Is It Necessary to Peel the Garlic by Press?

[mike nike]

Hi all,

Sorry for taking up your time. My family has been using the garlic press and it seems to them that they have got used to it. On recent days, when staying at home, I read one magazine on how the garlic press would hurt the fingers. So I felt amazed about how to peel the garlic by press and began to think if it is necessary to peel the garlic by press.

I have heard many different opinions about the use of the garlic press from amateur and professional cooks. Alton Brown doesn't use one because a) it's a uni-tasker and b) it leaves too much garlic behind. Americas Test Kitchen uses one religiously, based on it's convenience (I suspect).

For years, I have minced countless cloves of garlic with my 5" Global utility knife. I will occasionally throw a few cloves in my Cusinart Mini-Prep, if I have to mince more than two or three cloves.

Watching ATK, I feel as though I'm starting to come around to their way of thinking. I'm guessing that for the vast majority of applications, using a press for a clove or two isn't going to make a darn bit of difference in the dish, but it will save me a couple precious prep minutes. But, then again, I hate a uni-tasker.

I am interested in hearing opinions about this kitchen gadget from those of you who cook regularly with garlic. Is it something you use or is it a waste of space and just something else to wash?

This is the garlic press my family has been using. I am not sure if it would hurt the fingers.

What would you think? Any of your ideas or advice would be highly appreciated.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance

 

[mike nike]

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[bonniebennet]

I guess the main reason why chefs don't like GP because the more it gets crushed, the stronger flavor it tastes as it releases more allicin. That being said, garlic press is really time-saving utensil if you want to avoid stinky fingers.

 

[Aurora McMillian]

So I am confused by your very lengthy question. Does the garlic press from pampered chef hurt your fingers? Using it with unpeeled garlic? No it doesnt. Do you have to use garlic with the peeling? No you can easily peel garlic. The garlic press minces the garlic in one quick motion. You can use the microplane grater in fine to do the same thing but that gets garlic on your hands and many chefs do the grater way vs the press way simply because most chefs prefer their tools to have more than one purpose. So the garlic press only does garlic but the grater does a lot more stuff. I hope this answers your question otherwise Im just confused lol

 

[pcsharon1]

I also use my garlic press for ginger, so it does have other uses.