Oven-poached garlic is absolutely exquisite. Maybe you’ve had roasted or sautéed garlic. Poaching it is far, far more refined … downright luxurious. It’s mellow and rich; it’s full-flavored, yet has a delicacy about it. Some of the caramelized parts develop a tiny-but-beautiful crunch, with rounded, surprising, bell-like sweet notes.
See ideas for “what to do with it,” below.
Ingredients
2 heads of garlic
2 Tbs dried thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil, perhaps a cup or more
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F. Trim the ends of the heads about 1/2-inch, to expose the cloves. Place them in your smallest saucepot. Sprinkle the thyme over the heads. Pour oil into the pot just until the heads are barely submerged. Bake until the garlic is soft, 1½ hours.
- Let the garlic cool in the oil, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. The oil can be strained after a day or two (so it doesn’t take on too much flavor) and refrigerated separately.
Notes
- Trim the cloves at the end where they’re NOT attached to one another!
- Pouring the oil through a fine-mesh strainer will remove most of the thyme. The amount that makes it through is actually perfect!
What to do with it:
Serve at room temperature by spooning a few cloves and a pool of oil onto a plate. Sprinkle ever so lightly with flaked sea salt … seriously, just a few flakes or none at all. Mash a clove onto a slice of the best (absolute best – that’s critical) baguette you can find, and mop up the oil. Heaven!
You can serve the garlic in the skin, and let your guests remove the cloves with small cocktail forks. You can also remove the cloves from the skins and serve them that way, or return the cloves to the oil (discard the skins) and store them that way. For long-term storage, the confit should be refrigerated; it will congeal, but will return to it’s former state if you allow it to come to room teperature on the countertop. If you still have any left in about a week, separate the cloves from the oil and store separately; otherwise the oil make take on a too-intense garlic flavor.
The confit and the oil are useful anywhere garlic or garlic-infused oil would be, but consider these possiblities especially:
- soups: the oil makes a great garnish; the cloves make a great ingredient
- pastas
- pizza
- use the oil to roast veggies
- pair the cloves and/or oil with any kind of chicken
The oil, if you don’t want to use it all for dipping, can be used in any way that you’d normally use olive oil, so long as the garlic flavor would be welcome: frying, drizzling, salad dressings, etc.
Social Learning
How much oil you’ll need will depend on how many heads of garlic you use, and the size of your saucepot: the smaller the pot and the more heads you place into it, the less oil you’ll need.
Poached garlic keeps well.
Like roasting, poaching leaves you with tons of garlic flavor, but lessens the sharpness and introduces a sweetness. Unlike roasting, poaching injects a sumptuous umami component into the mix, that makes my favorite way to eat it straight-up.
How many servings does this recipe produces in this context? As an appetizer, I’d say two heads serves six generously, but could be stretched to eight.
Oven-Poached Garlic with Thyme
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! unless otherwise credited. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor. Thanks, Prosper Circle. This recipe is a modification of one from Martha Stewart and Sarah Carey, “Oven-Poached Garlic with Thyme.” In Martha Stewart’s Cooking School. (New York, NY: Clarkson Potter, 2008), 306.
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The best way to make mellow garlic 🙂 That’s why I love duck confit so much.
angiesrecipes recently posted…Carrot Cake Bliss Balls #refined-sugar free#gluten free#dairy free
Thanks, Angie!
That first photo, well all of them actually, are so gorgeous! I have made garlic confit before, which i think is the same thing, and you’re right – it’s do different! Thanks for reminding me!
mimi rippee recently posted…Eric Ripert’s Seafood Chowder
I hadn’t thought of that, but of course it’s a confit, isn’t it?
Definitely trying this! Thanks
Hope you love it!
I love roasted garlic, but poaching it in the oven is a new technique to me. With olive oil and thyme, but must be so aromatic! And that olive oil…well give me a loaf of crusty bread, and it will disappear pretty quickly:)
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Lilac Shortbread Cookies
No kidding! I did disappear pretty quickly!
I have never poached garlic before. That’s something I will have to try soon. I bet it would be amazing on pizza!
Theresa recently posted…Spiral Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil and Olive Sauce
I haven’t tried that, but I have no doubt it would be good.
I love garlic, especially when it is roasted . Give me this and a fresh baguette and I am happy .
Agreed!
Interesting! I’ve never heard of poaching garlic before – in fact, I thought I misread the title of this post when it popped into my inbox. However, I do love roasted garlic, so I suspect I need to try poached garlic now. After all, garlic with oil and a good baguette can be a legit meal. You’ve got me craving that now, Jeff!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Coca Cola Pound Cake
I did make a legit meal out of just that, several days in a row!
I’ve roasted garlic with a drizzle of olive oil, I can just imagine how amazing poached garlic must be! Love this to put on pizza or just eat with a sliced french loaf. I get elephant garlic in my CSA Box sometimes, I think this would be a perfect way to prepare it! So good!
Laura recently posted…Sheet Pan Panzanella with Chicken
I agree!
I’ve roasted garlic, but never poached it. You’ve sold me on trying it. Sounds delicious.
Thanks, Judee.
I’ve never made this! Probably because it’s too refined for me. 🙂 Really, though, this is one of those things that I’ve always meant to make, but just haven’t gotten around to it. I’ve tasted poached garlic, though, and it’s so good. Thanks for the inspiration!
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…The Prado Cocktail
Oh, John! So not true! This is no more refined than many of your fabulous cocktails!
Jeff, we always have roasted garlic at the ready, but now we’ll have this poached garlic instead. I really love how the cloves look so well caramelized along the edges, but still soft. I’ve finally grown enough thyme in my tiny herb garden that I can use some of it without using it all up. can’t wait for this! 🙂 ~Valentina
Valentina recently posted…Chocolate Tart with Pistachio Crust (Gluten-Free)
It’s going to be fantastic with fresh thyme!
Ohhhh my goodness Jeff, this sounds so good I’m tempted to poach some garlic RIGHT NOW. Seriously I can already tell this is going to be my new favorite thing. And with an amazing baguette…! This is the type of snack I would end up making excuses to eat for every meal. 😋
Shannon recently posted…Easy Vegan Gyros Wraps
I have to admit that I did make a few special trips to my favorite baguette place so that I could continue sopping this up!
Very nutritious and healthy ingredients: They are garlic, olive oil and theme. Perfect combination. We use them alot.
Thanks!
Roasted garlic, yes but poached garlic, or garlic confit as Mimi called it, I’ve never had it. That is going to change just as soon as I can find some good heads of garlic. All the ones at the markets lately have been so bad. I end up having to through half the head away it seems.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted…Beet, Orange And Arugula Salad
Oh, that’s too bad. Supply chains have so disruptive during the pandemic. There were times when all the fresh produce was awful. (But it was rare that there’s wasn’t any … unlike dried pasta!)
As you suggested, I’m going to do myself a favor and try poaching garlic like this. I’m excited to give the garlic on baguette a try and I will definitely be using that oil in my cooking! Looks fantastic, Jeff!
Marcelle recently posted…Loaded Baked Potato Dip
Thank you. It’s delicious; you won’t be disappointed.
Absolutely love this Jeff , we love garlic here, I have to do this soon!!
gloria Roa Baker recently posted…Chocolate orange Madeleines recipe (Magdalenas de naranja y chocolate)
I hope you do. It’s delicious!
Poached garlic is one of my favorite condiments. I always have a jar in the fridge and as soon as it runs out, another batch is in the oven. I’ve never added thyme to it, but I will be adding it the next time I make these.
Awesome!
Dear Jeff, a wonderful recipe idea for a rather special appetizer – I usually go the route of oven baking a whole of garlic with olive oil, herbs from the garden and salt – double-wrapped, than oven-baked. But this looks like a more luxurious way to prepare and enjoy fresh garlic.
Andrea recently posted…Fried Sage Leaves (Salvia Fritta) l Salbeimäuse
I love roasted garlic, so I’m right there with you on that! This is, though, a nice change-up.
I have to tell you that this is the only way I have been using garlic as the sharp, pungent flavour no longer agrees with us. I have been poaching the cloves in my small slow cooker, it usually takes about the same time. Love that you put thyme in it, great idea.
Eva Taylor recently posted…Gluten Free Whole Orange Cake
Oh, interesting. Well I’ll tell you, I absolutely loves this recipe and will be doing a lot more of it.