Meow Recipes: How To Peel Garlic

This is the first post in a series of our favorite cooking tips + tricks in the kitchen!

Fresh garlic is the starting point of countless savory recipes. From pasta sauces to soups, it’s always a good idea to keep a stash of garlic in the kitchen. Knowing how to peel fresh garlic will get you cooking in no time. Here are two ways to peel garlic quickly and easily.

Watch How to Peel Garlic:

How To Peel Garlic: Crush Method

Crushing garlic is quick and can be incorporated into your normal cooking prep seamlessly. All you need is garlic and a chefs knife.

Step One: Loosen up the head of garlic. Separate the cloves and pull aside however many cloves you need.

Step Two: Place one clove on the cutting board.

Step 3: Position the flat side of your knife on top of the clove of garlic, holding the handle tightly. Place the heel of your other hand on the flat side of the knife and push down firmly until you hear a crunch.

Step Four: Pull of the loosened skin of the garlic clove and discard. Slice, chop, or mince the garlic as needed. You can also use a garlic press if you want to make it easy on yourself. Repeat with remaining garlic cloves.

This crush method of peeling garlic is quick and perfect for when you need just a few cloves of peeled garlic.

How To Peel Garlic: Shake Method

Shaking garlic is surprisingly effective and uses a standard quart-size mason jar.

Step One: Loosen up the head of garlic and place all the cloves into a quart size mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly.

Step Two: Shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds. Take a look at the garlic to see if most of the cloves have been peeled. Shake for a few more seconds if necessary.

Step Three: Unscrew the lid and pour garlic cloves onto cutting board. Separate the skins for the cloves. Chop, mince, slice garlic as needed.

This shake method of peeling garlic is a quick way to peel large amounts of garlic all at one time.

How to Store Peeled Garlic:

Peeled garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days. Check for signs of spoilage before using.

For longer storage, spread garlic on a sheet pan and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer frozen cloves to an airtight container for up to 6 months. Note: Freezing garlic can change the texture of the garlic.

How to Remove Garlic Smell From Hands:

Garlic tastes amazing, but can leave your hands smelling pretty pungent. To remove garlic smell from your hands, wet your hands and rub them on a stainless steel surface. This can be the inside of a sink, a big stainless steel pot, or even a stainless steel bar of soap made especially for this purpose.