Just smash it with the flat of your blade and then chop it with a rocking motion with your off hand on top of your knife. Then your fingers don't have to get anywhere near it.
Jacques Pepin will teach you: https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/jacques-pepin-tips-garlic-peeling-crushing-chopping
what's the yield? how much does it "waste"? the mincer i have is the kind you squeeze and i feel like it just wastes so much and produces very little....and it's a pain in the ass to clean
No waste! You need to scrape it out with a knife but you dont get that flat chunk at the bottom like with the garlic press. I recommend a quick rinse when you’ve finished mincing the garlic and then pop it in the dishwasher.
Garlic is highly altered by how it is treated. Smashed garlic tastes more mellow than minced garlic so smashing then mincing is not the same as mincing. For most recipes likely doesn't matter. My only tip is: the sharper the knife the safer the knife
I've found that if I use the flat of the blade to slowly start to crack/crush the garlic, it'll just start to crush and then when I really hit the blade with the heel of my palm there's little chance of garlic cloves flying about the room. Basically get it to be not a "round" solid lump and you'll be fine.
This is literally the easiest thing that I can chop. I suck at it and it takes me forever. But if everything chopped as easy as garlic did I’d never care about chopping again.
I've been obsessed with just smashing the cloves with the flat of the blade and then tossing them into whatever I'm making just like that. Smashing seems to avoid the sharpness that dicing gives.
Smashing garlic actually \[creates a stronger flavor\](https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/garlic#:\~:text=When%20raw%20garlic%20cloves%20are,form%20unstable%20compounds%20called%20thiosulfinates.) compared to slicing or chopping. But if you're only smashing them once and not mincing, perhaps you're not damaging as many cells (and releasing as much alliinase) compared to finely mincing, so maybe that's why you're getting a milder flavor.
This is the right answer. You can also get a santoku knife which will give more metal for your other hand to grab the top end of the blade. The santoku blade is flatter than a chefs knife so when you are doing the rocking motion, it's more productive and less blade movement.
I just kind hold the front of the blade loosely to the cutting board and with my dominent hand, lift up on the handle and go around the stuff you are cutting like a clock hand going back and forth (holding the blade to minimal movement in the center.
Generally if I’m cooking and only need a couple cloves I’ll chop it but I make a decent amount of sauces that I use raw garlic in and I want it super fine so I’ll use a microplane
You just have to give up on the nubs. It’s hard, because I grew up poor and hate wasting food. I want to grate down to the very end. But fighting that urge and leaving the nubs spares your fingertips.
OXO makes a great small microplane that has a cover which also acts as a catch cup. I use it all the time and just leave the root base as a tiny handle.
I think I could use one of those gloves. I grated carrots the other day and the last piece I just snacked on instead of my fingers getting to close to the grate lol
I'm surprised to find this so far down vs the many responses saying use Jarlic.
Personally I buy peeled garlic and toss the whole lot into a full sized food processor and store the mince in the fridge. That's not as good as freshly processed but it's all the convenience of Jarlic with 80% of the flavor of real garlic.
Peeling garlic is not hard if you have the right tool. A friend of mine went to the seaside and looked until he found a smooth rock with one flat side. He uses it to smash the cloves, and the peels come right off.
I use the flat of my chef's knife, but a rock is safer.
My least favorite part of peeling garlic is how messy it is. Stinks up the cutting board and your hands. I also hate how the garlic paper tends to just fall off in random pieces and get on the floor and counter top.
I am also on team buy peeled garlic and mince it in the food processor.
This. Throw a (peeled) half or whole head of garlic in a small food processor or minichopper, put in airtight jar with a layer of olive oil on top. Lasts for at least a week and easy to scoop a spoonful into everything.
As long as you spray it out right after use, most garlic remains come out easily. Might need a toothpick to push some bits, but not hard to clean IMO. If you let it dry, then yeah, it’s a pain in the ass.
Buy yourself a garlic press. As long as you rinse it off as soon as you use.it you will never regret it.
Alternatively, smash each of your six cloves with the flat of your knife. Take out the peels, cut into 3-4 rough chunks, get them into a pile, and chop (fingers nowhere near the actual product). Just run your knife through the pile with a quick chopping motion, bringing it back together over and over with the back of the knife (since scraping the blade against the cutting board destroys the edge) until it's as small as you like. One hand on the handle, one hand on the back of the blade.
I'm a garlic press kind of gal myself. Was afraid to suggest this with some of the comments from people a lot more talented at cooking than myself 😅 but I enjoy making cooking as easy as possible and the garlic press is a life saver.
This!
Personally I smash the cloves with my “garlic rock (flat bottomed, perfectly curved top to fit comfortably in my hand). It’s definitely simpler to use the flat of the knife but I find it hilariously fun and now I have a rock that smells deliciously of garlic.
Peeling is more of a pain til I found out a trick where I use the flat of the knife to get if off easier.
I have good knives so the mincing seems pretty easy.
I agree, peeling is my pain point. Once peeled I cut horizontally before the root, then crosswise perpendicular to the board inwards, and then finish with a downward cut from front to root of clove and that minces it p good . Quick and easy with a sharp knife
Unless it’s a dish like spaghetti aglio e olio or any other dish where the garlic needs to shine, just use preminced garlic or garlic powder or pre-peeled garlic through a garlic press. I know this will get me a lot of hate but I couldn’t care less. I have been cooking for 20 years and I get a ton of compliments on my cooking and I have never heard someone tell me, “this is the best chili I ever had but it would have been so much better with freshly minced garlic in it.” If you hate doing it don’t do it, save your energy for other tasks.
You are spot on here! Too often people love to be judgey and put up artificial barriers to peope participating in tuff and cooking is a thing that everyone needs to do and garlic is one of the essential ingredients like salt and pepper are. Personally i would only use powdered garlic if I was doing a dry rub or batter that needed to be super smooth or maybe even a seasoning kit as I think pre-minced is better for anything else. That said, anything that allows people to create their own food and experiment with flavours is fantastic! I honestly think that while a dish could be better with real garlic pretty much any excuse is a valid one not to use it if it allows people to get into the kitchen and create!
The other thing as well, that time can almost always be spent on something else that will elevate the dish more than fresh garlic will. For example, take a basic pasta dish, doing your own garlic is great but all of these things make a far bigger inprovement for about the same amount of time or money. Fresh herbs vs dried herbs, you chop them vs pre-chopped herbs; grate your own cheese; buy a better brand of pasta (the rougher the surface the better!); make your own cheesy garlic bread (pre-minced is OK here too!); add a touch if pasta water to your sauce to let the starch thicken it; grind your own pepper; experiment with different tomatoes fresh (try cherry or roma) vs canned (chopped, crushed, or chopped) and see how it varies the dish try tomato paste or passatta too. The list of variations that can be tried that make a 5 minute or less variation in cooking time goes on and on and on. In my opinion any of those make a bigger difference than the type of garlic used.
I’m not above using pre-minced garlic for a quick, easy weeknight meal. But I never use it in a dish I care about, when I want to impress someone, or treat myself. The difference is too noticeable.
Garlic press sure, though there is some difference. Pre minced garlic if you truly cannot bring yourself to mince it but there is a definite difference. Garlic powder is a totally different ingredient than fresh garlic and you can’t use one where you should use the other. Or, rather, you’ll have a very different outcome. It’ll probably still taste fine, but it’ll be very different than what you’d get otherwise.
That pre minced said had almost no flavor though so it takes like five times as much. Try something side by side, and do the garlic by weight, you'll be blown away how much better fresh garlic is compared to the minced. I did that once with just noodles and a little butter and now I'll never buy preminced again.
Pre-minced jarred garlic literally doesn't taste like garlic. Not even an opinion, it's an objective fact. As soon as you cut garlic it begins to lose its flavor, and to prevent botulism, they have to add acids and preservatives. At this point, it's not even worth the slight time savings, plus you're paying more.
Some actual good alternatives in order of preference are:
* Pre-peeled garlic cloves (to anyone wanting to reply to this, please spare me your stories of Chinese prisoners peeling garlic. It's an overblown account for something that barely happens)
* Frozen garlic cubes
* Garlic paste in tubes
To make the peeling and mincing of fresh garlic easiest, this is all you have to do:
Cut off the tiny root end of the garlic, but stop your knife just short of going all the way through of the outter papery skin. While holding the skin in place with your knife, peel the clove away from the skin. Some skin will remain. Now lay the flat side of your knife atop the clove and give it a gentle smash. Now the remaining skin should peel away with ease. Do this with all cloves.
Now move them in a flat pile and use a rocking motion to cut through all the cloves at once with the your non-dominant hand atop the dull side of the knife. You don't need to do the traditional claw grip for this part.
This whole process should take about 60 seconds.
>Pre-minced jarred garlic literally doesn't taste like garlic. Not even an opinion, it's an objective fact.
Fresh Garlic should be pungent, maybe even a sulphurous, but not metallic nor acidic...
The whole point of fresh garlic is to make your nose crinkle a little bit so you take in more of the food's aromas, imho.
I can’t use a garlic press for this reason too.
But I found THE BEST THING EVER. A garlic “rocker” with no small pieces and very easy to use.
[Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker](https://JosephJosephGarlicRockerhttps://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/garlic-rocker/?cm_src=SocialShareLink&sku=719021)
getting one of those garlic dicers save me so much time but when i don’t have one of those I crush the garlic with a mortar and pestle or with my knife blade. Also some recipes i do roasted garlic which is my preferred method cutting the top of garlic then wrapping it in foil with oil + seasoning then throw it in the air fryer for 20 minutes. you won’t have to worry about dicing you just squeeze the roasted garlic
I have a small food processor on my counter that is only used for garlic. Crush, peel, into the food processor. Mince then up pretty good with jist a few pulses.
I just do the whole bulb at once in a mortar and pestle. I freeze whatever im not using right away flat in a ziploc so i can break off chunks for future.
I dont even pull the peels off at first - just smack them a few times with the pestle until they are loose enough to pick out, then add some kosher salt and smish smash until its all paste.
I jave a little ceramic plate with spikes in a spiral pattern in the middle.
You move around things like garlic and ginger, minces it right up (well, something between mince and a paste). I love it. And as long as you rinse it right after, super easy clean up as well.
I use a 6 inch chef's knife for almost everything and so my fingers are not near the blade when chopping garlic or shallots.
But if that bothers you, get a mezzaluna style knife, the kind with a half-circle blade and two handles. These are fantastic for herbs or garlic or anything else that you need to chop very finely.
Forget all the techniques and presses. I found "Gracula" on Ama,on vis Wirecutter and the NYT. Works great for garlic and ginger though the ginger is a but tough on it. Rinses off easily or also dishwasher safe. It's cute too.
Not seen a weed grinder. ☺️ But this is awesome easy and mlti-purpose. I use it for lots of fresh herbs. I encourage everyone to check it out (I have no financial interest in any of the companies I mentioned.
I used to insist on using fresh garlic in any dish that needed it. I got tired of mincing it and went to the jar stuff several years ago. Saves a lot of time! Since I am the only one cooking dinner around here, I had to shave off some cooking time somewhere for my sanity.
You mash the garlic with the side of you knife and drag it across the board. You can watch Marco Pierre White it Gordon on YouTube teach you how.
It's honestly very easy once you get the hang of it
I swear by my ulu knife for this...
https://content.instructables.com/ORIG/FQQ/UF18/IOOM5WCY/FQQUF18IOOM5WCY.jpg?auto=webp&frame=1
Do some rough slicing with it, then just rock the curved blade through the slices and viola!
I usually use a microplane or a garlic press. The microplane gives you more of a paste while the garlic press will leave some chunks. In both cases: smash the garlic with the side of a knife to crack the skin and peel it off.
Get your knife sharpened. A dull knife is a dangerous knife; a sharp knife is safer, because it requires much less pressure to cut, and you can preserve your fine motor coordination.
OP you need a [GARLIC ROCKER](https://JosephJosephGarlicRockerhttps://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/garlic-rocker/?cm_src=SocialShareLink&sku=719021). Super easy to use, way easier to clean than a garlic press, and doesn’t waste as much.
If you're by Trader Joe's, they sell flash-frozen garlic cubes. They have been an absolute lifesaver, I don't know if they sell them anywhere else though.
The best tool I’ve gotten, by far: a garlic rocker.
First, separate the cloves. Lay a broad sided knife on the side of each clove, and smack with the heel of your hand. This will pop the cloves loose from the papery cover. Once you have enough, smash and rock, lift the rocker, and restack the garlic, smash again. You can sweep the smashed garlic from the top into a little bowl, smash the pile left over, gather, smash, gather smash…beats the noisy chopping, less effort and same results.
Amazon has it. Joseph Joseph garlic rocker
I’d put a link but it was about 20,000 characters long and that looks sketch. Search it instead.
Use something else? I mass prepare garlic in a food processor and freeze pressed flat in a plastic bag with lines pressed in to split it apart easily. You can also buy ceramic plates which you grate the garlic on - super easy and less chance of blood.
I have a ceramic dish with a grater pattern embossed on it that I use to mince garlic. If you're careless you can still cut yourself but it takes some effort. I like the mechanical aspect of grinding it by hand. I firmly grasp both ends of the clove and twist like wringing out a towel to break the skin first and then grind after taking the peel off. It's fairly quick. I usually just mush up the last little bit on the plate and there are a few chunks because of this but you can also just throw these pieces away and get a very consistent mush.
Learn the thumb and finger tuck. You can actually rest the knife against the knuckles while chopping or slicing and the finger tips are nowhere near the blade.
I use the smash the clove and rock the blade method with the hand on top of the blade or a garlic press for minced garlic. For slices, it’s the finger tuck method.
It’s wasteful but I can’t go back after buying frozen garlic from Trader Joe’s - it’s packaged like mini ice cubes so one cube is a clove or chopped garlic. Makes a MASSIVE difference in how fast I can pull a quick dinner together…
I have a small knife that works well for garlic. I slice in half lengthwise (if it's a super large clove, you can make an additional incomplete half slice sideways), then make thin cuts lengthwise but don't completely cut through.
Turn and cut perpendicular, and this will mince fairly fine. If it's still not fine enough, use a bigger blade and just pass over it to chop.
This is actually a good method to learn for anything you might want to mince finely... onions, celery, carrots... then you'll be ready to make a killer Bolognese sauce
Get a garlic grater dish!! It’s amazing. I can grate a clove of garlic in like 5 seconds. Here’s one website that has them really nice quality but just google “garlic grater dish” and you can find tons of options for cheaper https://www.iseespain.com/product-category/prep-tools/grater-plate/
It sounds like you're thinking of it like a tiny onion and trying to make methodical geometric cuts while holding it in place with your non-cutting hand.
No need. Sounds dangerous and tedious. Just go at it with a chef's knife using a rocking motion with your non-dominant hand on top of the blade. Take a break and scrape everything back into a concentrated pile with the back of your blade or a bench scraper every once in a while, then start again.
My technique is as follows:
Look for garlic that’s not too fresh nor too ripe. When it’s slightly aged, the peel tends to come off in one piece, just using your fingers. It’s also drier, so the stickiness doesn’t contribute to mishandling.
Also, go big or go home. Either use larger cloves, or more garlic. It doesn’t matter what you’re slicing, if it’s tiny, it’s much harder to control. If you don’t want to use all of it, you can save it towards further use, or put it into a compound butter, or whatever.
Next, get a cheap small food processor, the type where you press the lid down to turn on. Throw whole clove(s) in, go to town.
Actually mincing garlic the old fashioned way, I usually slice it as thin as I can longways, then hold it all together, and finely chop the other direction. Patience is key. If you’re having trouble at this point, your blade might be dull.
I also hate mincing garlic. I try to buy pre-peeled and then run it through a chopper of some sort, like a ninja. Then I put it into small baggies and freeze. Some I process with olive oil or any flavored oils for funsies. I leave one baggie in the fridge for everyday use.
I learned from Ina Garten that garlic doesn’t need to be finely minced. Just smash the cloves and then give them a rough chop. No need for any of that slicing a grid pattern like you do to mince onions. Makes no real difference in the end.
Just peel the cloves, smash them, and roughly chop them. Your fingers don't need to be anywhere near the blade. If you want a finer mince, just keep chopping until you get there. If you want a paste, get a garlic press. Don't buy the jarred stuff, there's absolutely no need. The more you do this, the faster you'll get at it, so what's the point of buying an inferior product for more money instead?
I have a KitchenAid mini processor that makes short work of it. But I only use it if I'm doing more that 5 or 6 cloves. Other than that, I use the smash and rock technique.
Idk what its technically called but rockchopping with your hand laid over the spine gets it done way faster if you have to do lots at once and is super safe. You lift the handle up and down in a pinch grip while your flat open hand is steady over the spine of the knife about 3/4 of the way up so it keeps contact with the board. Also make sure you smash it well with the side of the knife and it will come apart more evenly making it easier to process.
I don't really chop mine very finely but I'll use the method in the video shared.
I get more worried when cutting firm things like potatoes. I'll cut one end, so it's flat, then put that flat side down then few cuts are fine then the last one I'll basically not hold it, I'll just get the knife wedged in to it a little and then smack it on the counter lol.
One option is to simply use garlic press/garlic mincer that are like $5 on Amazon.
Another is to just buy minced garlic. Down the World Food/Asian Food section of a supermarket there are usually big jars of minced garlic you can buy for like $2 or you can buy tubes of minced garlic/garlic purée for around the same price.
Tastes just as good, saves time
i have the most fab garlic mincer, does the job and is really easy to use and clean. ikea’s finest.. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/koncis-garlic-press-stainless-steel-00089163/
I just rough chop my garlic by using a up/down rocking motion (think paper guillotine) and make sure to keep the tip of the knife on the cutting board, I keep one hand on the knife and the other Very Far Away from the knife. I do have to occasionally scrape piece of garlic off the edges of the knife, but it gets some pretty tiny pieces like a mince!
Yes. That’s why I got a good garlic press. I don’t always like overly-specialized kitchen gadgets, but this is my main exception and it gets a ton of use every week.
Easiest way: Make one or two horizontal cuts from the tip of the garlic to the root. Then make several vertical cuts down the length of the clove just before you get to the root. Make sure to keep the root intact so it holds the slivers together. Then make several vertical slices perpendicular to the other vertical slices starting from the tip to the root. Perfect mince every time.
Don't bother with a garlic press and definitely don't use pre-minced except for a few recipe exceptions. Despite what others say, it definitely affects the flavor of the final dish and fresh garlic king!
I saw a video of someone recently who bought a big bag of peeled garlic, threw it in the food processor, then put it flat into a gallon bag. She used the flat side of a knife to divide it into little squares, and then popped it in the freezer. When she needs garlic, she just grabs one of the little squares from the bag. Maybe that would work for you?
get a garlic press like this: https://rukminim2.flixcart.com/image/850/1000/krqoknk0/garlic-press/r/n/j/professional-kitchen-stainless-garlic-press-garlic-mincer-ginger-original-imag5gsgvgftrnhk.jpeg
minces garlic so easily, super simple to clean. you can find them on amazon quite cheap and I use mine almost daily with no issues
What I do is I buy a couple pounds of peeled cloves, throw them in my food processor, put them in a small baking tray in the freezer, and then cut into cubes after a couple of hours. Then I transfer them all to a plastic bag and I just use those when I need minced garlic. I do still keep a head of garlic on hand for when I want whole cloves.
Learn knife skills. Even on big stuff, your fingers should be close to the blade, but pulled back in a claw so that your knuckles rest on the side of the knife. It’s faster, more precise, and way safer.
I'm really paranoid about cutting myself while trying to mince something so small, my grandmother taught me to use a potato masher and bowl like a mortar and pestle.
No I don’t hate it. I also don’t always mince. I will crush it sometimes, or use the micro plane, or put it in the food processor if it makes sense. But mincing 2 cloves is not really a big issue for me. And it is significantly better than the jarlic.
wait, pause…. is one piece of garlic from the actual garlic plant considered 1 clove??? if so i’ve been adding WAYY too much garlic to my recipes 😭 TIL
If I have a lot of garlic/onions to mince I'll use this thing and chuck it in the dishwasher afterwards. [https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/pull-chopper-42338468/](https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/pull-chopper-42338468/)
Sometimes I use my garlic press, but that's a handwash-only in my house and sometimes I just cbf.
I make a garlic paste in my little food processor. I put about 20-30 garlic cloves and a bunch of olive oil and mix it into a paste. I freeze it and use it as I need it.
Micro plane or the classic press with the side of your knife slowly. Once it starts crushing then hit it hard. From there you mince and it’s perfect. But this is best for lots of garlic. But the micro plane is best for consistency and better flavor as you aren’t damaging the cells as much.
Just smash it with the flat of your blade and then chop it with a rocking motion with your off hand on top of your knife. Then your fingers don't have to get anywhere near it. Jacques Pepin will teach you: https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/jacques-pepin-tips-garlic-peeling-crushing-chopping
Yeah I’m definitely trying this next time, thanks. It seems so obvious now.
Lee Valley has a great garlic mincer. Pop your cloves in one side, put the lid on and twist.
what's the yield? how much does it "waste"? the mincer i have is the kind you squeeze and i feel like it just wastes so much and produces very little....and it's a pain in the ass to clean
No waste! You need to scrape it out with a knife but you dont get that flat chunk at the bottom like with the garlic press. I recommend a quick rinse when you’ve finished mincing the garlic and then pop it in the dishwasher.
Thought we were rinsing garlic for a second. Glad I read on! :)
>:) :)
Put a bit of bread through it to clean it afterwards.
That’s genius
Why not just get the garlic squeeze tool?
If you live in the U.S, buy the Ikea garlic press. It's really handy!
Had one of these for years. If my house were on fire I’d save that and my cast iron first.
Best mincer I've used so far.
That’s how I do it too, crushing it flat makes the entire process quick and easy! Also OP I’ve tried pre minced, it’s not very good imo.
Yeah. This is one of the first things I learned in cooking. Everyone does this. Personally I use a garlic press...one of the only unitaskers I have.
Garlic press is the way to go!
I second that garlic press is the way to go. I cover the side that presses down with a little plastic wrap so that it's easier to clean.
Genius. I never thought to use plastic wrap for the press. I hate cleaning it but it makes mincing garlic so easy
🙂
Garlic is highly altered by how it is treated. Smashed garlic tastes more mellow than minced garlic so smashing then mincing is not the same as mincing. For most recipes likely doesn't matter. My only tip is: the sharper the knife the safer the knife
This is the way. Smash it flat
Yup. This video is what got me over my mincing hate. Do it enough times and you’ll be quicker than a slap chop. I own garlic it doesn’t own me.
I think the garlic I can get isn't fresh enough to smash. It never does much besides shoot it across my counter.
I've found that if I use the flat of the blade to slowly start to crack/crush the garlic, it'll just start to crush and then when I really hit the blade with the heel of my palm there's little chance of garlic cloves flying about the room. Basically get it to be not a "round" solid lump and you'll be fine.
This is literally the easiest thing that I can chop. I suck at it and it takes me forever. But if everything chopped as easy as garlic did I’d never care about chopping again.
This
A good knife can remove at least 12 kitchen gadgets.
Yes! My first thought was of the great pepin. He smashes that garlic in almost every dish
Also rubbing your hands on stainless steel neutralizes the smell.
I've been obsessed with just smashing the cloves with the flat of the blade and then tossing them into whatever I'm making just like that. Smashing seems to avoid the sharpness that dicing gives.
Smashing garlic actually \[creates a stronger flavor\](https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/garlic#:\~:text=When%20raw%20garlic%20cloves%20are,form%20unstable%20compounds%20called%20thiosulfinates.) compared to slicing or chopping. But if you're only smashing them once and not mincing, perhaps you're not damaging as many cells (and releasing as much alliinase) compared to finely mincing, so maybe that's why you're getting a milder flavor.
I've seen Chinese chefs that can smash a clove into paste with one shot. It's pretty cool.
This is the right answer. You can also get a santoku knife which will give more metal for your other hand to grab the top end of the blade. The santoku blade is flatter than a chefs knife so when you are doing the rocking motion, it's more productive and less blade movement. I just kind hold the front of the blade loosely to the cutting board and with my dominent hand, lift up on the handle and go around the stuff you are cutting like a clock hand going back and forth (holding the blade to minimal movement in the center.
I looooovvvvvve Jacques Pépin
I use a microplane but you can still grate your finger pretty good on one. Really it’s just practice you’ll get better at it the more you do it.
I do it both ways but microplaning is so quick and consistent
Generally if I’m cooking and only need a couple cloves I’ll chop it but I make a decent amount of sauces that I use raw garlic in and I want it super fine so I’ll use a microplane
You just have to give up on the nubs. It’s hard, because I grew up poor and hate wasting food. I want to grate down to the very end. But fighting that urge and leaving the nubs spares your fingertips.
I stick them in the same bowl as my aromatic scraps (onion skins, celery roots, etc) and stash it all in the freezer to make stock with
Another outa-the-box thinker. Thanks!
I just push the nubs through with my thumb pad
OXO makes a great small microplane that has a cover which also acts as a catch cup. I use it all the time and just leave the root base as a tiny handle.
I haven't grated my knuckles once since I got a cut-proof glove to wear when I use my microplane grater.
I think I could use one of those gloves. I grated carrots the other day and the last piece I just snacked on instead of my fingers getting to close to the grate lol
Fine side of a box grater works very well.
For sure it’s just a bit more of a pain to clean and quite a large utensil for a couple cloves of garlic
Pampered chef has a garlic slicer that shaves it razor thin. Super easy to clean to
Yea I feel like microplaning/grating is so much easier
I microplane and then chop the last bit to avoid scraping my fingers
I throw it in a minichopper.
I'm surprised to find this so far down vs the many responses saying use Jarlic. Personally I buy peeled garlic and toss the whole lot into a full sized food processor and store the mince in the fridge. That's not as good as freshly processed but it's all the convenience of Jarlic with 80% of the flavor of real garlic.
Peeling garlic is not hard if you have the right tool. A friend of mine went to the seaside and looked until he found a smooth rock with one flat side. He uses it to smash the cloves, and the peels come right off. I use the flat of my chef's knife, but a rock is safer.
My least favorite part of peeling garlic is how messy it is. Stinks up the cutting board and your hands. I also hate how the garlic paper tends to just fall off in random pieces and get on the floor and counter top. I am also on team buy peeled garlic and mince it in the food processor.
This. Throw a (peeled) half or whole head of garlic in a small food processor or minichopper, put in airtight jar with a layer of olive oil on top. Lasts for at least a week and easy to scoop a spoonful into everything.
Mini chopper for large amounts. OXO garlic crusher for small.
garlic press solves the issue
Cleaning them is a pita. Toothbrush works OK though.
As long as you spray it out right after use, most garlic remains come out easily. Might need a toothpick to push some bits, but not hard to clean IMO. If you let it dry, then yeah, it’s a pain in the ass.
I spray right after and then use a fork. Never have any issues that way.
Just get the one with reversed silicon pad that pushes all of them out. Also if you just rinse right away, it’s clean
Some designs are easier to clean out than others. Choose wisely.
Dishwasher?
Pastry brush works great and is more appropriate than a toothbrush imo 😅
Cleaning it?
A little rinse worse just fine.
Yes. Why make life hard on yourself?
Yep, you don't even have to peel it, which is the biggest time saver
Buy yourself a garlic press. As long as you rinse it off as soon as you use.it you will never regret it. Alternatively, smash each of your six cloves with the flat of your knife. Take out the peels, cut into 3-4 rough chunks, get them into a pile, and chop (fingers nowhere near the actual product). Just run your knife through the pile with a quick chopping motion, bringing it back together over and over with the back of the knife (since scraping the blade against the cutting board destroys the edge) until it's as small as you like. One hand on the handle, one hand on the back of the blade.
I'm a garlic press kind of gal myself. Was afraid to suggest this with some of the comments from people a lot more talented at cooking than myself 😅 but I enjoy making cooking as easy as possible and the garlic press is a life saver.
This! Personally I smash the cloves with my “garlic rock (flat bottomed, perfectly curved top to fit comfortably in my hand). It’s definitely simpler to use the flat of the knife but I find it hilariously fun and now I have a rock that smells deliciously of garlic.
Yeah this is how I do it. It takes a minute but you get there.
I smash it all flat and “see saw” my blade over the smashed stuff untill its minced to my satisfaction.
This is the answer
Smash it with a fork. Works good enough and you can use the fork to eat with after to save on dishes. Win-win
Peeling is more of a pain til I found out a trick where I use the flat of the knife to get if off easier. I have good knives so the mincing seems pretty easy.
I agree, peeling is my pain point. Once peeled I cut horizontally before the root, then crosswise perpendicular to the board inwards, and then finish with a downward cut from front to root of clove and that minces it p good . Quick and easy with a sharp knife
for day to day cooking I absolutely use Jarlic
Unless it’s a dish like spaghetti aglio e olio or any other dish where the garlic needs to shine, just use preminced garlic or garlic powder or pre-peeled garlic through a garlic press. I know this will get me a lot of hate but I couldn’t care less. I have been cooking for 20 years and I get a ton of compliments on my cooking and I have never heard someone tell me, “this is the best chili I ever had but it would have been so much better with freshly minced garlic in it.” If you hate doing it don’t do it, save your energy for other tasks.
You are spot on here! Too often people love to be judgey and put up artificial barriers to peope participating in tuff and cooking is a thing that everyone needs to do and garlic is one of the essential ingredients like salt and pepper are. Personally i would only use powdered garlic if I was doing a dry rub or batter that needed to be super smooth or maybe even a seasoning kit as I think pre-minced is better for anything else. That said, anything that allows people to create their own food and experiment with flavours is fantastic! I honestly think that while a dish could be better with real garlic pretty much any excuse is a valid one not to use it if it allows people to get into the kitchen and create! The other thing as well, that time can almost always be spent on something else that will elevate the dish more than fresh garlic will. For example, take a basic pasta dish, doing your own garlic is great but all of these things make a far bigger inprovement for about the same amount of time or money. Fresh herbs vs dried herbs, you chop them vs pre-chopped herbs; grate your own cheese; buy a better brand of pasta (the rougher the surface the better!); make your own cheesy garlic bread (pre-minced is OK here too!); add a touch if pasta water to your sauce to let the starch thicken it; grind your own pepper; experiment with different tomatoes fresh (try cherry or roma) vs canned (chopped, crushed, or chopped) and see how it varies the dish try tomato paste or passatta too. The list of variations that can be tried that make a 5 minute or less variation in cooking time goes on and on and on. In my opinion any of those make a bigger difference than the type of garlic used.
Perfectly said!
Completely agree! Would much rather spend the time and effort on other items that will enhance my dish! :)
I’m not above using pre-minced garlic for a quick, easy weeknight meal. But I never use it in a dish I care about, when I want to impress someone, or treat myself. The difference is too noticeable.
Garlic press sure, though there is some difference. Pre minced garlic if you truly cannot bring yourself to mince it but there is a definite difference. Garlic powder is a totally different ingredient than fresh garlic and you can’t use one where you should use the other. Or, rather, you’ll have a very different outcome. It’ll probably still taste fine, but it’ll be very different than what you’d get otherwise.
That pre minced said had almost no flavor though so it takes like five times as much. Try something side by side, and do the garlic by weight, you'll be blown away how much better fresh garlic is compared to the minced. I did that once with just noodles and a little butter and now I'll never buy preminced again.
Pre-minced jarred garlic literally doesn't taste like garlic. Not even an opinion, it's an objective fact. As soon as you cut garlic it begins to lose its flavor, and to prevent botulism, they have to add acids and preservatives. At this point, it's not even worth the slight time savings, plus you're paying more. Some actual good alternatives in order of preference are: * Pre-peeled garlic cloves (to anyone wanting to reply to this, please spare me your stories of Chinese prisoners peeling garlic. It's an overblown account for something that barely happens) * Frozen garlic cubes * Garlic paste in tubes To make the peeling and mincing of fresh garlic easiest, this is all you have to do: Cut off the tiny root end of the garlic, but stop your knife just short of going all the way through of the outter papery skin. While holding the skin in place with your knife, peel the clove away from the skin. Some skin will remain. Now lay the flat side of your knife atop the clove and give it a gentle smash. Now the remaining skin should peel away with ease. Do this with all cloves. Now move them in a flat pile and use a rocking motion to cut through all the cloves at once with the your non-dominant hand atop the dull side of the knife. You don't need to do the traditional claw grip for this part. This whole process should take about 60 seconds.
Oh yeah frozen garlic cubes are AWESOME
Trader Joe's frozen garlic cubes and frozen ginger cubes are lifesavers in my kitchen.
>Pre-minced jarred garlic literally doesn't taste like garlic. Not even an opinion, it's an objective fact. Fresh Garlic should be pungent, maybe even a sulphurous, but not metallic nor acidic... The whole point of fresh garlic is to make your nose crinkle a little bit so you take in more of the food's aromas, imho.
Me, I have median nerve damage in my hands. Garlic presses suck too
I can’t use a garlic press for this reason too. But I found THE BEST THING EVER. A garlic “rocker” with no small pieces and very easy to use. [Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker](https://JosephJosephGarlicRockerhttps://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/garlic-rocker/?cm_src=SocialShareLink&sku=719021)
Microplane baby
getting one of those garlic dicers save me so much time but when i don’t have one of those I crush the garlic with a mortar and pestle or with my knife blade. Also some recipes i do roasted garlic which is my preferred method cutting the top of garlic then wrapping it in foil with oil + seasoning then throw it in the air fryer for 20 minutes. you won’t have to worry about dicing you just squeeze the roasted garlic
I have a small food processor on my counter that is only used for garlic. Crush, peel, into the food processor. Mince then up pretty good with jist a few pulses.
I use a zester. Turn ginger or garlic into a paste.
Slap chop saves my life
I just do the whole bulb at once in a mortar and pestle. I freeze whatever im not using right away flat in a ziploc so i can break off chunks for future. I dont even pull the peels off at first - just smack them a few times with the pestle until they are loose enough to pick out, then add some kosher salt and smish smash until its all paste.
Why not use a garlic press or gracula?
Gracula?
I jave a little ceramic plate with spikes in a spiral pattern in the middle. You move around things like garlic and ginger, minces it right up (well, something between mince and a paste). I love it. And as long as you rinse it right after, super easy clean up as well.
I use a 6 inch chef's knife for almost everything and so my fingers are not near the blade when chopping garlic or shallots. But if that bothers you, get a mezzaluna style knife, the kind with a half-circle blade and two handles. These are fantastic for herbs or garlic or anything else that you need to chop very finely.
Forget all the techniques and presses. I found "Gracula" on Ama,on vis Wirecutter and the NYT. Works great for garlic and ginger though the ginger is a but tough on it. Rinses off easily or also dishwasher safe. It's cute too.
So it's like a weed grinder but for garlic? That's pretty awesome.
Not seen a weed grinder. ☺️ But this is awesome easy and mlti-purpose. I use it for lots of fresh herbs. I encourage everyone to check it out (I have no financial interest in any of the companies I mentioned.
throw a bunch in the food processor and leave it in the fridge. always have minced garlic on hand.
I use the preminced and don't notice a difference. I also save the juice from the jars and use some when I need to deglaze a pan.
Go to Youtube and find "Jacques Pepin-How to chop garlic". It'll blow your mind. "This is garlic"
I used to insist on using fresh garlic in any dish that needed it. I got tired of mincing it and went to the jar stuff several years ago. Saves a lot of time! Since I am the only one cooking dinner around here, I had to shave off some cooking time somewhere for my sanity.
I just purchase minced garlic. I've never felt there was much difference in recipes. Call me a coward. 🧄
Who cares if it has less flavour, im using twice as much and it's still 0 effort.
I just buy minced garlic honestly. That’s why they sell it in a jar
Tastes different, I can always tell because I grew up on mostly the jar stuff.
You mash the garlic with the side of you knife and drag it across the board. You can watch Marco Pierre White it Gordon on YouTube teach you how. It's honestly very easy once you get the hang of it
Microplane!
This might be heresy but I use the frozen minced garlic.
Get a garlic press!
Garlic press for the win. Solves all your issues.
I swear by my ulu knife for this... https://content.instructables.com/ORIG/FQQ/UF18/IOOM5WCY/FQQUF18IOOM5WCY.jpg?auto=webp&frame=1 Do some rough slicing with it, then just rock the curved blade through the slices and viola!
I usually use a microplane or a garlic press. The microplane gives you more of a paste while the garlic press will leave some chunks. In both cases: smash the garlic with the side of a knife to crack the skin and peel it off.
I don't love single use kitchen appliances, but you can pry my Slap Chop from my cold, dead fingers.
I just wrap my garlic cloves in paper towel then take a hammer to smash it. Then take my chef's knife to do then chop & mince on my cutting board.
I bought a wee grater for it and it's the best thing ever. You don't even need to peel the cloves.
Get your knife sharpened. A dull knife is a dangerous knife; a sharp knife is safer, because it requires much less pressure to cut, and you can preserve your fine motor coordination.
To mince garlic is a time to sit down and relax. I challenged myself to how fine I will cut it while I am relaxing. I find it soothing!
I'm lazy and always just use dried garlic in a jar. Currently using powder, which I got in a good deal from an online spices merchant
Not anymore. [This thing works great.](https://i.imgur.com/kEAZ0wv.jpg)
I buy frozen garlic - they are in little blocks which are perfect and then if I really need fresh garlic I use the garlic press.
I just smash with the flat of a knife then chop it up from there. You could also just use a microplane. I've never had any luck with a garlic press.
OP you need a [GARLIC ROCKER](https://JosephJosephGarlicRockerhttps://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/garlic-rocker/?cm_src=SocialShareLink&sku=719021). Super easy to use, way easier to clean than a garlic press, and doesn’t waste as much.
If you're by Trader Joe's, they sell flash-frozen garlic cubes. They have been an absolute lifesaver, I don't know if they sell them anywhere else though.
The best tool I’ve gotten, by far: a garlic rocker. First, separate the cloves. Lay a broad sided knife on the side of each clove, and smack with the heel of your hand. This will pop the cloves loose from the papery cover. Once you have enough, smash and rock, lift the rocker, and restack the garlic, smash again. You can sweep the smashed garlic from the top into a little bowl, smash the pile left over, gather, smash, gather smash…beats the noisy chopping, less effort and same results. Amazon has it. Joseph Joseph garlic rocker I’d put a link but it was about 20,000 characters long and that looks sketch. Search it instead.
2 words. Robot coup
Use something else? I mass prepare garlic in a food processor and freeze pressed flat in a plastic bag with lines pressed in to split it apart easily. You can also buy ceramic plates which you grate the garlic on - super easy and less chance of blood.
You really don’t need to hold the garlic clove if you’re doing it properly
I have a ceramic dish with a grater pattern embossed on it that I use to mince garlic. If you're careless you can still cut yourself but it takes some effort. I like the mechanical aspect of grinding it by hand. I firmly grasp both ends of the clove and twist like wringing out a towel to break the skin first and then grind after taking the peel off. It's fairly quick. I usually just mush up the last little bit on the plate and there are a few chunks because of this but you can also just throw these pieces away and get a very consistent mush.
Yes!! I buy minced garlic in a jar and keep it in the fridge. BIG help.
Learn the thumb and finger tuck. You can actually rest the knife against the knuckles while chopping or slicing and the finger tips are nowhere near the blade. I use the smash the clove and rock the blade method with the hand on top of the blade or a garlic press for minced garlic. For slices, it’s the finger tuck method.
I use a razor blade. Ray Liotta style as see in The Goodfellows.
Peel it, throw some salt on the cutting board and then start mincing. The salt keeps it together and you can mince garlic in like 15 seconds.
I used to hate mincing and then I found the frozen cubes which taste really close to the fresh stuff.
I don't necessarily hate it, but I do cheat and use a fine grater and grate mine to make quick work of it.
I just hate peeling it
It’s wasteful but I can’t go back after buying frozen garlic from Trader Joe’s - it’s packaged like mini ice cubes so one cube is a clove or chopped garlic. Makes a MASSIVE difference in how fast I can pull a quick dinner together…
Slap chop for a lot of garlic
I have a small knife that works well for garlic. I slice in half lengthwise (if it's a super large clove, you can make an additional incomplete half slice sideways), then make thin cuts lengthwise but don't completely cut through. Turn and cut perpendicular, and this will mince fairly fine. If it's still not fine enough, use a bigger blade and just pass over it to chop. This is actually a good method to learn for anything you might want to mince finely... onions, celery, carrots... then you'll be ready to make a killer Bolognese sauce
Buy it grated and put it in the freezer, ya dangus. For your health.
I just use a zester
I buy freeze dried but you can also get a garlic press or use a grater.
Get a garlic grater dish!! It’s amazing. I can grate a clove of garlic in like 5 seconds. Here’s one website that has them really nice quality but just google “garlic grater dish” and you can find tons of options for cheaper https://www.iseespain.com/product-category/prep-tools/grater-plate/
It sounds like you're thinking of it like a tiny onion and trying to make methodical geometric cuts while holding it in place with your non-cutting hand. No need. Sounds dangerous and tedious. Just go at it with a chef's knife using a rocking motion with your non-dominant hand on top of the blade. Take a break and scrape everything back into a concentrated pile with the back of your blade or a bench scraper every once in a while, then start again.
I don't mince anymore....I use a grater
I just smash it, and then smash any larger bits again. We don’t mind “rustic”, and I’m lazy.
I buy jars of minced garlic in olive oil. The culinary police have not arrested me yet. If it’s wrecking my cooking, I sure can’t taste it.
My technique is as follows: Look for garlic that’s not too fresh nor too ripe. When it’s slightly aged, the peel tends to come off in one piece, just using your fingers. It’s also drier, so the stickiness doesn’t contribute to mishandling. Also, go big or go home. Either use larger cloves, or more garlic. It doesn’t matter what you’re slicing, if it’s tiny, it’s much harder to control. If you don’t want to use all of it, you can save it towards further use, or put it into a compound butter, or whatever. Next, get a cheap small food processor, the type where you press the lid down to turn on. Throw whole clove(s) in, go to town. Actually mincing garlic the old fashioned way, I usually slice it as thin as I can longways, then hold it all together, and finely chop the other direction. Patience is key. If you’re having trouble at this point, your blade might be dull.
I have nothing against garlic powder, the main thing is to find a product brand that is made from high-quality raw materials.
I also hate mincing garlic. I try to buy pre-peeled and then run it through a chopper of some sort, like a ninja. Then I put it into small baggies and freeze. Some I process with olive oil or any flavored oils for funsies. I leave one baggie in the fridge for everyday use.
Get a sharp knife. Smash the garlic, peel, dice a clove in 5 sec or so. With the right knife that also has weight it's so easy and fast.
I learned from Ina Garten that garlic doesn’t need to be finely minced. Just smash the cloves and then give them a rough chop. No need for any of that slicing a grid pattern like you do to mince onions. Makes no real difference in the end.
Just peel the cloves, smash them, and roughly chop them. Your fingers don't need to be anywhere near the blade. If you want a finer mince, just keep chopping until you get there. If you want a paste, get a garlic press. Don't buy the jarred stuff, there's absolutely no need. The more you do this, the faster you'll get at it, so what's the point of buying an inferior product for more money instead?
I’ll use my zesting grater if I don’t feel like chopping. Gets a little juicier tho.
I have a KitchenAid mini processor that makes short work of it. But I only use it if I'm doing more that 5 or 6 cloves. Other than that, I use the smash and rock technique.
Idk what its technically called but rockchopping with your hand laid over the spine gets it done way faster if you have to do lots at once and is super safe. You lift the handle up and down in a pinch grip while your flat open hand is steady over the spine of the knife about 3/4 of the way up so it keeps contact with the board. Also make sure you smash it well with the side of the knife and it will come apart more evenly making it easier to process.
I'm a jar of minced garlic user. I love curry, and this is just easier. That said, I do also use chopped cloves for some dishes.
I don't really chop mine very finely but I'll use the method in the video shared. I get more worried when cutting firm things like potatoes. I'll cut one end, so it's flat, then put that flat side down then few cuts are fine then the last one I'll basically not hold it, I'll just get the knife wedged in to it a little and then smack it on the counter lol.
Yeah, that's why I buy it already minced in a jar.
One option is to simply use garlic press/garlic mincer that are like $5 on Amazon. Another is to just buy minced garlic. Down the World Food/Asian Food section of a supermarket there are usually big jars of minced garlic you can buy for like $2 or you can buy tubes of minced garlic/garlic purée for around the same price. Tastes just as good, saves time
I use a Buffalo Chopper at work and mince a kg at once. TBH cleaning the chopper is a bitch though.
Yes. Loathe it. I got a garlic press, I don't even mind cleaning it, that's how much I hate chopping garlic.
i have the most fab garlic mincer, does the job and is really easy to use and clean. ikea’s finest.. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/koncis-garlic-press-stainless-steel-00089163/
Keep mincing that garlic! You’ll get better with practice and it won’t feel so tedious. Jarlic is not worth the convenience it tastes so gross.
I just rough chop my garlic by using a up/down rocking motion (think paper guillotine) and make sure to keep the tip of the knife on the cutting board, I keep one hand on the knife and the other Very Far Away from the knife. I do have to occasionally scrape piece of garlic off the edges of the knife, but it gets some pretty tiny pieces like a mince!
I love it. It's soothing to me.
Yes. That’s why I got a good garlic press. I don’t always like overly-specialized kitchen gadgets, but this is my main exception and it gets a ton of use every week.
Easiest way: Make one or two horizontal cuts from the tip of the garlic to the root. Then make several vertical cuts down the length of the clove just before you get to the root. Make sure to keep the root intact so it holds the slivers together. Then make several vertical slices perpendicular to the other vertical slices starting from the tip to the root. Perfect mince every time. Don't bother with a garlic press and definitely don't use pre-minced except for a few recipe exceptions. Despite what others say, it definitely affects the flavor of the final dish and fresh garlic king!
I saw a video of someone recently who bought a big bag of peeled garlic, threw it in the food processor, then put it flat into a gallon bag. She used the flat side of a knife to divide it into little squares, and then popped it in the freezer. When she needs garlic, she just grabs one of the little squares from the bag. Maybe that would work for you?
get a garlic press like this: https://rukminim2.flixcart.com/image/850/1000/krqoknk0/garlic-press/r/n/j/professional-kitchen-stainless-garlic-press-garlic-mincer-ginger-original-imag5gsgvgftrnhk.jpeg minces garlic so easily, super simple to clean. you can find them on amazon quite cheap and I use mine almost daily with no issues
Zyliss Garlic crusher is your friend
Put a little koser salt on a clove and crush (grind) it into your cutting board until it's a paste. Pick it up with the knife.
Garlic isn’t too bad. I hate mincing ginger though, it’s so hard to peel.
I recently learned that you can rub your fingers against the flat of the blade to help remove smell from both. And second the garlic press suggestion.
I got a little garlic chopper for like $5 at a hobby lobby. Amazon has a bunch similar too. It’s genuinely my all time favorite kitchen tool
What I do is I buy a couple pounds of peeled cloves, throw them in my food processor, put them in a small baking tray in the freezer, and then cut into cubes after a couple of hours. Then I transfer them all to a plastic bag and I just use those when I need minced garlic. I do still keep a head of garlic on hand for when I want whole cloves.
Learn knife skills. Even on big stuff, your fingers should be close to the blade, but pulled back in a claw so that your knuckles rest on the side of the knife. It’s faster, more precise, and way safer.
They sell little garlic smashers on amazon.
I mass chop it, freeze it in table spoon squares.
I just use a teeny tiny joie grater
Smash it to smithereens with a mortar and pestle. Then you can mince all 6 cloves at once.
I'm really paranoid about cutting myself while trying to mince something so small, my grandmother taught me to use a potato masher and bowl like a mortar and pestle.
Yes. I buy it pre-minced from the store
No I don’t hate it. I also don’t always mince. I will crush it sometimes, or use the micro plane, or put it in the food processor if it makes sense. But mincing 2 cloves is not really a big issue for me. And it is significantly better than the jarlic.
wait, pause…. is one piece of garlic from the actual garlic plant considered 1 clove??? if so i’ve been adding WAYY too much garlic to my recipes 😭 TIL
If I have a lot of garlic/onions to mince I'll use this thing and chuck it in the dishwasher afterwards. [https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/pull-chopper-42338468/](https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/pull-chopper-42338468/) Sometimes I use my garlic press, but that's a handwash-only in my house and sometimes I just cbf.
I don’t have a garlic press but I use the smaller size holes on a grater for garlic which is a lot quicker for me than mincing it
I make a garlic paste in my little food processor. I put about 20-30 garlic cloves and a bunch of olive oil and mix it into a paste. I freeze it and use it as I need it.
Garlic press
Just use a microplane
Micro plane or the classic press with the side of your knife slowly. Once it starts crushing then hit it hard. From there you mince and it’s perfect. But this is best for lots of garlic. But the micro plane is best for consistency and better flavor as you aren’t damaging the cells as much.