Confession Time

[jazzcat]

I just used a garlic press for the first time. In the past I have always bought the garlic pre-minced in a jar. I also have used the garlic powder w/parsley as well. I thought it was about time to spread my wings.

[kirkbyky]

I used to use a garlic press, but now I just mince by hand. It takes a bit longer, but its better that trying to clean out all those little holes! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif
Kyle

[csmcnamara]

Originally posted by kirkbyky:
I used to use a garlic press, but now I just mince by hand. It takes a bit longer, but its better that trying to clean out all those little holes! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif
Kyle
That is the very reason why I don't use a garlic press--I hate trying to clean out the little holes!! It takes longer to mince by hand but I figure it takes longer to clean the press than it is to clean my knife!

[Pat]

Try the one from Pampered Chef. It comes with a tool to clean out the holes for you. It works great also.

[Jewel]

OK, as long as we're confessing...I have two really good (aka: expensive) garlic presses. One has the 'tool' to clean out the holes, but that's not my real problem. I feel like I'm wasting so much garlic!! If I mince a clove I get the whole clove, minus the papery skin. If I put a few cloves into the press, nearly half of that clove gets mashed up along the sides and on the smooth 'press' part. If I scoop that stuff down into the mashing area and try to mash it, it doesn't want to press! It'll take me 6 cloves of garlic pressed to get the same amount of 3 cloves if I hand mince.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[SandyM]

Originally posted by Jewel:
Has anyone else had this problem?

Yes. Yes, yes, and yes. I will be press-less for the rest of my life, because I hate the thought of wasting so much garlic. I don't know the name brand of my press, but it's no substitute for my chef's knife. Just a little practice and I was on my way.

[Wendy w]

I will use the garlic press ONLY if my BF isn't over to do the chopping - which he is very good at!

[makedah]

I don't know the name of my garlic press. I got it at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I like it MUCH better than chopping the garlic by hand. If I had to mince garlic by hand all the time, I'd rely solely on the jarred garlic. It has the rubber part to clean the press. I've never had a problem with it. I always have far more garlic around than I ever use, so if I have to use an extra clove it's not a big deal. The only time the press is a problem is if my garlic has shoots in it. I have to slice them open and get the shoots out anyway.

[Chefmom]

Oh goodness! I love my garlic press!! Ever since school, and chopping 10 pounds of garlic I have had this hatred for chopping it. If I am making a paste or something, then I use my mortar/pestle, but I always just use the press.

As for cleaning, I pop it into water overnight and then the next morning, when I do the breakfast dishes or the last night soakers, I simply just peel the leftovers out with the tip of a knife.

I LOVE my press!!! I usually buy them for everyone for Christmas presents if they don't already have one.

Tami

[jazzcat]

Tami, What kind of press do you have?

[funnybone]

I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.


Oh, did I forget to mention that I love my Pampered Chef garlic press. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[sneezles]

Mine is not from Pampered Chef but it's a Zyliss and it works great. I mean who really wants to peel the cloves and then chop? Press one a two cloves at once, scrape the outside with the chef's knife! I don't seem to have a problem with stuff in the tiny holes, it all seems to come out with the "skin"!

[food girl]

Originally posted by funnybone:
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.
I love my Pampered Chef garlic press.


http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Ditto here. My PC press IS a ZYLISS. Some of those organic garlic cloves have a hard skin on them and I chop the garlic in half before I press it otherwise no complaints and no waste.

Lisa

[aggie94]

I was just having a conversation with a girlfriend at lunch today about bottled garlic and mincing garlic. I refuse to mince garlic -- it just takes too much time, so I use the bottled stuff. I've considered a garlic press but have read too many mixed reviews on them (such as this thread). She uses a food chopper by Zyliss that she got from PC to mince her garlic. Does anyone else do this? I've checked them out online, and it just seems that they're meant for coarser chopping. I'd love to hear any feedback!

[Gail]

I contend that the taste of pressed versus chopped garlic differs, and I personally happen to prefer the taste of the pressed garlic. Really, it's a simple thing not to waste garlic, even with a press which may not be top of the line. Skin the clove before pressing it, covering it with the side of your chef's knife and whacking it with the heel of your hand. Then when you're actually putting the thing through the press, keep one hand ready to catch anything which oozes out the sides. Once it oozes, throw it back into the press, that way your waste ends up being pretty minimal.

One of these days I'm going to break down and great a real (Zyliss) garlic press. Until then, I make do with what I have (a not-bad Oxo which has the cleaning thingie.) If you don't have a cleaning thingie, a toothpick works tolerably well.

[Beth]

Gail, you got at the question I wanted to ask about flavor. I have noticed that when I grate ginger rather than mincing it, it seems to have a much more potent flavor. Is that the kind of difference you have noticed with pressed garlic? When I use a garlic press, I do get pulp left behind, and I squeeze a second time. At that point you have probably gotten enough pulp and juice out to get most of the flavor. What do you think?

[Gail]

At what point..?

(giggling behind hand which smells strongly of garlic) ...why when it's all gone, Beth...when it's all gone... (or when all that remains has that dry, woody look like the outside of that ginger)

[gobluem82]

I use a garlic press (I own a nameless, cheap-o brand) because as much as I love garlic, I don't really want my hands to smell like garlic for the rest of the day. As for waste, I have none--I scrape the unused stuff out and try to press it through one more time. Whatever's leftover goes in the recipe anyway, minced or not. I look at that stuff as the special bonus garlic!

[sneezles]

OK, I'm adding this reply but will first qualify it by saying that I own 2 presses (just have an uncontrollable gadget fetish) AND I do use jarrred as well. That said...I do remember reading awhile ago (have serious CRS so dates and times are difficult) that most chefs do not like pressed garlic because of the taste! Something to do with the oil released. That said, I love garlic and often saute garlic in garlic oil!

[JulieM]

Because of the waste factor many of you mentioned, I don't like using a garlic press. Maybe I just haven't used a really good one! So I use mostly chopped garlic, and I've had great success with one of those inexpensive, electric, mini choppers. It does a good job and is easy to clean. I have to add, though, that my DH and I love garlic and I also tend to cook in large quantities so that I have leftovers for the next day or to freeze, so when I'm chopping garlic I'm often chopping 8 or 10 cloves at a time.

[Packy]

I've used a garlic press a few times. They are too much trouble. I think the garlic in the jar is really ideal. If I want fresh garlic I'll just smash the clove with a knife - no hassle

[MelissaAS]

I love my OXO garlic press! You just flip it around and it has a "thingie" (technical term) that cleans out the holes. makedah- sounds like you might have the same one. I think it really saves time (especially since I love garlic and use it in everything. After using, I just rinse and throw in the diswasher.

[djoygirl]

Jewel, you hit the nail on the head. The presses are more trouble than they're worth, and they waste so much.

I usually use the garlic from a jar usually, but I do keep some fresh on hand, too.