How to Peel Garlic Easily – Tips and Tricks

Vampires aside, just about everyone loves the distinctive taste of garlic. Pasta sauces, curries, garlic bread and loads more dishes all depend on this tasty little bulb for their aromatic flavor.

Ubiquitous as garlic is, though, peeling it can be a bit of a nightmare. Luckily, we’re here to help. Below we run through some nifty tips and tricks to help you peel your garlic quickly. Try out some of the techniques in this handy guide and we’ll teach you how to peel garlic in 7 seconds.

Separating the Bulb

Before you actually peel your cloves, you’ll need to separate them from the rest of the bulb. Luckily, there’s a handy trick for doing just that.

This particular method takes a little practise, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be busting open bulbs in no time.

• Place a full bulb of garlic on a solid work surface or chopping board with the tip of the shoots facing upwards
• Use the heel of your hand to strike the top of the bulb
• With the right amount of pressure, the bulbs should separate easily
• If your hands are too sensitive for this method, try hitting the top of the bulb with a hard bowl instead

Peeling the Cloves

Once you have some individual cloves, chances are you want to peel them. Doing this with your fingers and nails can be fiddly, and often results in garlic-scented fingertips too.

Here’s how to peel garlic quickly.

The Bowl Method

You may have seen this famous garlic peeling method elsewhere, but it’s a neat trick that bears repeating. To try this at home, all you need is a pair of metal or ceramic bowls, rouggly even in size. Smaller bowls tend to work best for this method.

• Place your cloves of garlic into one of the bowls
• Place the second bowl upside down on top, forming a hollow globe with the garlic cloves inside
• Holding both bowls together, lift them away from the worksurface, and shake them vigorously for about 15 seconds
• Shaking the cloves together like this causes them to rub together, helping their skins to slough off
• Separate the bowls and check if your cloves are peeled. If not, pop them back inside, and shake for a little longer

The Jar Method

This is a great alternative to using bowls if you don’t have two that are the right size.

• Place a few cloves of garlic into a clean, dry jar, such as an empty jam jar
• Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds
• Stop regularly to check whether your garlic cloves have been separated from their skin yet

The main advantage this method has compared to using a bowl is that you can check up on your garlic as you work.

The Knife Method

If shaking the cloves together doesn’t quite seem to do the trick, try this method – it’s a little more forceful.

You’ll need a chef’s knife that’s large enough to cover the entire clove of garlic, and a flat, sturdy surface like a chopping board.

• Place one clove of garlic on your flat surface, and position the knife on top of it, with the sharp edge of the blade facing away from you
• Hold your outstretched palm over the blade, and push down using a fast but firm motion
• This should break apart the clove’s skin, allowing you to quickly pull it away with your fingers

Using a Silicone Garlic Peeler

If neither of these methods are quite getting the job done, fear not. For as little as a few bucks, you can purchase a silicone garlic peeler designed especially for this job.

This tool takes the form of a small, grippy, and flexible cylinder. To use your garlic peeler:

• Place a few cloves of garlic into the tube
• Roll the tube back and forth across a flat surface, pushing down firmly
• Move your hands along the tube’s length until you have given each clove some attention
• Turn the tube on its side, and pour out the freshly peeled garlic and skins

Sources:

1. How to Peel Garlic Quickly – WikiHow
2. Easy ways to peel garlic – Fine Cooking