Got a Lot of Garlic?

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I like to crush my garlic before it goes in a mortar. If I don't, I find the garlic cloves want to slip out from under the pestle. But, it's not worth it to me to wash the mortar and pestle for one or two cloves of garlic.
My mortar and pestle is quite coarse. Cloves go in whole.
So no need to wash a knife & cutting board :)
 
It wasn't bad. It was one clove. Oh, the other thing that sometimes used to happen - the garlic would just go flying without smashing. I gave up on that and started laying the knife on the garlic and squishing the knife down by leaning on it with the palm of my non-dominant hand on the knife.
That's how I do it. But just once I want to smash it, lol.

Have you ever tried that trick where you put loose cloves of fresh garlic into a jar (or any container would probably work) put the lid on tight, then you shake the jar vigorously to remove the cloves from their peels? It actually kind of works. I tried it once. Not every clove came loose from its peel, but I was surprised at how many of them did.
 
I once did that for the recipe of chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. I used two metal bowls (same size) and I think all but one or two were peeled. Sure made me chuckle and smile not having to peel 40 cloves!
 
I once did that for the recipe of chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. I used two metal bowls (same size) and I think all but one or two were peeled. Sure made me chuckle and smile not having to peel 40 cloves!
Isn't that cool? (y)

I've heard of that 40 clove chicken recipe before. Never tried it, though.
 
If you want to peel cloves of garlic by the quart. Start 4 qts of water and bring it to a boil, blanch the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then dunk into cold water in the sink. The peels are easier to remove them by squeezing them from one end and the peel pops off.
 
If you want to peel cloves of garlic by the quart. Start 4 qts of water and bring it to a boil, blanch the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then dunk into cold water in the sink. The peels are easier to remove them by squeezing them from one end and the peel pops off.
That's exactly how I do pearl onions. Will have to try it with garlic.

One of my favorite ways to have garlic is to roast whole bulbs of the stuff until the garlic is soft and squeezable. I squeeze it right out of the clove onto a warm piece of fresh baked Italian bread and wow, is that good. A true garlic lover's delight.
 
That's how I do it. But just once I want to smash it, lol.

Have you ever tried that trick where you put loose cloves of fresh garlic into a jar (or any container would probably work) put the lid on tight, then you shake the jar vigorously to remove the cloves from their peels? It actually kind of works. I tried it once. Not every clove came loose from its peel, but I was surprised at how many of them did.
Yeah, but it was too much noise and a whole lot of shakin' goin' on.
 
I quite like garlic and use it whenever possible. That being said, I've roasted a few as have you Linda, only sad to say it has never turned out spectacular. Having heard such stellar results, I even resorted to purchasing a clay garlic baker. ... still not worth it.
Afraid won't try it again.

Yeah, but it was too much noise and a whole lot of shakin' goin' on.
Noise? not much, think opening a bag of chips is noisier! :LOL: and it really doesn't take that long.
Keep in mind... the container must be large enough for the amount of cloves. The more space, the better the bounce, the better the bounce, the easier the peels are released.
 
I quite like garlic and use it whenever possible. That being said, I've roasted a few as have you Linda, only sad to say it has never turned out spectacular. Having heard such stellar results, I even resorted to purchasing a clay garlic baker. ... still not worth it.
Afraid won't try it again.


Noise? not much, think opening a bag of chips is noisier! :LOL: and it really doesn't take that long.
Keep in mind... the container must be large enough for the amount of cloves. The more space, the better the bounce, the better the bounce, the easier the peels are released.
Noise from garlic banging against the inside of the two metal bowls. But, mostly, I don't use that much garlic at once. I doubt it would be worth it for five cloves. I don't often use that much at once. I have heard good things about the 40 cloves of garlic chicken.
 
I used to put them in a little water in the microwave.
Similar effect as the blanching.
I don't have a micrwave anymore though.
I just peel by hand. No knife needed, just a good twist
 
As you taxy, I don't use that much garlic at any one time. Think it was just for that recipe. I was thinking of others who might want to be freezing a few, or perhaps just peel a few cloves ahead of time for the week.
No, they don't "klang", more a thudding with a bit of a rattle if I remember correctly. In my case using the metal bowls was handy but it doesn't have to be 'metal bowls'. A large jar, plastic or glass, would also work as per Linda's post.
 
Why? I have never heard of that or seen a YouTube or TV chef do that. I always smash and then mince, well if I'm not just using my handy dandy, "hand grater".
If your goal is to make it into a paste, it is 1000% easier to do that way.

I learned it from tv chefs

Its pretty difficult to smash a whole fresh garlic clove into a paste
 
If your goal is to make it into a paste, it is 1000% easier to do that way.

I learned it from tv chefs

Its pretty difficult to smash a whole fresh garlic clove into a paste
I've seen TV chefs do that also. Much easier to scrap into a paste with the side of a knife with salt if the pieces are smaller.
 
Mine's not difficult to clean, either. In fact, when I first got it what I did with it was I sealed it, with food grade polyurethane - incredible how porous that is, at first! But I put some in the inside, and out, then blotted it off, and let it cure, and did that 3 times - by the third time, it wasn't soaking up much more. Then I let it cure for at least a week. And to keep it slip-proof, and keep it from scratching countertops, I put a layer of silicone seal on the feet! Did the same on the base on my Thai marble mortar, and they never slide, and the silicone "rubber" has never come off in over 20 years.
 
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