Ask the Experts: How to Mince Garlic
Posted by Julie on Apr 19th 2018
Q: I buy jars of minced garlic because they're convenient, but I know it would cost less to mince fresh garlic myself. What are my options?
A: We agree that jars of minced garlic are convenient, but fresh garlic tastes so much better. It's also really simple to mince. Here are three methods to consider, and the tools you'll need for each one.
How to Mince Garlic: Use a Chef's Knife
After you separate a single clove of garlic from the bulb, place it on a cutting board. Press the flat of the knife blade against the clove, with the clove between the center of the blade and the bolster. Hit the flat of the blade with the heel of your hand. The skin should be loose enough to peel away easily. If you smash the clove in the process, it's okay. That will just make it easier to mince.
Next, trim the tough root end of the clove, and remove the sprout in the middle of the clove. Then you can rock the blade back and forth over the smashed clove to mince it.
A chef's knife with an extra wide blade may come in handy, but you can use any chef's knife you have on hand.
How to Mince Garlic: Use a Microplane Grater
As with the first method, start by separating a clove of garlic from the bulb. You may want to peel it by hand instead of smashing it with a knife. It will be easier to grate a solid clove. You can use an extra coarse grater for larger chunks of garlic, or a fine grater to create a garlic paste. For safety, we recommend using a cut-resistant glove.
Keep in mind that a garlic paste will have a much stronger flavor than larger chunks of garlic. This article from Serious Eats describes the differences between knife-minced garlic and grated garlic. You may need to experiment a bit when grating garlic so that you end up with the flavor you're after in your finished dish.
How to Mince Garlic: Use a Garlic Press
While a garlic press is our least-preferred way to mince garlic, it is still an option worth considering. No need to peel each clove; put them directly in the press instead. In fact, that's the best feature of a garlic press. A garlic press can be difficult to clean, so look for one that has a built-in cleaning mechanism.