Food
This 1-Minute Trick Will Make Peeling Garlic a Total Breeze
Trust us, this works like magic.
Are you someone who tends to double (or triple) the amount of garlic called for in a recipe? Then you definitely know how tedious the struggle to peel multiple cloves can be. Luckily, there’s a one-minute trick that can make the task a total breeze.
All you need is very hot water and, of course, your garlic. Simply pop the cloves in the water for about a minute and you’ll find the peels slide right off!
I understand if you’re skeptical. As an avid garlic-lover, I’ve tried several so-called hacks for getting those pesky peels off in the past and usually ended up disappointed (even Martha Stewart let me down). But trust me when I say this is the garlic-peeling holy grail.
I tested it out by heating water up in my electric kettle, but you can also use your microwave or stove. After pouring the water into a bowl with five cloves, I waited exactly one minute and was happily surprised by how effortlessly all of the peels came off.
Yes, the garlic was also damp, but it didn’t take away from any of the delicious flavor. In fact, I think it might have actually enhanced the taste, which was nice since I wanted to use my garlic raw in a pasta salad rather than sautéing or roasting it to elevate the flavor.
Now, where did this life-changing garlic magic come from? Nadiya Hussain, winner of the 2015 season of the Great British Bake Off, who just debuted her own Netflix show, Nadiya’s Time to Eat, can take the credit. The new series focuses on showing off her favorite time-saving culinary skills that go way beyond show-stopping bakes.
The garlic trick appears in the fourth episode while helping an admittedly clueless home cook learn how to whip up “jackfruit curry in a hurry.” Hussain doesn’t specify if the water needs to be boiling like I used, but just that it needs to be fairly hot. She also shared a cheeky tip for the pain of chopping onions: “Buy them frozen and diced… There’s nothing wrong with that!” We totally agree.
Try this easy-peasy garlic peeling hack for yourself! And tune into Hussain’s series for even more time-saving ways to get your family meals ready ASAP.
