Roasting garlic in an oven is an easy way for garlic lovers to enjoy the robust flavors of Summer any time of year, no matter what your housing situation is.
The traditional way to roast garlic is over an open fire. While this is truly wonderful, it’s not practical for everyone in America. In the middle of winter it isn’t so easy to just whip out the barbecue just to roast garlic. Those who live in apartments may not even have access to an outdoor grill.
Thankfully, it’s not that hard to roast garlic in an oven indoors. It is, however, done differently than over an open fire.
About Oven Roast Garlic
First of all, to roast garlic over an open fire one typically leaves the garlic bulb whole and intact, with the outer flaky husk on that protects the entire bulb. But, to roast garlic in the oven it’s better to separate out only the largest cloves from the bulb, and roast them side by side on a baking sheet with only the immediate husk, or ‘skin’, to protect it.
This is because garlic cloves sometimes explode when roasted in the oven. A single clove exploding isn’t a big deal, it’s a just a small pop. But, if a clove explodes while compacted against other cloves, like they are in a bulb, it becomes a huge mess, and potentially dangerous.
To lessen the change of rupture, it’s best to separate the bulbs, and give each one a small nick to allow venting. Some people prefer to cut the root end off entirely, but only a tiny opening is required. Some cloves will still rupture, but you will loose far less this way, and have less to clean up later.
To Roast Garlic in an Oven
You’ll Need:
garlic
olive oil
baking sheet
tin foil (optional)
oven
Step One: Separate out the largest cloves of garlic from the bulbs. Pick at least twice as many as you think you will need. Garlic meat shrinks inside the husks as it roasts, and one or two cloves are likely to explode (this is normal). Leave the husks on. Do not peel, but do remove any flaky pieces of skin to help avoid burning. Leaving the ‘skin’ on helps to protect the clove meat from burning, or loosing too much moisture.
Step Two: Toss garlic cloves with olive oil in a bowl to coat. Remove to baking sheet. For easy clean up and handling you can line the baking sheet with tin foil. Roasting garlic is messier than most people think it’s going to be.
Step Three: Set oven to low-broil and place rack on 2-3 to top level inside oven, about 7-8 inches from heating element. Put baking sheet in, uncovered, and broil for 7-9 minutes. Remove, toss to turn garlic cloves. Return to oven, and then broil for 5-7 minutes more. If a few cloves of garlic pop it’s okay. When roasting them separately you will only loose a few. If you were to roast the bulb whole each exploding cloves would destroy all of the cloves around it.
Step Four: Remove from oven. If using tin foil, remove roast garlic from the baking sheet by folding the tin foil up to make a bowl, and then carefully move the bowl to someplace cool to sit until garlic cloves are cool enough to handle. If not using tin foil, remove roast garlic to plate and do to same.
Step Five: Once roast garlic is cool enough to handle begin removing the cloves from their husks. This is very easy to do. The garlic shrinks inside the husk and lets go of the skins. Simply hold the husk by the ends and give them a slight twist. The husks will fall away from the garlic.
Note: Roasted garlic has a shrunken, wrinkly look to it that makes it look old and weathered. This is how it should look. The textures will not be uniform, but that does not effect the taste.
To prepare roasted garlic: Once the roasted garlic is skinned it can be chopped, sliced, and/or mashed for use in your recipes.
Storage: Roast garlic will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. To keep longer it’s best to pressure can. You can freeze it, but the roast garlic will become mushy if left frozen for more than 6 months.
Here are some recipes to get you started!
Roasted Garlic and Pumpkin Stew
Roasted Garlic Dip
Chicken Vegetable Couscous
Happy Eating!
