Garlic mincing is a messy, sticky, and smelly business. And the more garlic you mince, the worse the smell. 

But there is no denying that mincing your own garlic gives you more of the best in garlic flavor, aroma, and all round goodness. 

No wonder so many people use minced garlic. There are times when you can take that shortcut, and times when you really just need to mince your own garlic.

Minced Garlic, Sliced, or Whole?

Your decision to use garlic mince, whole garlic cloves, or sliced garlic influences the flavor of the food. 

Mincing or slicing garlic breaks down the cells and sets in motion a chemical reaction that gives garlic its distinctive characteristics.

The more thoroughly you mince the garlic, the more you break cells, and the more pungent the flavor. 

This means that when you mince garlic finely, you end up with a more pungent flavor and aroma than when you just smash it. 

When you are after a sweeter finish, consider slicing or crushing garlic cloves because this makes it easier to caramelize it using hot oil. 

To spread the flavor of garlic all over the dish, use chopped garlic or minced garlic. This also makes it easier for the garlic to burn. 

One alternative to mincing that saves time is grating. The catch is that you have to be careful to avoid overcooking the garlic, because grated garlic becomes bitter with overcooking. Only grate garlic when you are using a recipe that calls for raw, fresh garlic. Grating garlic for salad dressings is a good idea. 

Now that we are clear on when to mince garlic, we can now get into when you can skip it altogether. 

Stews, Braises, and Soups – smash it

Because braising and stewing both require cooking food slowly over longer intervals, you can avoid garlic mincing. The longer cooking time gives the broth plenty of time to break down the garlic cloves. 

Make the flavor ‘pop’ by smashing the cloves before tossing them into the soup. You can still toss whole garlic cloves, smashed, into a quick-cooking broth. But you will need to remove it and then serve. 

Sautés and Pan Pastas – slice it

Compared to mincing, slicing is a lot neater. Skip the mess by slicing and still enjoy the flavor of garlic in your pan pastas as well as sauteed dishes. 

Start by cooking the sliced garlic in olive oil. The garlic should caramelize so that it adds a distinctive flavor to the dish. 

One way to make pasta or rice with garlic is to fry the garlic (sliced) and then sauté vegetables in the same oil to prepare a quick pasta sauce or rice sauce. The crunchy garlic chips you fried at the beginning will make a perfect garnish. 

Marinades and Dressings – Grate the Garlic

Using a fine grater to grate garlic will bring out the same potent zing as minced garlic. Use a fine grater for best results. 

Because grated garlic so easily overcooks and turns bitter, save it for marinades and salad dressings which pose no such danger.