Thursday, April 17, 2008

Mince or press?

What's the difference between minced and pressed garlic?

I usually just press. Am I missing out on awesome garlic goodness?
-Rachel

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I mince because I don't have a press. But I want a press so my fingers don't smell like garlic for days. America's Test Kitchen says that pressing is better, and I swear by them ;-)

zebe912 said...

As far as I know, it is just a matter of whether it was chopped into tiny pieces, or schmooshed through either a press or smashed with a knife before the chopping ensues.

If I understood Alton Brown correctly, there's no difference in taste between the two. Only cooking time might change a little. Only when you leave a clove of garlic whole does the actual chemical reaction of cooking garlic change (in comparison to one that was cut).

The food dork will shush now...but remember you asked for it.

Rachel said...

Thanks ladies!

Unknown said...

From what I understand, the finer the garlic, the more flavor you get. So I would stick with pressing if you like that garlic-y goodness. Unfortch, like chelley, I don't have a press, but I'm eyeing the zyliss one that ATK recomments.