How to Peel and Mince Garlic

Garlic is one of the most common ingredients in cooking. Using fresh garlic that you peel yourself gives the best results. It's going to be a time consuming task and you will probably curse yourself for not buying peeled garlic when you're done, but if anybody could do it, there wouldn't be an eHow on it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cutting Boards
• Knife
• Knife
• 1 whole head garlic

1. Select a whole bulb of fresh garlic whose cloves are held tightly together and are not discolored.

2. 

   Separate the cloves quickly by placing the garlic bulb root-side down on a cutting board and pressing down on it firmly with the heel of your hand until it separates.

3. To peel the cloves, arrange them on the cutting board and whack or press them firmly with a heavy object, like the flat side of a chef's knife, a kitchen mallet, or small pan.

4. 

   Cut away the woody end of the garlic clove where it was attached to the bulb.

5. Discard the skins and clean the cutting board before mincing.

6. 

   First chop the garlic roughly. Use the same theory as with an onion: Make a series of horizontal cuts on the clove (separating it into thin slices), then a series of vertical cuts (separating it into thin sticks). Then dice the sticks.

7. 

   Mince the chopped garlic by chopping it with a rocking motion: Keep the tip of the knife on the cutting board and move the handle up and down.

8. Stop every few strokes and use the blade of the knife to draw the garlic pieces back into a neat pile before continuing. Scrape off the garlic that has stuck to the side of the knife blade, too.

Tips & Warnings

• Wetting your fingers with water from time to time will prevent them from getting sticky from the garlic.
• If salt is called for in your recipe, try adding a little to the garlic as you're mincing it. The salt will help break the garlic down and make mincing easier.

Who Can Help:

• Guaranteed: Lose 30+ lbs without dieting. Try Sensa Today

[kmcbtt]

on 11/20/2008 This was very helpful as I am nineteen years old and my husband and I have decided to host Thanksgiving at our house this year!! I am making mashed potatoes and some other things and the potato recipe that I found calls for a lot of garlic (we have a really large family so I have to make like 20 lbs of mashed potatoes) so hopefully with the help of this web page I'll have success with mincing my garlic!! Wish me luck:)

[Protcron]

on 8/6/2007 No, to get rid of the smell from your hands easily, wash your hands and then rub your hands on the metal of your faucet. I don't know why it works, but it does.

[Annalise4492]

on 1/8/2007 Thanks this article really helps a lot. I'm only 14 and my sister and I are making Penne Arrabbiata for our family for dinner and I really needed to know how to do this.

on 8/8/2006 If you put it in the microwave to peel it, this actually steams the garlic, and reduces the flavor a lot!

on 6/30/2006 Be sure to remove any green sprout from the middle of the clove before mincing - the green part will add bitterness.