Garlic is so much rooted in our culture that it’s said to be an effective way of fending off supernatural shapeshifters such as aswang.
But in a Filipino kitchen, its presence adds a punchy and aromatic flavor not just to dishes but dips and sauces as well. Vinegar and garlic are even a power combo in dishes such as adobo and paksiw. Eating liempo? Dipping it in vinegar with some smacked garlic elevates its taste. Too bad peeling it can take some time and effort, though. Luckily, there are now ways to actually get your cloves out of their skin quickly and easily without sweating on it.
1. The Knife Flat Crush Technique
If you’re not too particular in keeping your clove’s natural shape or the garlic’s for mincing, here’s the basic way of getting it out of its skin. With the heel of your knife touching the clove, carefully whack the knife to slightly crush the garlic. The clove will not only naturally separate from the skin, but its flavor will come out, too.
2. The Mason Jar Shaking Method
Whacking your garlic is advisable if you only need a clove or two, but if you’re prepping lots of cloves for your confit or needing a big batch for your recipe, you might need a jar to shake things up and make peeling work easier.
Place your cloves inside a mason jar or plastic container with a lid. Imagine you’re making a drink in a shaker, and shake it for about 20 seconds. Carefully open the container so the peels won’t make a mess in your kitchen, and separate your cloves from any leftover skin.
3. The Knife Poke and Pull Trick
If you’re into a more straightforward way of getting your cloves out of their skin, here’s another trick that you can do. Poke your garlic with a knife, and make sure that you pierce through it. Slowly wiggle it a bit, then pull it out of the bulb in an upwards motion. You now have your unpeeled clove!
4. The 10-Second Microwave Shortcut
Here’s another shortcut if you want to peel one whole bulb for your recipe: nuke it inside the microwave for 10 seconds if you’re still going to chop or mince it. But if you don’t mind your garlic softening and turning into a bit of a mushy texture, you can extend the heating time to 20 seconds.
5. The Hot Water Soaking Method
Great British Baking Show winner Nadiya Hussain swears by this tip: pouring hot water on your cloves can also take out the skin. Letting them sit for a few seconds can help, but you might need to use your knife just in case you’d have trouble with some of your cloves’ condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest methods include lightly crushing the garlic with a knife, shaking cloves inside a jar, or microwaving them briefly to loosen the skins.
Crushing garlic loosens the skin and also helps release the garlic’s natural oils and aroma.
Yes. Heating garlic for around 10 seconds softens the skin and makes peeling much easier.
Shaking garlic cloves inside a sealed container creates friction that loosens the skins from the cloves.
Yes. Soaking garlic briefly in hot water softens the outer skin, making it easier to remove.
Peeling itself doesn’t change the flavor, but crushing or cutting garlic releases compounds that make its taste stronger.
Yes. Peeled garlic can be refrigerated in an airtight container for short-term use.
