Garlic. What are you using to prep it?

[WaterPixie]

If you're from the UK, what are you using to prep your garlic for cooking? Only those NOT using a knife and board for this reply please.

As for why UK only, because I want to buy a suitable gadget to easily prep garlic with, and I'm not flying to USA or paying USA shipping charges or elsewhere to get one. Must be available for purchase in the UK, with UK customer service and warranty.

I'm tired of using my knife and chopping board. Hands, knife and board get sticky as hell. Takes forever to get it to even satisfactory level of fineness. Obviously crushed is the way to go to get full flavor from garlic. I can't get crushed with knife and board.
And the mess is very frustrating. The sticky mess.

 

[vernplum]

Bought this crusher/mincer at Tesco for £10.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I generally semi or fully roast my garlic. I don't much care for raw garlic. The peels come right off the semi-roasted and kitchen shears can be used to cut it into pieces into the food. I like chunky garlic a lot of the time. Or, if I'm making a dip such as hummus, I put the semi-roated cloves into the food processor with the beans and other ingredients. For fully roasted garlic, I don't take the skins off and I just squeeze the roasted garlic out of the clove. Easy peasy.

Oh yeah, I'm not from the UK, but I am not sure why that matters.

 

[WaterPixie]

I generally semi or fully roast my garlic. I don't much care for raw garlic. The peels come right off the semi-roasted and kitchen shears can be used to cut it into pieces into the food. I like chunky garlic a lot of the time. Or, if I'm making a dip such as hummus, I put the semi-roated cloves into the food processor with the beans and other ingredients. For fully roasted garlic, I don't take the skins off and I just squeeze the roasted garlic out of the clove. Easy peasy.

How do you roast? You COOK with roasted garlic?!

 

[WaterPixie]

Bought this crusher/mincer at Tesco for £10.

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How long have you had it for? How easy is it to clean? Does the majority of garlic come out or is there a lot of wastage?

 

[JAS_OH1]

How do you roast?

Different people do it different ways. I wash the bulb, cut the ends off the bulb, wrap it in foil,, and bake it for 20-22 minutes at 350F for fully roasted, 18 for semi-roasted. Some people rub olive oil all over the bulb before wrapping. Others bake it in a small glass dish covered with foil.

You COOK with roasted garlic?!

Yes, frequently. I rarely use raw garlic.

 

[vernplum]

How long have you had it for? How easy is it to clean? Does the majority of garlic come out or is there a lot of wastage?

I think i’ve had it about 3 years? Easy to clean, just run under the tap. Mind you it isn’t perfect and on the smallest holes you still have to dig out the outer part of the garlic as it won’t push it all through. You can throw that bit away or chop it (which I do).

 

[karadekoolaid]

I can't get crushed with knife and board.

I'd just say, practise your knife skills.
Slice, and chop using a heavy chef's knife (never a vegetable knife)
Chop again, no touching the garlic - let the knife do the work.
Again, ad infinitum, until the garlic is completely done.
Practice makes perfect.

 

[WaterPixie]

I'd just say, practise your knife skills.
Slice, and chop using a heavy chef's knife (never a vegetable knife)
Chop again, no touching the garlic - let the knife do the work.
Again, ad infinitum, until the garlic is completely done.
Practice makes perfect.

Great if you're white. I'm Asian. Weak wrists. Chef knives are too heavy for me. I use a santoku by Robert Welch and sharpen it using their own sharpner. Which doesn't even get it that sharp. To make initial cuts in onions I have to apply pressure over head to the knife using a hand over the back of it. Cutting it after initial slices using mid section of the knife cut OK.

Also you ALWAYS have to touch the sticky garlic when using a knife. It sticks to the knife as I said. You have to scrape it off CONSTANTLY will chopping. I bought a German expensive chef knife before. That's how I cut myself. Trying to remove stuck food from the knife.
I can't use a heavy knife.

 

[WaterPixie]

Different people do it different ways. I wash the bulb, cut the ends off the bulb, wrap it in foil,, and bake it for 20-22 minutes at 350F for fully roasted, 18 for semi-roasted. Some people rub olive oil all over the bulb before wrapping. Others bake it in a small glass dish covered with foil.

Yes, frequently. I rarely use raw garlic.

Doesn't that overcook the garlic? Roasted garlic in Italian or Indian cooking... How would that work? It'd just burn?

 

[WaterPixie]

I think i’ve had it about 3 years? Easy to clean, just run under the tap. Mind you it isn’t perfect and on the smallest holes you still have to dig out the outer part of the garlic as it won’t push it all through. You can throw that bit away or chop it (which I do).

You tried the Ikea one? The one currently selling for £4? How about a grating plate? Tried that?

 

[vernplum]

You tried the Ikea one? The one currently selling for £4? How about a grating plate? Tried that?

I haven't tried the IKEA one. I'm not big on self-assembly.

As for a grating plate, no. I imagine garlic is too small to hold to do that effectively (and safely).

Another alternative for you is a spice-grinder. I use this for mushing up garlic when I need more than say 15 cloves. You can do it in a batch then keep it in the fridge for quite a few weeks:

 

[WaterPixie]

I haven't tried the IKEA one. I'm not big on self-assembly.

As for a grating plate, no. I imagine garlic is too small to hold to do that effectively (and safely).

Another alternative for you is a spice-grinder. I use this for mushing up garlic when I need more than say 15 cloves. You can do it in a batch then keep it in the fridge for quite a few weeks:

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You don't assemble the Ikea one.... Why would you think you'd assemble it?

 

[JAS_OH1]

Doesn't that overcook the garlic? Roasted garlic in Italian or Indian cooking... How would that work? It'd just burn?

I make Italian tomato based sauces with semi-roasted garlic pretty regularly. No, it doesn't burn, but I add the garlic later (added to the sauce) and not in the beginning like I would if using raw garlic.

 

[JAS_OH1]

If you're from the UK, what are you using to prep your garlic for cooking? Only those NOT using a knife and board for this reply please.

I'm tired of using my knife and chopping board. Hands, knife and board get sticky as hell. Takes forever to get it to even satisfactory level of fineness. Obviously crushed is the way to go to get full flavor from garlic. I can't get crushed with knife and board.
And the mess is very frustrating. The sticky mess.

Methods for peeling garlic

We've been down this road before...