Peeled Garlic

[jmolinari]

I'm going to revive this topic...i've been using the pre-peeled garlic for a long while now. They sell it in about 16oz containers at the Asian market. It's convenient, easy and to us indistinguishable.

Next to the pre-peeled garlic at the market they have small deli containers (and big ones) of pre-chopped garlic. Not the stuff in the jar that's shelf stable. I think this is basically the prepeeled stuff that they store puts through a processor. This would be no different to chopping a lot of garlic at home and putting it in tupperware to use.

Has anyone tried anything like that? Being able to just scoop a spoonful for a marinade or a stirfry, assuming no flavor difference, would be nice.

I'll probably get a small container next week and try it. I do imagine the flavor will be different, but it's worth a try...

[dcarch]

When pre-peeled garlic first came out, they went bad quickly even in the refrigerator. I added salt, still they would go bad.

The peeled garlic today don't seem to go bad. What have they done?

dcarch

[jmolinari]

I don't know. Mine seems to last at least 2 weeks in the fridge though!

[Jenni]

I find this thread very interesting. Ever since I was little, I remember my Dad growing vast amounts of garlic, and to this day we grow a lot. Not quite enough to cover all our garlic-y needs though, so we do also buy garlic. I prefer to buy whole bulbs for several reasons. One is that I like to see what I am buying - personally I prefer the red skinned garlic that is quite small, as it has a stronger flavour. It is the kind of garlic you get in Asia. The second reason is that I have access to very good garlic, and I am certain that it would have a better flavour than pre-peeled.

Finally, I can peel garlic very fast and have never found it difficult. My technique is to slice off the tiny bit at the end, then crush with the side of my knife. This is very important as it breaks down the cell walls and releases the full aroma and taste of garlic. Otherwise your garlic will be tasteless! The skin is now easily brushed away and the garlic is already partly crushed, so chopping is quick.

One thing I am finding extremely interesting from this thread is that many people say that they think the pre-peeled garlic is sweeter and less bitter, so they prefer it. Someone upthread mentioned that it is less pungent. Well guys, I think we have our reason why much of the garlic that is sold in America is not of great quality - it seems that many people do not like the strong taste of garlic! Therefore supermarkets will sell milder, less flavourful garlic to appeal to consumer tastes. It also confirms to me that I should not bother with the pre-peeled stuff, as I do not think I would appreciate the milder flavour.

[OliverB]

I'm with Jenni here, I can't think of a reason to buy the pre peeled stuff unless I'd be cooking for such a huge crowd that I'd use the whole glass at once. And what's been said here, that it's a lot less strong, well that just tells me that it lost a lot of it's inherent power, like preground black pepper. If I would like milder or less garlic taste, I'd just use less garlic instead of some insipid thing that sat on the shelf since who knows when, was processed and treated who knows where and how. It's one of those things that make no sense to me, like the precut mirepoix or even better, prechopped onion you can find in stores.

I also simply love picking the right size of cloves off my bulb, peeling it (Like Jenni does) and cutting it up, then I let it sit for a couple minutes, which (so I just read) helps it develop it's full potential. Nobody is gonna take the garlic peeling and dicing fun away from me! Slicing and dicing is one of my favorite things about cooking

[nickrey]

Being on the Asian rim, we tend to use a lot of garlic in cooking here.

I've broken four to five garlic presses over my lifetime, including some ostensibly heavy duty ones. Seems the lever action makes a weakness in the metal rather than pressing the garlic out. I really hate it when they snap. As a consequence, I gave up on them around twenty years ago.

This led to me using a paring knife, chopping the garlic like I chop onions (fine slice from top to tail, flip 90 degrees, fine slice to make long strands, then cut across the other cuts). This comes up with an extremely fine dice. It's fiddly but quick with practice.

More recently, however, I've bought a microplane for garlic and this is my new toy. Quick peel with a paring knife and then micro-fine grating on the plane. Even with my clumsy fingers I can hold the clove in such a way as not to slice my skin. The mince is so fine, I'm sure there is no need to bruise the garlic to get maximum flavour extraction.

[jmolinari]

hrm, i don't know why people are saying the pre-peeled stuff is less strong, i don't really think it is. The pre-peeled garlic i get is bulk packed at an asian grocery. I'm not sure if they peel it there or get it peeled, but maybe it's fresher than the stuff from California available at most groceries?

Anyhow, i have no problem using it. I'm busy and if i can save 3 minutes off dinner, without a degrade in quality, i'm all for it. I'd also have no problems buying the prochopped mirepoix if i needed it and didn't have time to make it. I'm not sure why so many people on Egullet appear to be against paying for convenience, selectively. I'd rather see someone buy pre-chopped mirepoix than buy a frozen dinner or a box of mac and cheese, wouldn't you?

[SobaAddict70]

I'll never understand why people resort to pre-peeled garlic cloves. Setting aside individuals with disabilities that prevent them from doing similar tasks, it takes about 15 seconds to peel a clove.

Set clove on a cutting board. Lay a cleaver or good kitchen knife on top of clove. Give blade a whack with the palm of your hand. Peel should slip right off. Easy, done ... and probably took less time than typing out this paragraph.

There comes a point at which convenience becomes ridiculous.

[LizD518]

A few years ago I saw someone on tv do a neat trick to peel a bunch of garlic cloves. He took 4-5 cloves of garlic and put them into two small metal bowls that were put together rim-to-rim (so they made a hollow sphere). Then he shook the bowls so that the garlic was bounced around and the peel loosened. When the bowls were opened the garlic was totally peeled, but still suitable for slicing rather than crushed garlic. This could be a great job for kids in the kitchen who want to help prepare dinner.

A cocktail shaker would also work well. Maybe even a plastic container with a lid, if the material was strong and not flexible.

[PopsicleToze]

Years ago I could find frozen garlic in little frozen cube container similar to this one: click here

I haven't seen them in years (and Chef John Folse, please forgive me if I'm wrong), but I believe it was in a green colored container and the product was his.

They were great. Pricey if compared to whole garlic, but very, very convenient and very good.

I can find the peeled garlic in 8- and 16-ounce containers at the vegetable market, and I'll get those if I'm having something that calls for a LOT of garlic. I still cut the little tough off the bottom end, though.

[Florida]

Years ago I could find frozen garlic in little frozen cube container similar to this one: click here

I haven't seen them in years (and Chef John Folse, please forgive me if I'm wrong), but I believe it was in a green colored container and the product was his.

They were great. Pricey if compared to whole garlic, but very, very convenient and very good.

I can find the peeled garlic in 8- and 16-ounce containers at the vegetable market, and I'll get those if I'm having something that calls for a LOT of garlic. I still cut the little tough off the bottom end, though.

I'm pretty sure TJ's sells this, though I will admit I have never used it.

[phatj]

I bought the pre-peeled garlic in a huge tub from Costco once. I found the quality adequate when compared to the sprouting and/or moldering stuff I was getting in the supermarkets at the time. But I only used about half before it started to go. Next time I might freeze some for use in stews and such when fresh consistency isn't important.

[lindag]

I've become a true fan of America's Test Kitchen podcasts!  And on one of their programs they endorsed the use of pre peeled garlic cloves (ala Costco).

I bought some and tossed them into the freezer as Bridget advised.

And I got the impression from the discussion that we may have to increase the amount when using these from the freezer.

Anyone use these?  Comments about it?

[andiesenji]

I usually freeze part of the batch - vac sealed - but most go into oil for the oven roasting, which I love so much. 

 

I'm not sure it is the freezing that affects the strength.

I have found that the "bite" of the peeled garlic itself is milder than much of the regular garlic I buy.  It may be the variety of garlic, which, compared to garlic types I have grown, is a soft-neck variety, which tend to be milder than the hard-neck varieties. 

Edited January 10, 2015 by andiesenji (log)

[Anna N]

In winterI buy Christopher Ranch peeled garlic because it is much better then whatever else is available. I read somewhere at that it could be frozen and tossed some into my freezer. However, like so many things in my freezer I have not seen it since!

[ElsieD]

Where is the Costco garlic grown?

[patrickamory]

I like peeling garlic too much to buy pre-peeled cloves.

[andiesenji]

Where is the Costco garlic grown?

[liuzhou]

I like peeling garlic too much to buy pre-peeled cloves.

Edited January 11, 2015 by liuzhou (log)

[gulfporter]

I am lazy.  I buy Dorot brand crushed frozen garlic at Trader Joe's.  It is sold in little ice cube trays; grown on a kibbutz in Israel and thaws so quickly.  I make fresh salad dressing every few days and it is the perfect texture and taste.  My freezer always has several packs of this stuff.  

[rotuts]

I also use dorot mostly in the non growing months

 

they have basil also and I use that during similar times

 

I micro the Fz garlic ( or basil ) in a little EVOO until it sizzles and use that in the dish (s) in question.

 

I add fz dorot basil to this mix in the winter to get a decent winter pesto-ish pasta dish.

[Shel_B]

The Christopher Ranch garlic is grown in California - in Gilroy where the Garlic Festival is held every year and you can smell the garlic from miles away on the highway.

[ElsieD]

I've become a true fan of America's Test Kitchen podcasts!  And on one of their programs they endorsed the use of pre peeled garlic cloves (ala Costco).

I bought some and tossed them into the freezer as Bridget advised.

And I got the impression from the discussion that we may have to increase the amount when using these from the freezer.

Anyone use these?  Comments about it?

[Anna N]

Where in Costco do you find these? I had a look for them the other day and could not find them. Either they are not in the refrigerated areas or Coscto in Canada doesn't carry them. Was I looking in the wrong place?

[demiglace]

Where in Costco do you find these? I had a look for them the other day and could not find them. Either they are not in the refrigerated areas or Coscto in Canada doesn't carry them. Was I looking in the wrong place?

 

It's been a few years but I remember the peeled garlic being with the spices. My cousin used the peeled garlic..he loved it.