Garlic is an essential ingredient in countless dishes. Across cultures, it serves as a crucial building block for making food flavorful. But when you’re cooking for a crowd (or preparing a pasta that calls for 40 cloves), removing those skins can quickly become too time-consuming. So, what’s the best way to peel a lot of…
Shake Your Way To Peeled Cloves
Luckily, there’s a simple, time-saving hack: Shake your garlic in a glass jar. First, separate the desired amount of cloves from the bulb, making sure they are all loose. Next, remove the outer, papery white peel that covers the entire bulb. Place the garlic cloves in a glass jar, close the lid tightly, and shake the jar vigorously until you see the peels separate.
The time this takes depends on how many cloves you’re shaking, the jar size, and how hard you shake. For a standard 16-ounce glass jar, 15 to 20 garlic cloves is likely the maximum you can efficiently peel at one time.
More Ways To Peel Garlic in Bulk
Another technique is to slightly warm the garlic, which makes it easier to peel. You can achieve this by briefly microwaving it or by steeping it in hot water.
For the microwave method, cut off the top of the whole garlic bulb, and put it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds (depending on the strength of your appliance). When you remove the garlic bulb, you should be able to peel it easily.
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To use hot water, put your separated cloves into a heatproof bowl and pour hot (but not boiling) water over them. Let them steep for up to one minute, then remove and peel.
With both heat-related methods, it’s best to use the garlic right away to avoid oxidation. Be especially careful with the hot water method: If the water is too hot or the cloves steep too long, the garlic will cook slightly and affect the flavor.
Alternatively, you can buy silicone garlic peelers. These have the added benefit of protecting your hands from that strong garlic smell, and they’re ultra-easy to use.
