Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil

I can’t remember if it was Marco Pierre White in The Devil in the Kitchen or Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential (Or was is Medium Raw?) who said that they like female cooks because they don’t take shortcuts. Either way, I always think about this when I do happen to be taking a shortcut. I feel a bit guilty about some, but this one I can’t do without.

I use pre-peeled garlic.

Glad I got that off my chest. There is just no way I have the time to peel each individual garlic clove with the amount that I use. I mean, I guess I could buy that garlic shaker thing, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I share Alton Brown’s hatred toward “uni-taskers.”

This shortcut is why this “recipe” is so quick and easy. Put some garlic in a baking dish, cover with oil, and bake at 250° until tan and tender. I’ve tried many methods and temperatures. 200° is too low, 300° is too high, but 250° is juuuuuuuuust right. Upon a little Googling before typing this up, it seems others use 250° too. Bon Appetit says so, so it must be right.

Most of the garlic confit recipes you find say to simply store it in the oil whole. I like to strain the oil out, puree the garlic and there you have it! Garlic confit AND garlic oil. Two birds, one stone. Some do it on the range, but I prefer the oven because it is more precise. I use my counter top Breville convection oven, so I don’t heat up the whole house for a small batch of garlic. It typically takes about 2.5 hours but can vary depending on your oven and the amount you are making.

Typing up the recipe seems a bit redundant since I’ve just explained it, but here it is.

Try it out! Let me know how it works.

Learn. Create. Inspire. Stay Hungry.

Cheers!

Garlic Confit & Oil

However many Garlic Cloves, peeled

Flavorless cooking oil such as grapeseed or vegetable, as needed

Pinch salt

Heat the oven to 250°.

Place garlic cloves in an oven-safe dish and fill with oil until the cloves are just covered. I use a large porcelain souffle dish.

Bake until tan in color and tender.

Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer into a storage container of choice.

Puree the garlic and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. If you do not have one, you can mash and stir by hand with a fork.

Store both the confit and the oil covered in the fridge and enjoy as desired. Both will keep for a few weeks.