The Best Way to Mince Garlic | Serious Eats At Home

[@DJLaFontsee]

This kind of skims over the fact that the finer the garlic is minced/grated, the quicker it cooks as well. So even though the Microplane produces more assertive garlic flavor when raw, that garlic flavor will cook out (and toast/burn) more quickly. To me, the biggest difference in the size of the mince is how it contributes to the eating experience; do I want the evenly-distributed garlic flavor that comes from grated, pressed, or pounded garlic, or do I want the more mild garlic flavor flecked with pops of more intense garlic heat that comes from the rougher minced or sliced garlic?

[@happyluckygolden]

This is something I was doing sort of instinctively and for aesthetic reasons, but it's nice seeing it put to the test

[@piermallet7368]

Using the back of a spoon has been life changing when mincing garlic. No knife required! So easy.

[@gerardolara4477]

Really? How so? If you don't mind explaining, I'd really appreciate your feedback on this, I'm very interested in finding out, thank you

[@piermallet7368]

@@gerardolara4477 Grab a dessert spoon, and use the back side/edge to mince the garlic. No cutting yourself and the rounded part of the spoon mashes the garlic while the edge minces it!

[@gerardolara4477]

@@piermallet7368 I'm going to literally try it right now, thank you so much

[@DLouie21]

The garlic always sticks to my knife when I try and cut it. It kills me inside...

[@2Edgy4ThisPlanet]

Turn your knife 90° then put the side of the knife with the sticking garlic flat against the board and drag, this should make all of the garlic stick to the board

[@robertreid2499]

of course it happens a lot usually the age of the garlic and the temp both way harder to control than imagined I'm not going to tell you to push it off with your finger but yeah what a pain to protect your knife just simply have a cheapo plastic utensil around and we all of us feel your pain I have constantly been stuck with the most horrifically dull knife known to man never been cut just had to see a huge mistake happen once and bingo anyways good luck

[@toekneeevans]

My family actually likes the intensity of a mortar & pestle preparation a la aioli or pesto. How about testing the belief that the green germ is bitter and off-putting next?

[@Macca81]

I feel this would be a fairer comparison if the knife method used the side of the knife to crush it, because here you are comparing chopped garlic with 2 versions of crushed garlic.

[@jeffhoward1423]

Texture is also a factor. I made Grossy Pelosi’s vodka sauce, and it requires grating bc of the smooth texture.

[@kenguappone7605]

As stated below, there is also smooshing it (after cutting up a bit) with the side of the knife blade, with or without salt to make a paste. Not sure where that fits in this continuum. Thank you.

[@citizent6999]

my method is to wrap a couple of pieces in paper and smack it a few times with a rolling pin to loosen the skins, then continue to smash it until it's ready. Easily plops into the dish .

[@DavidFSloneEsq]

What I feel like everyone always misses, is that if you have a decent garlic press, you don’t need to peel your garlic. You put the unpeeled cloves into the press, and you come out with a beautifully crushed garlic. It’s so delightfully efficient.

[@jonatanstalhos4277]

no fucking way

[@woooooooo9061]

@@jonatanstalhos4277 😂

[@ilsunnylo3562]

The knife is easier to clean.

[@keefey569]

can't you just add a bit less garlic when microplaning for similar results to hand mincing?

[@robertreid2499]

what variety of garlic? if its too intense find a variety you can core the microplane while neato is basically mashed garlic which you can achieve much faster with a knife and yes its way faster

[@ninnusridhar]

Hey so this is Daniel gritzer. After hearing high praise from Kenji it's nice to see this guy love up to my expectations! I knew this sort of subconsciously but nice to see actual testing about this!

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

It's also nice to see someone L I V E up to our respective expectations. Thanks for the grammatical giggle, lol, all the way from the Seattle area.

[@ninnusridhar]

@@majoroldladyakamom6948 hehhehelol. When a typo creates a joke you know it's something special

[@sabahbubbler]

Hand mince, I think Jacque Pepin way is the best

[@irish_failed_guitarist]

Love it. Bet you can't do the choppy-choppy manoeuvre the way he does it though lol.

[@mohammedhussain6749]

I was annoyed when he didn’t that method. It’s the quickest and best method

[@mohammedhussain6749]

@@irish_failed_guitarist I can

[@WurstRELOADED]

I feel like there is one thing that should've been tested as well: the time the garlic needs to lose its pungency. You mention using knife-minced garlic for Shrimp scampi at the end; but wouldn't pressed or microplaned garlic cook faster and therefore lose its pungency too?

[@zainabsiddiqui7358]

Thank you from Scotland. I mostly use your mincing method, adding a little salt to the chopping board. I don't like the garlic press at all. I'd like to try the micro plane.

[@That1CoolChick]

I LOVE the micro plane method.

[@WurstRELOADED]

The salt doesn't have any effect. This was tested by Kenji in the past.

[@zainabsiddiqui7358]

@@WurstRELOADED With my own homegrown garlic, when I prepare, I don't like to miss any juice that seeps out. Just my choice.

[@RiverPlaid]

Great video and information, thanks.

[@gerardolara4477]

Ok, so I have a question & maybe you can help me out. Which method would you recommend for salmon if I want to make a garlic butter sauce?

[@Geeksmithing]

Who else is constantly distracted by that painting?

[@michellereed479]

Not until you pointed it out 🤪😂

[@kvnrthr1589]

How does food processor compare to these methods?

[@lemagreengreen]

I don't know what it's called but all I do is cut into slices and then 'smear' using the edge of the blade and a dragging motion, it's by far the fastest way to get a garlic paste.

[@patientXero]

In a long cook, why would someone want to take the extra step mincing the clove instead of just tossing in whole ones peeled?

[@backpacker3421]

I could definitely see microplaning for a sauce. Control the amount used to control the flavor, but you'll get that pureed super fine mince that will be unnoticeable for the texture, plus it will be really fast to prep.

[@BCSpecht89]

I prefer to use a knife to mince my garlic. I vary it from a coarse chop to a fine mince depending on how I'm going to use it. The bigger the pieces are, the milder the taste will be. They are also more resistant to burning. I rarely resort to a garlic press unless I'm in a real hurry and have a lot of cloves to get through. Still, I did not like using a garlic press for a long time because the holes the garlic passes through were too fine. It would come out more like the paste you get from a microplane, which will about blow your socks off, in my opinion. When I tried a microplane, the result pretty much ruined my dish. That intense, harsh garlic flavor did not mellow with more cooking time, but I have a super sense of smell and taste. I recently found a garlic press with larger holes that produces a medium-sized mince. It's acceptable for occasional use, but I still prefer the knife method. BTW, I solve the problem of garlic sticking to my knife blade by drizzling a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the garlic on the cutting board before I begin to mince it. It coats my knife blade and everything slides off easily -- fingers, too. No more sticky fingers.

[@etherdog]

These comparisons are very helpful. Thanks Daniel!

[@no_onein2024]

This was helpful thank you! I'm making garlic buffalo wings later and started to use a garlic press but didn't like how it looked (I want chunks of garlic) so I think I'm gonna stop being lazy and just hand mince it lol

[@GayathreeN]

Your humour ❤

[@maciej-36]

I often use cheese grater, it's less aggressive than microplane, but still pretty harsh.

[@revmaillet]

shark skin to make a paste is my fav

[@ltdan8825]

If you want the most intense, garlic tasting mayo - wild garlic leaves. Chop em up, throw em in, mix, keep going back every day and stirring the mayo. I promise you, the taste intensifies. Do it yourself, do not depend on others (companies) to do it for you.

[@bluetextonwhitebg]

what about mortar & pestle?

[@orlandolannes6870]

If I have few cloves I hand mince but if I have several ones, mortar & pestle is the best way. Really fast and easy to clean. The spice flavor you get there is unique.

[@radesestovic698]

I think you mixed techniques of course minced garlic will be different from garlic paste.

[@juandeleon6232]

why are his walls breathing

[@rajus0]

Missed pun oppurrtunity. The garlic press gets bad press??? anyone.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

From a major foodie somewhere near Seattle, Iove my garlic presses. I have 3. Works well when pressing onions, celery, etc., as well.

[@dr.trixiecp5651]

🥁ba dum ting 🤣

[@JoeyRhubarb]

Maybe he, like me, thinks puns are the mark of a moron.

[@flyfliker]

smashed not minced please

[@FBAi5444]

5 mins on how to cut garlic? . No. Uts 2:32am

[@yottabyter]

The best way is to remove the germ.

[@Jac833]

I just keep it supper simple and use a mini food processor

[@tmarritt]

This is cool, much more casual. Even more so would be good. Honest and not over produced, although sound dampening would be good lol (im not losing the irony of my suggestion)

[@philipwebb960]

Microplanes are photo etched.

[@KokkiePiet]

This Test is worthless, you should make garlic and chilli shrimps and try them in stead of making assumptions.

[@PkmnRangerOllie]

Garlic ZADDY vibes

[@tawpgk]

Best way to mince garlic? Don't...ever. Sliced, not mashed or minced please. Mincing makes its so pungent. Leave the allicin alone.... Brad, where are you when we need you?