Final thoughts: I really like this method – especially if you want to keep the cloves whole for presentation. You can also use a silicone egg poacher this way, with the added effect (whether desirable or not is up to you) that your eggs may taste of garlic.

For a larger amount of cloves, I’m tempted to continue to use the hot water method (method 3) or the microwave method (when wrapped in a damp paper towel, not in a bowl), which worked well. Avoid using it in raw recipes unless pairing it with an acid, like lemon juice, to mellow the flavor. If you’ve ever bought a jar of minced garlic or peeled cloves in oil or vinegar, this doesn’t resemble any of those things. This can happen when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent smell. The Santoku is a superb choice when it comes to working fruits and vegetables, including the task of crushing garlic.If you used a bit too much vodka, you may also notice after a while that the paste has settled and some of the vodka has floated to the top. This knife has the perfect width and sturdiness to crush individual garlic heads or garlic in bulk if you want. Pre-peeled garlic, at least to me, seems like an expense I don’t need for the amount I may or may not get in a package. And believe me when I tell you it maintains all the same aromatic, flavorful goodness of a freshly harvested garlic bulb. Okay, so after peeling, hacking, and microwaving my way to discovering the easiest way to peel garlic, the truth is that I still prefer the traditional ‘smashing’ method (method 1) if needing a smaller amount of cloves.

You can drizzle the head of garlic or the peeled cloves with oil and place it in an ovenproof container or wrap it in foil and bake until the garlic is soft and spreadable.Press with your knife: Working one clove at a time; place the flat side of the knife blade on the clove, blade facing away from you, and press firmly with your free hand to break the skin away from the clove. Personally, I’ve never found it worth the risk of wasting all the garlic if it doesn’t work out well.