3 of the Easiest Ways to Peel Garlic That Pro Chefs Actually Use Too

Garlic is a kitchen staple for a reason: The aromatic bulb is an ingredient found in most savory dishes, regardless of region or cuisine.

Garlic also happens to be an absolute pain in the ass to peel. The papery skin, however thin it may be, provokes an anger few ingredients and insentient items are capable of inciting.

Luckily, Nick Gavin, Ben Johnson and Riley Moffitt from ChefSteps are here to save the day. Depending on how much time you have (which also coincides with how much garlicky residue you want lingering on your hands), here are three ways to peel garlic.

The classic "smash and peel"

Pro: It's quick and easy — and psychologically healthy, for taking out your aggression.

Con: It's the stickiest method. Smashing the garlic with your knife will also inevitably get the garlic juices onto your hands.

The "soak [in warm water] and peel" method

Pro: It's good for large batches and leaves minimal garlic residue on your hand.

Con: It's somewhat time-consuming — and all that dripping water!

The "shake in a jar" method

Pro: There is no need to dirty your cutting board.

Con: You have to weed through all the garlic skins, and depending on how hard you shake, some might not be peeled.

Bonus: The "Hulk Smash" method

Pro: It's also good for getting out your aggression in a healthy way.

Con: You might have trouble picking up the garlic cloves with the Hulk gloves.

Watch the full demo below: