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Questions tagged [garlic]

Questions about selecting, identifying, storing, preparing, replacing or cooking with garlic as a main ingredient.

211 questions
48
votes
7 answers

Why do people smash garlic?

It seems a lot of people say to smash or crush a clove of garlic before they cut it up. Why is this? I've cut up garlic both ways, and I could see crushed being potentially a little easier to handle since it's flatter and doesn't roll as much.
Benny Jobigan
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2 answers

What is a clove of garlic?

If a recipe calls for 8 whole cloves of garlic, does it mean 8 whole garlics? Or does it mean 8 of the wedges?
Stacie
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22
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5 answers

Should one always use the whole garlic clove?

When using garlic cloves for pretty much anything, is it ever necessary to cut the slightly brown end off (that which connects to the head), or the middle out? Often times when I peel a garlic clove and cut into it I'll notice that the middle…
Nick
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17
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4 answers

What are the white tendrils at the bottom of these garlic cloves?

What are the white tendrils at the bottom of these garlic cloves? Are they the beginning of new roots? I'm afraid they are indications of fungus or mold.
traggatmot
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17
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11 answers

Is canned or jarred minced garlic substantially different from fresh garlic?

I am always in favor of fresh ingredients when possible. I recently discovered that minced (and crushed and chopped) garlic is available in very inexpensive jars in the produce section of the grocery store. I've always bought garlic and chopped it…
JYelton
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16
votes
4 answers

Raised brown spots on garlic

Occasionally I'll get a clove of garlic that has small brown spots on it. When there are a couple spots, I cut them off and use the rest of the garlic. Sometimes there will be A LOT of spots and clustered together. Those will get thrown away. …
Brooke
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14
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2 answers

Should I peel garlic before pressing it?

I've never been sure about this. It doesn't impact the taste or texture, as far as I can tell. I'm talking about those little crushing tools that you put a clove of garlic in, and squeeze it like pliers, and it presses the garlic through little…
temporary_user_name
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13
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7 answers

How can I prep a large amount of garlic quickly?

We're doing a food place for college students so the quality doesn't need to be top class, whereareas speed & cost matter more. We may need to prep a kilo or two of garlic for stir-fry and such (mainly Asian style). Do we have to cleanly peel every…
ChocolateOverflow
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12
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3 answers

Why should you remove the core of garlic?

I have read it is better to remove the core of a clove of garlic. I actually see no reason for doing this. Does it have a different flavor, or is there some other good reason for it? -edit- In addition to the question as reaction to the answer…
Lotte Laat
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11
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3 answers

Why is freshly-chopped garlic sticky?

When chopping garlic the blade of my knife, and any fingers used to handle the garlic, become sticky. What causes this reaction? Is there any way to counteract it? EDIT: After trying both suggestions out on my own, olive oil worked best for me. This…
stevvve
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6
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1 answer

Garlic powder clumps up

When I put garlic powder in a shaker, it ends up clumping. I tried putting in some rice, but it still clumps. Any ideas?
fixit7
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6
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5 answers

Why is my garlic brown and slightly translucent?

I have a whole garlic where almost all cloves are slightly brown, a bit translucent and soft. This is a photo of one of the cloves: The cloves are also a bit sticky when peeled. It reminds me a bit of how pickled garlic looks like: These are not…
Saaru Lindestøkke
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6
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3 answers

Does fresh garlic have any specialized uses?

I have some fresh garlic that I have just harvested from the allotment, and am drying out. I notice that the fresh garlic has a different texture from the shop bought stuff, and I was wondering if there are things that are more suitable for fresh…
Sam Holder
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6
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2 answers

Salting garlic at the start of a recipe

You commonly see recipes that call for sautéing onions before adding the rest of the ingredients. It’s not uncommon for me to sprinkle salt on the onions. However, if a recipe calls for starting with garlic in the pan I never think to salt the…
ChefShab
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4
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5 answers

What's the best way to get roasted garlic out of its skin

I am quite fond of oven-roasted garlic, but I always spend ages getting the meat out of their skin. In addition my fingers get rather sticky when I follow the method described in the linked recipe, which is to "press on the bottom of a clove to push…
eirikdaude
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