While jarred garlic might save you some time in the kitchen, it’s probably doing more harm than good. Just like coffee beans, freshness matters when it comes to garlic since its flavor starts to change the minute it’s exposed to air: The longer chopped garlic sits, the more bitter and sharp it becomes. This makes jarred garlic taste like a completely different ingredient, and one that often detracts from the flavor of a meal rather than enhance it. That’s why mincing fresh garlic is an essential skill that all novice chefs should master early on, especially since garlic is a featured ingredient in thousands of savory dishes.
Whether you need to fill this knowledge gap or speed up the process, you can peel and mince garlic in literally seconds with one simple trick. To start, select as many cloves of garlic as you need for a recipe. Next, place them on a cutting board and press down on each garlic clove with the flat side of a knife to loosen the skin so you can easily peel it off. Then, if a clove is big, cut it in half. Otherwise, leave it as is. Now comes the mincing trick: Place the flat side of your knife on top of the clove again and smash down on it with your hand to split it, then quickly give it a few rough chops. Now you’re ready to start cooking with some freshly minced garlic.
Other garlic mincing techniques to try
Everyone’s gotta eat, but it takes time to master even the most basic of kitchen skills. If you’re still working on those knife skills, or frequently need chopped garlic in bulk quantities, you can always splurge on some kitchen tools to help you mince. Options such as the OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper or a simple grater are safe bets. To use either, simply peel the skin off your garlic cloves first, then add them to the chopper or start grating. You can also use garlic presses, such as the OXO Heavy Duty Garlic Press, with no need for prior prep or peeling by simply popping a garlic clove in the machine and pressing down.
These options might mean more dishes to clean, but they save time and can help those less interested in the cooking process. Still, the cell walls of garlic are fragile, and the way you chop always impacts the flavor. Intense options such as garlic presses can expose the harsher elements within the garlic, so to achieve the best balance of flavors, use a knife and cutting board when you can to strike the right balance.
