--- slug: how_to_use_a_garlic_press category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/kitchen_utensils_gadgets/garlic_presses title: "How to Use a Garlic Press" lead: "Drop an unpeeled clove into the chamber, squeeze the handles hard over your pan or board, and the minced garlic pushes through the holes while the skin stays behind — no peeling, no board, no garlic fingers. Scrape the paste off the outside, and rinse the press right away before it dries." recommendation: name: "Unpeeled clove in, squeeze hard, scrape the outside, and clean it immediately — no need to peel first" reason: "A garlic press minces by forcing a clove through small holes under pressure, so the technique is mostly about not overthinking it — and cleaning it before the pulp dries. You don't need to peel the clove: the skin stays in the chamber and even makes it easier to empty, though peeling gives a touch more yield if you're pressing a lot. Put one clove in at a time (crowding jams it), hold the press over your pan or bowl, and squeeze the handles firmly — mince pushes through the holes, and you scrape the paste clinging to the outside of the plate with a knife or finger. Big or double cloves and dry, old garlic are harder to press; a rocker-style crusher or the flat of a knife handles those better. The catch everyone hits is cleanup: rinse or brush the perforated plate the instant you're done, because dried garlic cements into the holes — many presses have a little cleaning nub or are dishwasher-safe, and a toothbrush clears the rest." published: 2026-07-08 updated: 2026-07-08 ---