Garlic Confit is made with raw garlic cloves that have been slow roasted and then stored in their cooking oil. These incredibly tender cloves can be used in so many ways including spreading them onto crostinis, adding them to grilled or roasted meats or mixing them into a huge variety of vegetables. The infused oil that it is stored in can be used for cooking in the same way as plain olive oil.
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Confit is the process of cooking foods in oil at a low temperature for a longer period of time. It is often used as a method of preservation since some foods prepared this way can be stored for months or years.
We often made duck confit in Culinary School and it was absolutely divine, though I don’t ever cook with duck at home. Garlic Confit is prepared using the same method of submerging it in oil and roasting it at a low temperature for hours, and has an endless amount of ways it can be used.
However, garlic confit can not be stored longer than a week or two due to a very slight risk of botulism developing when stored improperly or for too long. To prevent this, follow the storage instructions given below and throw away any leftovers after a week or two. I usually only keep garlic confit for a week, just to be extra safe.
It’s also a great idea to plan how you will use garlic confit because it is so delicious, you won’t want to waste any. You can even use the oil that is now infused with garlic and any herbs you may have added to cook with (so long as any remaining garlic stays fully submerged).
Another confit recipe with a ton of uses that you may want to try is Cherry Tomato Confit.
Why This Recipe Works
Making garlic confit is actually very easy. The hardest part is peeling all of the garlic, but sometimes you can “cheat” a little and find bags of already peeled garlic cloves at the grocery store.
It’s very flavorful. If you prepare it with just garlic in olive oil, it’s obviously going to be heavy with those two flavors, but you can also add fresh herbs to enhance it even more.
There is no doubt that this recipe is versatile. Besides being able to nudge the flavor slightly with different herb combinations, it can also be used in so many ways. My favorite way to use it is on crostini with tomatoes and balsamic glaze drizzled over it, but I also use it when cooking steaks and roasting vegetables quite often.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 5 large heads garlic (separated, peeled and trimmed)
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil (or enough to completely cover the garlic)
- Optional: fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and/or basil
The entire recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Separate and peel all of the garlic cloves. Trim the root ends.
Chef’s Tip: you can often find bags of already peeled garlic cloves at the grocery store to save time.
Preheat your oven to 250°F.
Create!
Place the garlic cloves in a shallow baking dish, about 9 inches in size.
Pour in the oil so that the garlic is completely submerged.
Roast for 2 hours or until the garlic is lightly browned and very soft. Be careful not to burn the garlic as this will cause the flavor to become bitter and unpleasant.
Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer the garlic and oil to a jar or storage container fitted with a lid. Ensure that the garlic is completely covered with the oil when stored.
Refrigerate immediately at or below 38°F.
Present!
Use as desired.
Tips and Techniques
- Store garlic confit in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator at 38°F or less as soon as it cools. The garlic cloves must remain completely covered in oil. This will help prevent botulism spores from developing. The risk for botulism is very small when stored properly.
- Use garlic confit and the oil within 1 to 2 weeks max. Ensure that the garlic remains fully covered in oil when stored.
- Garlic confit can be frozen for up to 3 months. Again, the garlic must be kept covered with oil.
More Garlicky Condiment Recipes
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Garlic Confit
Ingredients
- 5 large heads large heads garlic (separated, peeled and trimmed)
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil (or enough to completely cover the garlic)
- fresh herbs (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Place the garlic cloves in a shallow baking dish, about 9 inches in size.5 large heads large heads garlic
- Pour in the oil so that the garlic is completely submerged.2 cups extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs
- Roast for 2 hours or until the garlic is lightly browned and very soft. Be careful not to burn the garlic as this will cause the flavor to become bitter and unpleasant.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer the garlic and oil to a jar or storage container fitted with a lid. Ensure that the garlic is completely covered with the oil when stored.
- Refrigerate immediately at or below 38°F.
Notes
- Store garlic confit in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator at 38°F or less as soon as it cools. The garlic cloves must remain completely covered in oil. This will help prevent botulism spores from developing. The risk for botulism is very small when stored properly.
- Use garlic confit and the oil within 1 to 2 weeks max. Ensure that the garlic remains fully covered in oil when stored.
- Garlic confit can be frozen for up to 3 months. Again, the garlic must be kept covered with oil.
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