Help with using a Garlic Press!

[mcdoo]

Hi all...this is my first posting!

I was making a recipe requiring pressed garlic the other evening, and decided to try (once again) using my garlic press. I feel like an idiot, but I can't seem to get much garlic through the tiny holes and most of the clove is wasted. Is there a trick to using one of these gadgets? Or is this just the way it is?

Thanks!

[Mousie29]

Just IN CASE you're not doing it, make sure the skin is peeled off? Nothing else is coming to my mind; I am a regular garlic presser, but new at it, so I will probably learn from this thread.

[SandyM]

I personally don't have luck with the silly thing - it wastes more garlic than I care to. I'm just mastering my new chef's knife (and suffering with stinky fingers - lol).

[Nullsy]

I received a garlic press made by Zyliss for Christmas. It's the first one I've ever owned and I will never go back to chopping garlic. With this one you don't even have to peel the garlic and it comes with a little brush to help clean it. I did notice that it really applies a lot of pressure without me having to squeeze too hard. So maybe some other brands are just made a little differently and they can't push the garlic through the holes very well.

[SusanD]

I have an OXO garlic press - not the top of the line, but not totally cheap either. I've noticed the same thing, I feel like I'm wasting a lot of the clove when I press it. As a result, I rarely use it - I either chop it by hand or use the stuff in a jar depending on the recipe. I'm interested to see what others have to say, maybe that's just the way it is!

I've heard that Pampered Chef makes a good garlic press - has anyone out there used this one?

[This message has been edited by SusanD (edited 01-11-2001).]

[LIsaP]

I just bought the Pampered Chef garlic press after I broke my cheap one (the metal handle literally broke off in my hand!).

The Pampered Chef one is great-you don't have to peel the cloves, just pop them in whole. It squeezes all of the garlic out-no waste at all.

[BarbaraL]

I have a garlic press from Pampered Chef from several years ago -- it's a Zyliss! It's great, and as stated earlier, you don't need to peel the clove. I think that you would need to peel the clove if using another brand. I love it -- much better than chopping!

[Alky]

I have a zyliss one too! It works great. As a matter of fact I have to becareful not to add too much garlic because it goes thru sooo... fast. You don't have to peel the garlic either. Although I usually buy a big jar of peeled garlic at Costco. We usually don't go thru the whole jar before it starts sprouting but I figure that I've always got my $5.00 out of it. It would be good to share with someone!

[JeanneL]

If you're having trouble with your garlic press, you're not using a Zyliss. For about $15 you can buy your next best friend - I've had one for over 10 years that I store in a countertop utensil holder for easy access. As the others have said, you don't peel the garlic first and it's easy to clean. You'll love it forever!

[Pat]

SandyM, there is a remedy for those stinky fingers. Whenever you finish handling garlic or onions, run your soapy fingers over your stainless steel faucet, no more smell! Honest!

[MrsReber]

I have to agree- the quality of the garlic press makes all the difference in the world. I have a Good Grips which I love. It's "self cleaning". What I do is send the garlic through once, then loosen up the part that is left and press it again. I have never had it all go perfectly through the holes. It's usually in small enough peices, though, that I'll just toss it all into whatever I'm making. The flavor always seems so much stronger when I use the press. I broke my first garlic press, too. Squeezed the handle and it bent and came apart! Cheap thing!

[Gina O]

Well, looks like I am going to have to give the whole garlic press thing another try. After having gone through a couple, progressively more expensive ones, I gave up feeling as if I was putting forth way to much effort and getting little in return. Tried the pre-minced kind and was not super happy with that, also minced it myself, though that was a lot of work when doing several cloves. Now I use my mini Cuisinart and it works fabulous. Gina

[SandyM]

Pat - Thanks for the info on un-scenting my fingers!

Gina - my poor Cuisinart mini-chopper has been banished to just chopping nuts - I was afraid it would pulverize garlic into a mushy paste! I'm glad to know it works for garlic. I suppose I'm missing out on many other duties I can perform with the lovely little under-used blue beauty............

[Gina O]

Oh Sandy, you will have to dust off that little fella and give it a try, it really is an amazing mincer. I also use it for mincing herbs, chopping chocolate and tons of other little jobs.

Mcdoo- Welcome to the BB! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Gina

[mb]

we have the OXO garlic press and have had no problems using it. we've never felt like we've wasted any garlic... we have basically all of OXO's products because they are easy to use. we've never used the zyliss before (so we can't compare), but we've never had any complaints with the OXO. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[kwormann]

You mean you WANT to get the garlic smell off your fingers? I personally LOVE the smell of garlic! (Except fo the fact that it makes me HUNGRY everytime I smell it!)

Kim

[BetsyF]

Just yet another enthusiastic vote for the Zyliss garlic press. Learned about it in a cooking class. Love it!! The instructor also said you can thinly slice unpeeled fresh ginger, stand the ginger "coins" on end in the press, and "pressto", minced fresh ginger. Got mine for $13 at Sur La Table. Money very well spent.

[mcdoo]

Well, thank you's to everyone - I just looked at the BB (I'm at work and supposed to be working!) and was so pleased to see that not only that I'm not alone, but there may be a solution! I am going out at lunchtime to see if I can find the Zyliss press - I will let everyone know how things go!

Thanks Pat for the great "un-stink your fingers" tip - I will definitely give it a try.

[BarbaraL]

BetsyF, thanks for the info on using the garlic press with fresh ginger! I love to cook Chinese, can't wait to try your hint!