I didn’t know until a couple of days ago that April is National Garlic Month! If anybody wants a whole month to celebrate the flavor, the goodness, and punch that garlic adds to a dish, it’s me! I was already planning a garlic tutorial for this week, but now sharing it with all if you is much more apt. I roast and freeze whole heads of garlic on a regular basis, and this makes it much easier to add it to everything I cook. Sauces, soups, sautés- you name it, I’m putting an entire head of roasted garlic into it. And with this roasting-freezing method, you do not have to worry about the garlic losing flavor when thawed.
Except for maybe pie. I don’t think I will be making a garlic pie anytime soon. Unless it is a pot pie. Hmmm.
I see a lot of recipes that call for starting upwards of forty minutes early just to roast a head of garlic. This is where I say to all of you: why roast one head of garlic when you can roast TWELVE!?
Yes, friends, you heard me correctly. Today we will be roast and freeze one dozen heads of garlic. And it will be absolutely spectacular.
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now we will look at our garlic and imagine the sweetness that is coming your way very soon. The aroma that will fill your house. Imagine it and smile a little. It will soon be yours!
You will want to slice 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top of the garlic, exposing the interior cloves. No need to peel!
Then, place each head of garlic on a small piece of aluminum foil. Just enough to wrap all the way around the garlic.
But WAIT, not so fast! Before you package your parcels of garlicky goodness, generously drizzle each head with extra virgin olive oil. If you have the good stuff, use the good stuff. Trust me. It makes a world of difference.
Once you are satisfied with your olive oil drizzle, wrap up your garlic and places it on an unlined baking sheet.
You are now all ready to roast. After letting the garlic cook for 40 minutes, remove the pan the leave to cool for several minutes.
The moment you have been waiting for is finally here. Peel open those bad boys and take a look and what is inside.
PERFECTION!
Set the garlic aside until cool. Once it is safe to touch, squeeze each head of garlic into an ice cube tray. I mean, really get in there and squeeze. This will be messy. You’ll get roasted garlic all over your fingers. The most delicious mess ever.
Most traditional ice cube trays will fit one head of garlic per slot, but I don’t do this small. I use an extra large ice cube tray and put two heads of garlic in each cube. Once frozen solid, remove your garlic from the tray (or not, if this storage method works best for your freezer) and transfer to a zip top bag.
Whenever a recipe calls for garlic (or you simply feel that garlic is missing from something), pull out a cube of roasted garlic and microwave for twenty second. It will thaw easily and the smell of roasted garlic will fill your kitchen all over again. Except it will only take twenty seconds and not forty minutes.
Twenty seconds to olfactory heaven? Sign me up, please.
How To Roast and Freeze Garlic
Ingredients
- 12 heads raw garlic unpeeled
- olive oil extra virgin, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Slice ¼ to ½ inch off the top of each garlic head, exposing the cloves.
- Wrap each garlic head in a small piece of aluminum foil, leaving the tops exposed.
- Generously drizzle each garlic head with extra virgin olive oil.
- Finish wrapping each garlic head, making sure each is covered entirely in foil.
- Place garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, remove garlic from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled and safe to touch, squeeze each garlic clove into a holy in an ice cube tray.
- Freeze until hard and transfer garlic heads to zip top bag for freezer storage.
Roasted garlic in the freezer will keep for up to three months. But I really do not think it will last you that long.
If you try to roast and freeze garlic this way, let me know! I promise it is going to do amazing things for your regular meal prep.
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