Cooking Tips-4 Ways to Roast Garlic

Dry Skillet and Oven Roasted Garlic

I think a lot of people read recipes that contain roasted garlic and wonder how to roast garlic or decide they don't have the time it takes to roast garlic in the oven. Roasting garlic is easy and doesn't have to be time consuming. There are actually many methods for roasting garlic and other vegetables. Here are some of my favorite ways to roast garlic, each allows you to get a slightly different garlic flavor. 

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Oven Roasting Method: Oven roasting is the most common method of roasting garlic. This type of roasting is common in Italian cooking and yields a soft buttery sweetness.

1. Cut 1/2-3/4 inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Don't cut the bottom or the garlic will not remain whole. 
2. Remove most of the outside papery skin but make sure you keep a thin layer of the skin on the garlic.
3. Coat the garlic well with a little olive oil.
4. If using a clay garlic roaster, soak it for 15 minutes before using, arrange the garlic inside and place the clay top on.
5. Roast garlic in a 325-350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
6. Alternately, you can wrap the oil coated garlic in foil and roast in a 325-350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
   
7. Allow the garlic to cool and squeeze the flesh out of the skins.

Dry Skillet Roasting Method: Dry skillet roasting is a technique used in Mexican cooking. It is very quick and has a toasty sweetness.

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Break the amount of cloves off of the bulb you intend on using.
3. Remove the outer papery skin, but leave on a little of the thin skin so the garlic doesn't burn.
4. Stir the cloves until the outside has a yellowish tinge with brown or black spots. The garlic will be soft but not quite as soft as with the oven roasting.

Skillet Roasting With Oil Method: Skillet roasted garlic in olive oil allows you to use the fabulous flavored oil in recipes as well.

1. Heat a medium or large skillet over medium low heat.
2. Fully peel enough garlic cloves to fill the bottom of the skillet.
3. Barely cover the garlic with olive oil.
4. When the oil begins to simmer turn the heat down to low.
5. Cook the cloves until they are soft and golden brown. This will take about 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove the garlic from the oil and allow to cool.
7. When the oil is cool, pour it into a glass jar with a tight fitting top. This will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Microwave Roasting Method: Microwave roasted garlic is great method when you are in need of roasted garlic in a hurry. I have used both of these microwave methods when I needed roasted garlic at the last minute.

1. Slice off 1/2 inch off the top of the garlic.
2. Remove the outer papery skin, leaving on some of the inner skin.
3. Coat the garlic with olive oil.
4. Place the garlic head, cut side up, in a clay garlic roaster.
5. Place the top on the garlic roaster.
6. Microwave on high for 1-3 minutes. Check the garlic at every minute to see if it is done.
7. Allow the garlic to cool then squeeze the flesh out of the bulb.

Microwave Method #2: If you don't have a clay garlic roaster, you can still roast garlic in the microwave.

1. Prepare garlic as recommended above.
2. Place it in a microwave safe glass bowl.
3. Spoon 2 tablespoon of water into the bottom of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap. 
4. Cook about 4-6 minutes on medium heat. (Make sure you watch this carefully while it cooks.)