The Freezer Hack That Takes The Hassle Out Of Minced Garlic

Where would our kitchens be without garlic? Many of us don't want to seriously consider that, which is why many of us go through the pains of peeling and mincing garlic every time we want its sweet pungency in a dish. The process is often fiddly, time-consuming, and leaves one smelling more like garlic than you'd ever want your food to. There's always Martha Stewart's genius tip for removing the garlic smell, but imagine if adding it to dishes was as easy as taking out an ice cube and throwing it into the pan.

Pre-peeled or pre-minced garlic sometimes gets a bad rap because its flavor and aroma are not as intense as the freshly prepared variety. While that is true to an extent, the difference is not necessarily significant unless the dish requires fresh raw garlic (like pesto). In most cooking applications, frozen garlic holds enough flavor that your dish will taste practically the same as if you'd used the fresh variety. Plus, when it comes to convenience, having frozen minced garlic on hand is a huge time-saver. 

Of course, you can freeze minced garlic in an ice tray and then store the resulting garlic cubes in an airtight bag. However, we recommend freezing minced garlic as a flat sheet. This method produces a result that's easier to store and doesn't require an ice tray that you will then never be able to use for anything else again (unless you enjoy garlic-flavored ice cubes, that is).

You can start by peeling fresh garlic yourself, but a store-bought jar of peeled cloves also works. Since garlic loses pungency once chopped or minced, avoid store-bought minced garlic. Simply mince whole peeled cloves in a blender and transfer them to an airtight food bag for freezing. The low temperature slows down the loss of flavor. Once the minced garlic is in the bag, gently press to flatten it into a sheet. This also helps remove excess air from the bag. Seal and wrap in aluminum foil or newspaper to avoid freezer burn. Put the date on the bag; frozen minced garlic retains flavor for about a month.

When it's time to add garlic to your dish, break off a piece of the frozen sheet and add it to the pan. You'll have to cook it a little more than usual to let the garlic come up to temperature and start browning. 

This simplifies all manner of dishes and opens up new possibilities on time-strapped nights. You can even make a batch of crispy fried garlic in the microwave to top your dishes. Since you can take out only how much is needed and leave the rest in the freezer, it's easy to whip up garlicky one-person treats as well. For example, add minced garlic to butter and heat in the microwave, layer it on bread, and cook it in the air fryer for easy, crispy garlic bread.