Garlic tip!

[tench]

I've noticed that a lot of the recipes on here use garlic in some way, shape, or form. Fresh garlic is better than powdered or preserved in most cases, so here is my method of getting all of that good flavor out of the garlic with minimal effort. All it takes is a standard hunting knife and whatever you cut on. This makes it a good trick for on the ice or in the camp.

Slice the skinned garlic cloves.

Lay each slice flat and pound with the side of your knife.

If you have some stubborn pieces... HIT THEM HARDER!

Done!

When you put these crushed slices in the pan to cook they break apart easily and you end up with all of the flavor you want.

[Soozookie]

I use a garlic press.

[tench]

Sorry, forgot to mention that this was an on-ice/in-camp technique. I always find myself wishing for a garlic press when I'm cooking in the shack. Do you bring one with you?

[esox_xtm]

As much as I like and use garlic there is always some fresh in my kitchen. However, my very favorite is roasted..........

At the peak of the season when bulbs are solid and cheap, I'll roast 4-6 dozen. squeeze 'em out and puree with a little olive oil and salt. There's some in an old PB jar in the fridge at all times and surplus freezes well in blocks until I thaw them for use.

Makes the best garlic bread you ever ate, spreads on steak, goes in veggies....... the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Best part is there's plenty of sweet garlic flavor and it doesn't "talk back" like powder can. It also transports easily for use in the field.

/m

[fishermantim]

As much as I like and use garlic there is always some fresh in my kitchen. However, my very favorite is roasted..........

At the peak of the season when bulbs are solid and cheap, I'll roast 4-6 dozen. squeeze 'em out and puree with a little olive oil and salt. There's some in an old PB jar in the fridge at all times and surplus freezes well in blocks until I thaw them for use.

Makes the best garlic bread you ever ate, spreads on steak, goes in veggies....... the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Best part is there's plenty of sweet garlic flavor and it doesn't "talk back" like powder can. It also transports easily for use in the field.

/m

I like your way of thinking!

I do that for "homemade" garlic bread, but you give some excellent ideas too!

[rgfixit]

I love garlic!!!!!

I buy garlic from a farm that sells mainly to the supplement industry. They grow purple "elephant" garlic and another smaller cloved variety. I keep it several ways. One is to roast it, peel it and store it refrigerated in canola oil. The cloves are wonderful to cook with as is the oil infused with garlic. I also keep some in oil with some of my good friend's "Spicy Steve's Volcanic Ash" hot pepper mixed in for zip.

Additionally, keep some as long as possible in the low humidity portion of the fridge.

As far as smashing cloves to cook with, I use the all purpose kitchen scooper tool,


The pastry scraper

RG

[Soozookie]

Yes i bring the press with.

[fishlessman]

ive got some recipes i use 40 plus cloves in, this is the only way to go. stainless bowls work better than others for some reason

. leftovers go in oil like mentioned in the fridge, i used to leave it on the counter but they say its unsafe nowadays in the oil

[Skipper]

I just smack it with the side of a knife....

[perchnut]

I planted 156 cloves a few weeks ago, and covered with some straw...when they come up in the spring, i'll mulch heavily.  Garlic is a good thing.  Slice those cloves and put on a sheet in the smoker until dry.....then grind that for homemade garlic powder....mmmmmmmm.  Youll never buy it in a store again....

[tench]

I'll have to try that. When I smoke meats like pork I always put a few cloves next to my heat source or a couple apples. I usually crush or mash up these and put them in a gravy, but the drier garlic WOULD BE KILLER for a rub!

[captain54]

I've planted as high as 1000 cloves of garlic, many different varieties.This year I only planted 200. Most of my garlic keeps well till March or April in my basement cold room. A little storing tip,I sometime separate the cloves from the head and put in ziplock freezer bags( in early spring) and throw them in the freezer. They keep for ever,a bag got buried in the back of our up right freezer for over a year, and started to grow little green sprouts. I grow hard neck type that scape( make seed heads. I'll plant the little clusters seed head in a small area and pull them like green onions or cut the garlic grass for fresh garlic flavor in spring to early summer.The tender scapes are great on the grill brush with olive oil or scrambled eggs. We love garlic.