It freezes well and it’s much better than the can/jar minced stuff. I haven’t bought a bulb of garlic in decades.
Put it under the flat side of a large knife blade, smash (doesn’t need to be too hard or the clove will go flying), and the paper will come off quite easily.
Good for chopping, but if you try to grate it after this it falls apart.
That’s why you use a press
Sometimes. Sometimes the last layers are little bastards and want to cling to the garlic.
That’s fresh cloves, if you let them dry a bit longer they’re easily separable. Dry garlic is also a little more digestible than fresh in my experience, but that’s irrelevant if you cook it of course
If I’m peeling a whole bulb (which is about as many as I use normally) I’ll mash the bulb to crush apart the cloves, then shake them inside two bowls to knock the skins off.
Made some amazing braised spare ribs last night with that technique.
This is the way I do it too. Works amazingly well.
In case it’s not clear, you use two large bowls, mouth to mouth like a clam shell. Shake the hell out of them, then it will be just naked cloves and paper inside.
You can separate the cloves and pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and the escaping steam pops the skins right off.
I don’t have a microwave.
You can always try with a macrowave
You weren’t allowed to do it anyways.
May I introduce you to the holy church of palm heel strike?
I usually rub the thing between my hands. You take a piece, press the sharp dry bottom bit on the table, and rub the clove with some pressure, letting it roll between the palms. It separates in seconds, but has to be somewhat dried, fresh ones have softer and more clingy skin.
A decent garlic press will allow you to press out the garlic and leave the paper. It’s a unitasker that’s well worth it if you eat a lot of garlic.
I have one of those. Nontheless I peel the garlic because my brain is telling me otherwise I could loose some in the leftbehinds :(
Get fresh garlic instead of the dried one
I’m a little curious what you’re getting at. The garlic in the picture is what I would call fresh, as opposed to garlic powder/granules or a jar of pre-minced garlic.
I understand that bulbs of garlic are dried out, but you only harvest once a year so I’m not sure where a supply of not dried at all garlic comes from?
Really fresh garlic (before it has been dried, has a elastic stutdy skin in the same shape as the papery one in the picture. You simply cut of the the top and tear it apart, similar to peeling a banana.
Bonus tip for peeling dried garlic: cut of the top and bottom, place your knife flat on it (use a big one or) am smash it with your fist. Then peel the skin of the split garlic parts. If you prefere small knives or or feel uncomfortable use a plate or cutting board instead.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen really fresh garlic! I’ve never actually got around to growing it myself.
Your strategy for peeling dried garlic is basically what I do. Just pressing on the knife enough to squish the garlic tends to be enough to get the skin off. I don’t tend to have any trouble with peeling it.
It’s kinda hard to come buy tbh, but probably depends on the region you’re living in and the shops available to you.
Exactly what I meant, kinda hard to describe it properly. As you said it makes the peeling really easy.
the one in the picture appears to be decently dried. But my experience is opposite, it’s easier to peel cloves when garlic is dried
I haven’t had the chance to use a truly fresh one, but I don’t find dried like above particularly difficult. Cut the top and tail then squish with the side of the knife and the skin tends to come off easy.
