How to Peel Garlic

Garlic is a staple in so many recipes. We use it in just about every savory dish we make. Whether you are making soup, a sauce, or just about any savory dish, you are going to want to add the amazing flavor of garlic.

Now how to peel garlic is a whole other problem. Many people hear how amazing garlic is but don’t know where to begin so they buy the pre-minced stuff to avoid the peeling step.

But I can assure you that you will not get the same great flavor as you will get from a fresh clove.

I am going to show you the easiest way to peel garlic, some like to call it the “smash” method.

The smell, the taste, everything about garlic I love! Just a little garlic adds so much flavor to a dish. You really want to know how to peel before you cut garlic.

Starting with a garlic bulb I am going to go over how to break apart the bulb to get to the cloves and how to get that papery peel off from the garlic.

Have you ever had one of the chocolate oranges that come out around Christmas time?

You know, the ones you have to smack in order to break apart the orange slices? Breaking up the bulb is just like that.

1. Breaking the garlic bulb

Place the bulb with the pointed side facing up. With the palm of your hand, you want to push down hard or give it a smack on the top and the cloves will separate from the root.

Take however many cloves you need and save the rest for another time.

2. Hit garlic clove

Cut the tips of each end of the cloves off. Holding your chef knife with one hand, lay it on its side on top of the clove, and with the heel of your other hand smack your knife.

3. Peel the garlic clove

The peel of the garlic will fall off the clove and sometimes depending on how hard you smacked it the cloves will also smash and make it easier to mince up.

When you have prepared your garlic make sure you know how to store garlic.

FAQ

Garlic has the best flavor when it is freshly peeled. Buying pre-peeled or jarred garlic isn’t going to give you the same taste as peeling your garlic and then using it.

Although, the convenience of buying it ready to go is nice and it will cook up just the same. I don’t think taste even compares but it will still taste good.

The best way to peel garlic is using the smash method and squishing the garlic. That will break the skin and help the peel fall right off.

If you go through a ton of garlic like a restaurant than you can put the cloves onto a baking sheet and put the in the oven at 325 degrees until they soften. Let them cool off and the you will be able to push the garlic out of the peel easily.

How to peel garlic

Bob

How to peel garlic using the smash method. Its super simle and fast.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2

Total Time 2

Course Side Dish

Servings

Calories 4 kcal

Ingredients

1 garlic

Instructions

Place the bulb with the pointed side facing up. With the palm of your hand, you want to push down hard or give it a smack on the top and the cloves will separate from the root.
Cut the tips of the ends of the cloves off. Holding your chef knife with one hand, lay it on its side on top of the clove, and with the heal of your other hand smack your knife.
The skin of the garlic clove will pretty much fall off itself. If it was not fully removed then just peel the pieces with your hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 4kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Keyword how to peel garlic, peeled garlic cloves

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How to peel garlic