How to Finely Crush Garlic

Turn whole garlic cloves into a fine paste.

Mastering the art of preparing garlic is essential for any home cook. Learning how to properly peel, chop and crush garlic will reduce your prep time and result in better dishes. Crushing the cloves, as opposed to slicing them or leaving them whole, releases more essential oils and produces a more intense flavor. While there are tools on the market specifically designed for the task, all you really need to crush garlic is a large, sharp knife and a bit of salt. The end result is a smooth, fine paste ready for your favorite dishes. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Salt

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place a whole garlic bulb on a cutting board and squish it gently with your hand to free the individual cloves
- 2
  
  Lay a single clove on the cutting board. Rest a large kitchen knife on top of the clove and firmly press down on the blade. This will loosen the skin from the garlic.
- 3
  
  Peel off the skin from the garlic clove.
- 4
  
  Finely chop the garlic by holding the tip of the knife in place while rapidly running the heel of the knife back and forth across the garlic.
- 5
  
  Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the chopped garlic. The salt draws moisture out of the garlic and acts as an abrasive, making it easier to crush.
- 6
  
  Scrape the garlic and salt into the cutting board with the side the knife's blade, working it into a paste.