How do you roast a head of garlic?
Asked by
janbb (
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November 8th, 2009
I’m making tomato soup today and the recipe calls for a roasted head of garlic. I know I could look it up but thought I’d “tap the collective” instead.
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18 Answers
With a sharp knife, slice about ¼” off the top, and peel off the “paper”, while leaving the head intact. Drizzle some EVOO into the now open top, roast on a rack for 1 hour at 350 or until golden. Mmmm, delicious. Sweet, too.
Okay, everyone else has answered, but I will too. Cut the top bit off—just the very top so the each clove is a wee bit open to the elements. Drizzle some olive oil on it. Put the entire thing in some aluminum foil (this will save your oven and make it easier to grab later when the garlic becomes squishy). The aluminum should be shaped to make a little stand that holds the garlic up, catches the oil, but also allows the top of the garlic to brown.
Toss it in the oven for an hour or so on whatever rack, really at whatever temperature you need the oven on anyway, though I wouldn’t go above 400 or below 300. It should take about an hour to roast—faster if you’ve got the oven much hotter, slower if it is cooler. You’ll know it is done when the garlic is golden brown and squishy.
To get the garlic out of the cloves, I usually simply turn it upside down (cut side facing down) and squeeze. Squish! liquid garlic spurts out (more or less).
Thanks guys! You’re all invited over for a tomato soup supper.
If you’re going through the trouble to heat up the oven for an hour to roast one head of garlic, you might as well roast a few. :) It’s delicious in so many ways. A local brewpub restaurant has a “roasted garlic plate” appetizer with scallion cream cheese and pesto and some sun-dried tomato aioli along with a whole roasted head of garlic and a small loaf of sliced bread to spread it all on. It’s to die for!
@laureth That sounds yummy. The one head of garlic is now in the oven and the tomatoes are simmering but I will keep that idea in mind for next time. It certainly does seem like a waste of energy; luckily, my stove has a smaller top oven that I am using.
If you are roasting more then one you can do it in a muffin tin. Just be sure to put some water in the unused wells.
Soup’s on or should it be soupcon, @jeruba? (Oh, for the lack of a cedile.)
@janbb: รง. Hit “option” and c on a Mac.
For small amounts, you can use a toaster -oven. It saves energy. I too would skip the peeling first.
If you have a crockpot, it’s very easy to do in there.
Here’s a recipe: Roasted Garlic.
Update: My friends came for dinner and they had made roasted garlic for the first time to go with the bread they brought. Must have been the day for roasted garlic making!
Sounds like a win-win. :D
Sure, gloat. people in Philmont are starving
Hey, you were all invited. Coulda come.
One thing that I do that seems to help the garlic roast more evenly is I pour about ¾” layer of salt on a small sheep pan (holds about 6 heads) and then do what people have suggested: Cut the top, rub olive oil on it (I would not use extra virgin for this) and roast at 350–400 until carmalized. When its ready you should be able to squeeze the garlic out of the skin like toothpaste.
Make a bunch, this stuff is awesome. If you have extra grill some bread with EVOO and smear on some of the roasted garlic.
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