You shouldn't crush garlic, specifically using a garlic press, because it can negatively impact the flavor and texture of your dishes. While crushing garlic might seem convenient, it has drawbacks that experienced cooks often avoid.
The Downsides of Crushed Garlic
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Overly Intense Flavor: A garlic press pulverizes the garlic cloves, releasing a significantly higher concentration of allicin—the compound responsible for garlic's pungent flavor. This can easily overpower other ingredients in a dish, creating an unpleasantly strong garlic taste. As noted in an article from February 27, 2018, "the super-intense garlic taste can overpower your food."
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Burning and Scorching: The small, finely dispersed garlic pieces produced by a press cook extremely quickly, often scorching before they have a chance to mellow and develop a more complex, nuanced flavor profile. This results in a bitter, burnt taste instead of the desired savory notes.
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Inefficiency: Contrary to popular belief, using a knife to crush and mince garlic is often faster and more efficient than a press. A Reddit post from March 3, 2019, mentions that chefs prefer knives because it "takes about 10 seconds." The time saved in peeling and mincing outweighs the time spent using a press, especially for larger quantities.
Superior Alternatives to Crushing
Instead of crushing garlic, consider these alternatives:
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Mincing with a Knife: This method offers more control over the size of the garlic pieces, allowing for a more balanced flavor and texture.
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Smashing with the Flat Side of a Knife: This technique bruises the garlic, releasing some of its flavor while still maintaining larger pieces that cook more evenly.
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Using a Meat Pounder: This can effectively bruise and partially crush the garlic while maintaining more integrity than a press. Food52 even recommends this method.
When Crushing Might Be Acceptable (with caveats)
Crushing may have a place in certain preparations, like making aioli or a garlic paste where a more intense garlic flavor is desired. Even in these situations, careful attention to cooking time and temperature remains crucial to prevent scorching. The Reddit post from January 16, 2019, cautions against crushing garlic too far in advance as it can negatively impact the taste.