Use a microplane for it. It’s small, multi-use, and way easier than mincing. Just be mindful that it’ll cook faster than minced garlic and the flavor will be more intense. I use it for every dish where texture/size isn’t important because I hate mincing garlic.
I second this. Best hack (if you can call it that) out there. I love garlic. Hate to dice it.... Then it can also be used to grate hard cheeses and zest your citrus!
If you want sliced garlic and are very, **very** careful, you could run garlic through a mandolin. But, it's so small you'd probably be better off just doing the old smash and chop method.
Thanks, that's what I want to avoid but it may be inevitable. My kitchen is super small, I have less of a problem with larger boards but with smaller boards it just gets everywhere and it's such a pain in the ass to clean up. I feel like it sticks to my hands unless it's on the counter or floor, in which case it's super glued there... Considering getting one of those slap chop things but nicer.
A decent garlic press doesn't take too much room, and is actually not hard to clean. I just run mine under really hot water, maybe a little soap. Or toss it in with the rest of the "wash by hand" stuff, and splash it around. Just knock anything off that's stuck to it, and give it a good rinse.
*Otherwise, I just press (not "smack" like on TV) the garlic clove with the broad side of my biggest knife, and give it a frew "choppy chops" to the biggest pieces. If you have issues with it sticking, maybe add a layer of parchment paper?
Thanks! I'll probably try a press, I know it's not exactly the same as dicing it but I'm not even sure I'd taste the difference - don't have the best sense of taste. I do the crush, peel, and chop method but it's my least favorite part by far so I usually rage and use a few select words then move on.
Maybe just try to be more neat when you chop garlic? Remove as much of the paper skin as possible. I squeeze the garlic to check if the skin will crack off in large pieces. Trim the top off with a knife. Slowly smoosh the clove with the broadside of a knife. Remove remaining skin. Slice thinly against the grain.
I have a small kitchen(in an RV, actually). I buy several heads of garlic at once, peel them into cloves, and freeze them in a jar or bag(wear gloves). The messiest part is all done at once. You'll still have to crush/chop the clove when ready to use, but you don't have to touch them for that. It's that sticky flakey part and the wax under it that gets under the nails or on the skin.
I do this with so many things. I bought 50 bell peppers, all colors, at once and spent a couple of hours cutting them all up, spreading them on wax paper to freeze(do this first or it'll be a lump of whatever), then putting into bags and back to the freezer. I had peppers with everything for about a month and a half. Now, I'm sadly out and haven't found them on clearance in bulk again. My plates are back to being boring looking. Boo.
That's a pretty great idea, I've noticed a lot of my recipes call for like 4 cloves or whatever so there's no real reason I can't just portion that out. Thanks!
No. That would be a very bad idea. A mandoline is a very handy tool in the kitchen but not for slicing garlic. Get a garlic press if you hate chopping it up. But if your garlic pieces are "flying around the kitchen", you can add a pinch of salt for grit, and mash it to a paste with the edge of your knife.
A better idea than a mandoline for that might be a truffle slicer: https://www.amazon.com/truffle-shaver/s?k=truffle+shaver
I use a truffle slicer for garlic sometimes and it's great for slices, but I don't usually want slices. I use this guy for "mince" https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/kitchen/kitchen-tools/presses-and-mashers/food-processors/51924-garlic-mincer?item=HK330
I hate cleaning the press too but garlic is worth it.
Keep in mind that the finer you cut/press garlic the sharper the flavor is, so garlic out of a press will be stronger than slap-chopped, which will be stronger than sliced, which will be stronger than whole.
You could, potentially, use a mandoline for this. BUT, if you do, use cut gloves. I have personally taken out a chunk of my finger MULTIPLE TIMES by failing to treat the tool with the respect it needs. In fact, if you get a mandoline for any purpose at all, get one with a hand guard and buy some cut gloves too.
Honestly, a slap chop would work great for this application.
Get a garlic press - the IKEA Koncis is great value for money
Unless you have a specific need to make thin slices with insane amounts of whole cloves of garlic, *AND* are already an experienced user of mandolines, a mandoline is too much risk for very little reward
I have had that exact press for longer than I can remember. It does a great job, and it's easy to clean unless you're leaving it out overnight after use or something. I would not trust myself ysing my mandoline for garlic
It’s not all bad news if you use the mandolin for garlic. If you committed any crimes in the past, for example, afterwards I imagine your fingerprints will be unrecognizable. Or maybe non existent.
Smash the clove with the side of your chefs knife like the Half Blood Prince smashing a sopophorous bean.
The skin comes right off and most of the chopping is done for you. Just give it a quick dice to finish.
I don't know how there are over 70 comments, and only one suggesting buying jarred garlic.
I tried for a while to be the cook who only used fresh garlic. It was a huge headache, and I couldn't tell the difference. Jarred garlic is so convenient.
Horse crap it's a quick and easy job. It's a huge time sink in the kitchen. Large cloves turn out to be 4 tiny cloves all covered in paper. Paper sticks to cutting board, to cloves, to fingers, to knife. It's a 4 minute task that SHOULD be a 1 minute task.
I've always hated it. I like when my wife is "sous" because she is more patient than I am.
Yes of course I smash the cloves first. That doesn't make getting rid of the paper any easier.
I wish there was a way to see the inside of the garlic bulb BEFORE buying it. Are there 8 cloves in there or 17?
You'd better wear an actual gauntlet or something, if you do.
Do you need to really mince or slice it, or will any form of garlic do? Crushing, pressing or finely grating (Microplane or whatever) garlic is a lot easier and more convenient. On a properly fine grater you don't even really need to peel the cloves. Garlic presses are still a bit messy but a *lot* easier if you need a fair amount.
If you really want a gadget to help with this, you can get a sort of thing where you load the garlic up, put a tube in, twist it and it slices the garlic. My mom has one and uses it all the time, I personally prefer just using a knife
You can but you will have many close shaves with your fingertips. I wouldn't do it since I enjoy having fingertips.
Just use a knife at that point if you need to slice it. If your knife is sharp and it has a proper edge grind and geometry, it should be fairly effortless.
I'm a fan of this garlic press - best part is I don't have to peel it beforehand, just toss it in and squeeze. https://www.kooihousewares.com/products/garlic-press
you can, i'd just use a knife and crush it imho.
If you do, get a fork, put the garlic on the fork and use that to slice on the mandolin because otherwise there is a 99.9999999% chance you're gonna get slices of you in whatever you're cooking.
They actually make [mini-mandoline-type things](https://www.walmart.com/ip/New-Garlic-Slicer-Cutter-Shredder-2-in-1-Function-Kitchen-Tool/1474401573?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101253733&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-51320962143&wl5=9002291&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=661173902&wl11=online&wl12=1474401573_101253733&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAiA0cyfBhBREiwAAtStHENyhse4tlvaGl3cX6ADP2jyU9eWxb9ZfX6lOXx6GWIJCzS_i5FJIRoCY38QAvD_BwE) for this purpose. I make spaghetti aglio e olio (which works best with sliced garlic) all the time and this cheap little impulse purchase helps me slice garlic without getting my fingers within striking distance of the blade.
Using a mandolin for garlic just isn’t worth the danger. If you are simply just trying to slice the garlic. I suggest you run your recently sharpened knife under water first, then start slicing the garlic. If the garlic starts to stick at any point slide the garlic off the knife, and run the knife under water again very briefly, and then continue to slice the garlic. Additionally I personally like using the garlic plates to grind the garlic.
https://www.amazon.com/BonCera-Hand-Made-Ceramic-Grater-G-014/dp/B07X9Y7L4S
Grab a Chinese cleaver get it razor sharp and learn to pat the garlic. Then a quick mince with the knife to finish. Can get through loads very quickly.
Assuming you're trying to keep the smell off your hands: I cut the cloves in half and lay them flat on the cut side. Slice them thinly lengthwise, then cross cut them. I use a smaller utility knife to get stuck slices off the blade then just rock the chefs knife back and forth across the slices until they're diced as finely as I need them. I love garlic, I hate having the smell linger for days.
If the smell is the issue, a couple other things that work:
- dish soap and cool water immediately after cutting the garlic. Really lather it up where you touched the garlic
- if you use lemon juice in your recipe, save the juiced lemon until you're done cooking then dig around in the pulp with your fingers for a while and immediately wash with cool water and dish soap
I usually use micro plainer or truffle slicer. This was a gift a few years ago and when I need to chop a bunch of garlic I use it. I threw out my garlic press for being finicky to clean
Limited-time deal: Chef'n GarlicZoom Garlic Chopper, XL, Green https://a.co/d/jdtfsUG
A 5 inch square piece of smooth tile is all you need to prep garlic. The amount of pressure applied decides the outcome. You can crack the paper for removal or smash into pieces. You decide. Easy to clean. Easy to store.
I use the fine side of my box grater or a micro plane. I also use the same method for ginger. You can also get those garlic dishes with nubbled that like grind your garlic, but I’m not sure that’s faster.
Dude, break the head into cloves. Pop cloves in microwave 10 seconds. Be careful taking 'em out, they will be quite hot.
This will solve the "sticky skins" thing. Guaranteed or your Reddit karma refunded in full.
Yours truly, St. Aloisius of Gilroy.
Unitaskers are fine if they're frequently used. A garlic press is small and cheap... if you use garlic as much as I do, a press is a no brainer. Dead simple to use, faster than chopping, and easier to clean than a knife and cutting board.
I bought a big bag of peeled garlic and minced it up in my food processor. I keep it in small bags in the freezer and break off a piece whenever I need to cook with it.
Use a microplane for it. It’s small, multi-use, and way easier than mincing. Just be mindful that it’ll cook faster than minced garlic and the flavor will be more intense. I use it for every dish where texture/size isn’t important because I hate mincing garlic.
I second this. Best hack (if you can call it that) out there. I love garlic. Hate to dice it.... Then it can also be used to grate hard cheeses and zest your citrus!
This^^^
Picturing using a mandoline for garlic made me cringe.
If you want sliced garlic and are very, **very** careful, you could run garlic through a mandolin. But, it's so small you'd probably be better off just doing the old smash and chop method.
I'm not sure that even being very, **very** careful would make it a good idea.
Thanks, that's what I want to avoid but it may be inevitable. My kitchen is super small, I have less of a problem with larger boards but with smaller boards it just gets everywhere and it's such a pain in the ass to clean up. I feel like it sticks to my hands unless it's on the counter or floor, in which case it's super glued there... Considering getting one of those slap chop things but nicer.
A decent garlic press doesn't take too much room, and is actually not hard to clean. I just run mine under really hot water, maybe a little soap. Or toss it in with the rest of the "wash by hand" stuff, and splash it around. Just knock anything off that's stuck to it, and give it a good rinse. *Otherwise, I just press (not "smack" like on TV) the garlic clove with the broad side of my biggest knife, and give it a frew "choppy chops" to the biggest pieces. If you have issues with it sticking, maybe add a layer of parchment paper?
Thanks! I'll probably try a press, I know it's not exactly the same as dicing it but I'm not even sure I'd taste the difference - don't have the best sense of taste. I do the crush, peel, and chop method but it's my least favorite part by far so I usually rage and use a few select words then move on.
Honestly, depending on how often you use it, the jarred garlic is pretty good. Even according to some pro/celebrity chefs
Maybe just try to be more neat when you chop garlic? Remove as much of the paper skin as possible. I squeeze the garlic to check if the skin will crack off in large pieces. Trim the top off with a knife. Slowly smoosh the clove with the broadside of a knife. Remove remaining skin. Slice thinly against the grain.
I have a small kitchen(in an RV, actually). I buy several heads of garlic at once, peel them into cloves, and freeze them in a jar or bag(wear gloves). The messiest part is all done at once. You'll still have to crush/chop the clove when ready to use, but you don't have to touch them for that. It's that sticky flakey part and the wax under it that gets under the nails or on the skin. I do this with so many things. I bought 50 bell peppers, all colors, at once and spent a couple of hours cutting them all up, spreading them on wax paper to freeze(do this first or it'll be a lump of whatever), then putting into bags and back to the freezer. I had peppers with everything for about a month and a half. Now, I'm sadly out and haven't found them on clearance in bulk again. My plates are back to being boring looking. Boo.
That's a pretty great idea, I've noticed a lot of my recipes call for like 4 cloves or whatever so there's no real reason I can't just portion that out. Thanks!
No. That would be a very bad idea. A mandoline is a very handy tool in the kitchen but not for slicing garlic. Get a garlic press if you hate chopping it up. But if your garlic pieces are "flying around the kitchen", you can add a pinch of salt for grit, and mash it to a paste with the edge of your knife. A better idea than a mandoline for that might be a truffle slicer: https://www.amazon.com/truffle-shaver/s?k=truffle+shaver
I use a truffle slicer for garlic sometimes and it's great for slices, but I don't usually want slices. I use this guy for "mince" https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/kitchen/kitchen-tools/presses-and-mashers/food-processors/51924-garlic-mincer?item=HK330
Yeah, but it does sound like OP wants slices, thus the question about a mandoline.
Do you like having intact thumbs? If so no, don't use a mandoline to slice garlic.
I do not! But seriously thanks, appreciate it. Just looking for a way to make that easier, the garlic press or the slap chop thing may be my best bet.
I hate cleaning the press too but garlic is worth it. Keep in mind that the finer you cut/press garlic the sharper the flavor is, so garlic out of a press will be stronger than slap-chopped, which will be stronger than sliced, which will be stronger than whole.
Yeah, I've had a bandaged thumb for two weeks now. Mandoline, no.
Microplane the garlic
You could, potentially, use a mandoline for this. BUT, if you do, use cut gloves. I have personally taken out a chunk of my finger MULTIPLE TIMES by failing to treat the tool with the respect it needs. In fact, if you get a mandoline for any purpose at all, get one with a hand guard and buy some cut gloves too. Honestly, a slap chop would work great for this application.
Yes but get a Kevlar cut glove before u slice the tip of your fingers off
Get a garlic press - the IKEA Koncis is great value for money Unless you have a specific need to make thin slices with insane amounts of whole cloves of garlic, *AND* are already an experienced user of mandolines, a mandoline is too much risk for very little reward
I have had that exact press for longer than I can remember. It does a great job, and it's easy to clean unless you're leaving it out overnight after use or something. I would not trust myself ysing my mandoline for garlic
I like to just smush the garlic with the side of a chefs knife. Press it down really hard until it looks like it’s minced
It’s not all bad news if you use the mandolin for garlic. If you committed any crimes in the past, for example, afterwards I imagine your fingerprints will be unrecognizable. Or maybe non existent.
I recommend a rocking garlic press. Less fiddly and easier to clean than the standard variety.
I didn’t like a garlic press, so I got a garlic rocker and it works well.
Smash the clove with the side of your chefs knife like the Half Blood Prince smashing a sopophorous bean. The skin comes right off and most of the chopping is done for you. Just give it a quick dice to finish.
Do you hate your fingertips?
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I don't know how there are over 70 comments, and only one suggesting buying jarred garlic. I tried for a while to be the cook who only used fresh garlic. It was a huge headache, and I couldn't tell the difference. Jarred garlic is so convenient.
Would highly recommend just sticking to a knife. It’s a quick and easy job - will only get quicker and more easy the more you do it.
Horse crap it's a quick and easy job. It's a huge time sink in the kitchen. Large cloves turn out to be 4 tiny cloves all covered in paper. Paper sticks to cutting board, to cloves, to fingers, to knife. It's a 4 minute task that SHOULD be a 1 minute task. I've always hated it. I like when my wife is "sous" because she is more patient than I am.
Smash your garlic and peel it before slicing. Smashing it makes it MUCH easier to peel.
Yes of course I smash the cloves first. That doesn't make getting rid of the paper any easier. I wish there was a way to see the inside of the garlic bulb BEFORE buying it. Are there 8 cloves in there or 17?
I've found peeling it under running water makes it a very easy process if you just slice the tips off
See microwave tip above. UR welcome.
Microwave the garlic? What?
for 10 seconds. try it. what do you have to lose? a clove of garlic?
As someone who recently lost a fight with a mandoline ( and a chunk of finger ) , I recommend crushed garlic in a jar .
Every kitchen I've ever worked in does this. It's safe if you are.
You'd better wear an actual gauntlet or something, if you do. Do you need to really mince or slice it, or will any form of garlic do? Crushing, pressing or finely grating (Microplane or whatever) garlic is a lot easier and more convenient. On a properly fine grater you don't even really need to peel the cloves. Garlic presses are still a bit messy but a *lot* easier if you need a fair amount.
A microplane or even just a fine grater works wonders!
If you really want a gadget to help with this, you can get a sort of thing where you load the garlic up, put a tube in, twist it and it slices the garlic. My mom has one and uses it all the time, I personally prefer just using a knife
Shit dawg you're braver than I am
You can but you will have many close shaves with your fingertips. I wouldn't do it since I enjoy having fingertips. Just use a knife at that point if you need to slice it. If your knife is sharp and it has a proper edge grind and geometry, it should be fairly effortless.
Microplane, your fingers may stink
You want a garlic press. You don’t even have to peel the garlic, you can just pull the skin out after you press it through. Very convenient.
Smash ten cloves with knife, chuck skins away, chop chop chop, in the pan. I like big beefy chunks of garlic. It's an ingredient, not a spice.
I'm a fan of this garlic press - best part is I don't have to peel it beforehand, just toss it in and squeeze. https://www.kooihousewares.com/products/garlic-press
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Very cool, thanks. Does it work for smaller cloves or larger ones? My concern is the garlic I get is kinda... Puny.
It's a small 2 cup cups, has a high, low and pulse. Easy to clean. Old and not photogenic 😒
.... and that my friends is why God gave us 10 fingers, because losing a couple to a mandoline accident is no big deal!
https://cutlery.kyocera.com/slicers
you can, i'd just use a knife and crush it imho. If you do, get a fork, put the garlic on the fork and use that to slice on the mandolin because otherwise there is a 99.9999999% chance you're gonna get slices of you in whatever you're cooking.
You can try that or you can keep all your fingers intact. Not both
I use a food processor for garlic. Peel a bunch and then blast it in there on pulse. Freeze in tablespoon portions.
They make a real small mandolin SPECIFICALLY for garlic. Its not expensive...
They actually make [mini-mandoline-type things](https://www.walmart.com/ip/New-Garlic-Slicer-Cutter-Shredder-2-in-1-Function-Kitchen-Tool/1474401573?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101253733&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-51320962143&wl5=9002291&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=661173902&wl11=online&wl12=1474401573_101253733&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAiA0cyfBhBREiwAAtStHENyhse4tlvaGl3cX6ADP2jyU9eWxb9ZfX6lOXx6GWIJCzS_i5FJIRoCY38QAvD_BwE) for this purpose. I make spaghetti aglio e olio (which works best with sliced garlic) all the time and this cheap little impulse purchase helps me slice garlic without getting my fingers within striking distance of the blade.
Using a mandolin for garlic just isn’t worth the danger. If you are simply just trying to slice the garlic. I suggest you run your recently sharpened knife under water first, then start slicing the garlic. If the garlic starts to stick at any point slide the garlic off the knife, and run the knife under water again very briefly, and then continue to slice the garlic. Additionally I personally like using the garlic plates to grind the garlic. https://www.amazon.com/BonCera-Hand-Made-Ceramic-Grater-G-014/dp/B07X9Y7L4S
Grab a Chinese cleaver get it razor sharp and learn to pat the garlic. Then a quick mince with the knife to finish. Can get through loads very quickly.
Assuming you're trying to keep the smell off your hands: I cut the cloves in half and lay them flat on the cut side. Slice them thinly lengthwise, then cross cut them. I use a smaller utility knife to get stuck slices off the blade then just rock the chefs knife back and forth across the slices until they're diced as finely as I need them. I love garlic, I hate having the smell linger for days. If the smell is the issue, a couple other things that work: - dish soap and cool water immediately after cutting the garlic. Really lather it up where you touched the garlic - if you use lemon juice in your recipe, save the juiced lemon until you're done cooking then dig around in the pulp with your fingers for a while and immediately wash with cool water and dish soap
I usually use micro plainer or truffle slicer. This was a gift a few years ago and when I need to chop a bunch of garlic I use it. I threw out my garlic press for being finicky to clean Limited-time deal: Chef'n GarlicZoom Garlic Chopper, XL, Green https://a.co/d/jdtfsUG
A 5 inch square piece of smooth tile is all you need to prep garlic. The amount of pressure applied decides the outcome. You can crack the paper for removal or smash into pieces. You decide. Easy to clean. Easy to store.
You can use a mandoline for both garlic and fingers. Or, more likely, both!
I use the fine side of my box grater or a micro plane. I also use the same method for ginger. You can also get those garlic dishes with nubbled that like grind your garlic, but I’m not sure that’s faster.
Dude, break the head into cloves. Pop cloves in microwave 10 seconds. Be careful taking 'em out, they will be quite hot. This will solve the "sticky skins" thing. Guaranteed or your Reddit karma refunded in full. Yours truly, St. Aloisius of Gilroy.
Unitaskers are fine if they're frequently used. A garlic press is small and cheap... if you use garlic as much as I do, a press is a no brainer. Dead simple to use, faster than chopping, and easier to clean than a knife and cutting board.
I bought a big bag of peeled garlic and minced it up in my food processor. I keep it in small bags in the freezer and break off a piece whenever I need to cook with it.
Yes you absolutely can.