The same little clove of garlic can either bring a subtle hint of flavor or deliver a powerful – or overpowering – punch, depending on how you treat it with your knife.

Why? Garlic’s distinct taste comes from something called allicin, which is released when its cell walls are broken down. Our trick? You can actually control the intensity in how you cut it. Here’s the basic rule of thumb: the finer the chop, the stronger the flavor…. 

For the Most Mild Touch Of Garlic

Keep the knife away. Want just a light touch of garlic? Just a hint? Put down that Misen knife. Fun fact: A whole clove of garlic simmered in sauce adds less garlic flavor than a quarter of a clove, finely minced? Another option is to slow roast the garlic in oil (“confiting” if you’re feeling fancy). This cooks out the allicin and releases natural sugars, leaving a nutty, sweet taste instead of a sharp bite.

Pro Tip:

Do not bite into any whole cloves. Just in case you were getting any ideas.

For a Gentle Garlic Taste

Give it a little smash – just not too hard. [or Crack it, don’t smash it] The next step up in intensity? Gently break the clove with a knife. Lay your knife flat over the clove and gently press down using the palm of your hand. You may have seen some TikTok-ers crush the garlic as hard as they can. This means a much stronger flavor, and can be a bit dangerous, too. 

Pro Tip:

Use a bench scraper instead of a knife. It works just as well, and will keep your fingers away from sharp edges.

For Moderate Garlic Flavor

Slicing and dicing to just the right level. [or: Slice your way to the sweet spot] Slicing or roughly chopping garlic adds more bite than smashing, but generally doesn’t overpower your dish. 

You may be asking: how thinly do I slice it? 

A good rule of thumb: slice thicker for recipes requiring longer cooking times or more intense heat. Thin slices cook faster, and can burn more easily. Keep it super thin for quick-cooking dinners like Spaghetti with Olive Oil.  

Pro Tip:

The thinner the knife blade, the easier it is to get those super-thin slices. Use the Misen Chef’s Knife where it’s thinnest, closest to the tip – not the heel which is closest to the handle.

For Amped Up Garlic Intensity

For that classic, garlicky punch. Minced garlic spreads flavor throughout the dish – when the word “garlic” is in the name of the recipe, it’s probably minced! 

Our culinary school teachers would yell at us if the mince was more than ¼” in size. (Yes, what you saw on The Bear can be real, but we’ve recovered, perhaps a little bit more than Carmy.) But you don’t have to be so exact. Just keep in mind that the smaller the mince, the bolder the flavor. 

Pro Tip:

Try mincing garlic like you would an onion. Keep the root intact and make a series of horizontal and vertical cuts. This is a great way to control the size of the mince, and keep things from getting too messy.

For Garlic Lovers – And To Keep Vampires Away

Warning: Next-level garlic. If you made it this far, and you realllllly can’t get enough of garlic (aka you’ve got a giant bottle of Listerine in your cabinet), try turning it into a paste. Many pros do this with a mortar and pestle, but a Chef’s Knife works just as good. Start by finely mincing the garlic, then add a bit of kosher or flake salt on top. Skip the table salt – you want to add texture and provide friction. Then, holding your knife at a slight angle, push down on the blade while scraping the garlic against the cutting board. You're smashing and scraping at the same time. After just a few strokes, you’ve got garlic paste, which spreads the most intense flavor throughout your dish.