FOOD NEWS
10 Mistakes You're Making When Roasting Garlic
BY DANIELLE TURNER
Using Old Garlic
Roasting old garlic will not give you the best, most flavorful results. Your roasted garlic will likely be bitter and dry instead of mild and slightly creamy.
You should always use fresh garlic, which will be firm when gently squeezed. If it’s soft or if the skin on the garlic bulb has started to brown, it's likely too old for use.
Wrong Garlic Type
Like apples, some garlic varieties are better suited for different uses, so choosing a variety that will give you the best results when roasted is essential.
Standard Purple Stripe garlic is one of the best options. Artichoke garlic is also a popular all-purpose garlic that's versatile and a good option for roasting.
Only Using The Oven
Using an oven might be the standard operating procedure for roasting garlic, but there are many other options for roasting, such as the grill or microwave.
A microwave won’t provide golden brown caramelization, but it will allow you to make soft, squeezable cloves that can add delightful garlic flavor to most recipes in minutes.
No Garlic Baker
A garlic baker is a small ceramic pot, often made of terracotta, that promotes slow, even heating, which allows enough time for the garlic’s flavor to develop.
Some garlic bakers have a tiny hole in the lid to vent the steam. This, along with clay's natural ability to retain moisture, will prevent garlic from drying out as it cooks.
Only Whole Bulbs
Roasting whole garlic bulbs might be the norm, but roasting cloves individually will allow you to craft soft, spreadable garlic cloves in about half the time.
You can roast the cloves on the stovetop or in the oven. No matter which method you choose, both should be faster than if you were to roast garlic bulbs in the oven.