Garlic: {Kitchen Q&A}

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This week’s Kitchen Questions & Answers is all about garlic: Do you know the difference between garlic powder and garlic salt or how to quickly peel a lot of garlic cloves quickly? Would you like to learn how to make your own garlic salt? Or how about a handy kitchen tip for removing garlic smell from your hands or how to fix a cooked dish that has too much garlic in it? These questions and more are answered below…

A Bulb Of Garlic With Peeled Cloves

1. What are some garlic equivalents? 1 medium clove garlic = 1 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. (see note below about garlic clove size–halve if small clove, double if large clove).
2. What does a clove of garlic equal minced? 1 small clove = 1/2 teaspoon minced; medium clove = 1 teaspoon minced; large clove = 2 teaspoons minced (these are approximate measurements).
3. How should garlic bulbs be stored? Garlic should be kept cool with good air circulation (don’t refrigerate it and don’t lock it up tight in a plastic container). Keep a bulb or two in a small bowl or basket on the kitchen counter if you use it daily, the rest can be stored in a basket in a cool, dark pantry to help the garlic last longer.
4. How can I store minced garlic? Put it in a small glass jar then cover with olive oil and refrigerate (use within the week). If you want to make big batches of minced garlic you can freeze the batch by putting it in a small ziploc freezer bag, patting the garlic down into a thin thickness and to remove all the air, then freezing it. Remove frozen pieces of minced garlic as you need by breaking off a chunk.
5. Can you freeze whole bulbs of garlic? Yes you can! Freeze whole, unpeeled bulbs of garlic in a freezer bag then remove cloves as you need. You can also separate the cloves before freezing or place peeled cloves in an empty icecube tray, cover each with olive oil, freeze, then pop them out and freeze in a large bag or airtight container–grab a cube when you need it.
6. How do I fix too much garlic in my recipe/dish? Mix 1 teaspoon of sugar with two teaspoons of vinegar then mix with 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of water. Mix well then SLOWLY add to your cooked dish until you find an agreeable level of garlic taste. Just mix this in a little at a time since you may not need much!
7. How do you roast garlic? Roasting garlic is very easy to do and it’s delicious in mashed potatoes, on meat and vegetables, slathered on bread and used in many other dishes. To roast garlic, see How To Roast Garlic & Recipe Tips.
8. Is there a way to make my own garlic salt? Sure! Homemade Garlic Salt: Grind dried garlic in a food processor until it’s a fine powder, measure then add 4 parts salt to one part garlic powder and mix for 2 seconds. Store in an airtight container.
9. What is elephant garlic? Elephant garlic is a lot bigger than regular garlic but its taste is more subtle. If you prefer a hint of garlic taste in recipes rather than the full flavor, try substituting regular garlic with elephant garlic. Did you know elephant garlic is actually from the leek family? Source: Growing Garlic: Tip Sheet.
10. What’s the difference between granulated garlic and garlic powder? Granulated garlic has a coarser consistency/texture than garlic powder but they’re both made from ground, dehydrated garlic.
11. What’s the difference between garlic powder and garlic salt? Garlic powder is ground, dehydrated garlic and garlic salt is garlic powder with salt added. If you wanted to substitute garlic salt for garlic powder in a recipe, you can do so but be careful about adding any more salt to the dish (taste first). If you want to substitute garlic powder for garlic salt, reduce the amount and add a bit of salt–you’ll have to do this by taste. See the equivalents listed at the top.
12. What’s the difference between a bulb of garlic and a clove of garlic? The garlic bulb is the whole garlic “plant” while cloves of garlic are the individual garlic pieces found within the bulb.
13. Any tips for removing garlic smell from hands? Here’s a few: Remove the smell of garlic from hands by rubbing your fingers over a stainless steel spoon (from More Kitchen Tip Quickies). You can also rub a couple crushed crackers between your hands to remove the smell.
14. How do you peel garlic cloves? For big batches dunk garlic cloves for about 10 seconds in boiling water then strain and dunk in ice cold water. The cloves should pop out of their skins easily. If it’s just a few cloves you need to peel, cut off one end of the garlic then peel off the skin with the blade of the knife. If the recipe calls for minced or crushed garlic, just smash the clove with your knife and you’ll be able to pick out the skin easily.