{"id":463,"date":"2022-10-13T10:53:14","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T10:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kitchendodo.com\/?p=463"},"modified":"2022-10-15T09:57:36","modified_gmt":"2022-10-15T09:57:36","slug":"how-to-make-head-of-garlic-halved-crosswise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kitchendodo.com\/how-to-make-head-of-garlic-halved-crosswise\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Head of Garlic Halved Crosswise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cutting garlic may seem complicated and messy, but they are worth the taste! Apparently, you can chop garlic in several ways, each with its own purpose.<\/p>\n

I learned that one of the popular ways to make garlic is by roasting them, but you need to slice it in half crosswise. So, if you are wondering what it means or how you are supposed to do it, please read on!<\/p>\n

I’ll share detailed steps of making the head of garlic halved crosswise and ways you can use them!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Picking the Right Garlic<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"garlic\"<\/p>\n

Before I start with the steps, it’s crucial to pick good garlic.<\/p>\n

But why?<\/em><\/p>\n

Good question!<\/p>\n

You see, garlic is quite flavourful, but choosing the right one can significantly enhance your dish’s taste. So, let’s see a few key characteristics of fresh garlic that you should buy when you go grocery shopping.<\/p>\n

There are two main types of garlic that are available in the market, which are as follows:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hardneck Garlic<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"hardneck-garlic\"<\/p>\n

Hardneck garlic grows in harsh climatic conditions of winter in the northern regions. Their size is typically bigger than the regular garlic you see in the market.<\/p>\n

What I like about this garlic is they have firmer skins that are easy to peel and have uniform-shaped cloves.<\/p>\n

You will get around 6 to 8 cloves in one bulb (head). Although they are flavourful, sadly, their shelf life is short<\/strong>. They last approximately 3 to 5 months after harvesting.<\/p>\n

The three main subcategories of hard neck garlic are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Rocambole<\/li>\n
  • Porcelain<\/li>\n
  • Purple stripe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Softneck Garlic<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \"softneck-garlic\"<\/p>\n

    Softneck garlic is grown in mild weather conditions, usually in the southern part of the US. They are grown all year and contain 12-24 cloves in one head.<\/p>\n

    Their clove shape is not uniform, and flaky peels are tough to remove, unlike hard-neck garlic. However, they are a favorite household ingredient!<\/p>\n

    To check if the garlic is fresh<\/strong>, press it a little to see its firmness. They are not fresh if they are soft, or their cloves are not enclosed.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    What Does Cutting Garlic Halved Crosswise Mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \"Cutting-Garlic-Halved-Crosswise\"<\/p>\n

    A lot of recipes ask you to cut garlic halved crosswise, but what does it mean?<\/p>\n

    It’s simple. It’s to chop the garlic from the top head side. That’s it?<\/em> Yes, but you need to keep a few things in mind before cutting them.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    How to Make Head of Garlic Halved Crosswise<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Now, let’s see how you can make the garlic head halved crosswise. It would be wise to use a sharp knife to cut the garlic since it still has the peels on.<\/p>\n

    Generally, recipes that ask you to make roasted garlic will say cut garlic crosswise.<\/p>\n

    I would highly suggest bringing fresh garlic. The ones firm on touching a little heavy indicate they are fresh! You can also check if the bulb is well intact and not loose.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Why does the recipe require you to halve the head of garlic crosswise?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \"why\"<\/p>\n

    A lot of people ask me, is there a particular reason why we are supposed to slice garlic crosswise? Well, yes.<\/p>\n

    To roast unpeeled garlic, the best way is to chop off its head and bake them so that you can squeeze out its delicious caramelized cloves after it’s cooked.<\/p>\n

    Let’s look at the steps so that it becomes clear to you.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    How to cut the head of garlic crosswise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Place the garlic so that the point ends of the cloves are on each side and the stalk (head) is on the other. Luckily, you do need to peel the skin as it will act as a bind to the cloves (helps to trap heat within).<\/p>\n

    The shape of the cut will be like cutting onion rings. So, chop a little below the stalk so you can cut a tiny part of the cloves. Do not cut from the center since you will lose a lot of garlic that way.<\/p>\n

    After doing so, you’ll get many half-cut flakes. Remove or cut shabby peels from the inside and keep the outer peel as it is.<\/p>\n

    There you have it! Your crosswise garlic is ready to be cooked.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Roasting garlic<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Like I said before, roasted garlic requires a crosswise cut, so let’s see how to cook them to get beautifully caramelized garlic<\/strong>.\"roasting-garlic\"<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Here is how to roast garlic cut crosswise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n