Garlic Confit

Name: Garlic Confit
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 4 heads of garlic, about 150 g peeled cloves; 300 ml (1¼ cups) olive oil, enough to cover; 2 sprigs thyme, optional; 1 bay leaf, optional

Whole cloves poached soft and sweet in olive oil

Makes: about 150 g cloves and 300 ml oil
Hands-on: 10 min
Total: 1 h
Level: Easy

Garlic cloves cooked slowly in oil until they are spreadable, golden and mild, with a jar of garlic-scented oil as a bonus. Smear them on toast, mash them into potatoes or stir them into sauces.

Ingredients

4heads of garlicabout 150 g peeled cloves
300 mlolive oil (1¼ cups)enough to cover
2 sprigsthymeoptional
1bay leafoptional

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Allergens: None of the EU 14
Origin: France

Method

Separate and peel the cloves. A quick way: put the cloves in a jar, close it, and shake hard for 30 seconds to loosen the skins.
Put the cloves, thyme and bay in a small saucepan and pour in oil to cover them by 1 cm.
Heat over the lowest heat so the oil shows only tiny, lazy bubbles, about 85–95°C (185–200°F). Cook for 40–50 minutes, until the cloves are pale gold and soft enough to crush with a spoon. 45 min
Alternatively, cook in a small ovenproof dish, covered, at 130°C (265°F) for 1 hour.
Let cool in the oil, then transfer cloves and oil to a clean jar and refrigerate immediately.

Why it works

Low, steady heat converts garlic's sharp sulfur compounds into mellower, sweeter ones and softens the clove completely without browning, which would make it bitter. The oil carries the heat evenly and absorbs flavor itself.

Common mistakes

Frying instead of poaching: the cloves brown and turn bitter. Keep the bubbles tiny.
Storing at room temperature: garlic in oil can grow Clostridium botulinum. Always refrigerate and use within 4 days, or freeze.

Variations

Chili garlic confit: Add 2 dried chilies and a strip of lemon peel to the oil.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge, cloves fully covered by oil. For longer storage, freeze cloves and oil in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.

Notes

Safety: low-oxygen, low-acid garlic in oil at room temperature is a real botulism risk. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Use the oil for Aioli, dressings or roasting.