When You Should (And Shouldn't) Use The Shaking Method For Peeling Garlic

Peeling garlic is a pain. But skipping garlic is a culinary crime, so the minor — but oh-so-annoying — inconvenience has sparked a host of hacks. Out of all the garlic hacks out there, the shaking method is one of the internet's favorite ways to peel garlic. 

There are a few different variations to the method: Some people recommend shaking your cloves in a screw-top jar, while others use two bowls. Some squash the garlic before shaking it, others cut off the bottoms. But whatever the variation, the general idea is the same. Separate your cloves, place them in a closed container, and shake. The skins should peel away, leaving naked cloves. 

But does it actually work? And is it actually a practical way to peel garlic? The general consensus is yes, but with some stipulations. It's a good hack to have in your arsenal — but only if you need a lot of garlic, say if you're cooking for a crowd or making something particularly garlicky. If you're canning lemon-pickled garlic for all your friends or making stovetop garlic bread for a dinner party, shaking is the way to go. If you just need a few cloves, stick to your standard method.

The shaking method takes more time and energy than peeling two or three cloves with a knife, so the arm workout just isn't worth it for one or two cloves. But that's not the only reason why the shaking method is better for large quantities. Some internet denizens noted that the hack didn't work until they added more cloves, especially if they're of a bigger size. The theory? The extra action from cloves bouncing off each other's surface helps strip away the peel.

If you need to peel smaller quantities of garlic, the tried-and-true smash-it-with-a-knife method is great, but might require more effort. Looking for other garlic peeling hacks? If you have time to plan ahead, do as restaurants do and soak your garlic in water overnight. However, you'll have to peel the skin of each garlic clove individually. You can also resort to buying a garlic peeler.

Stay away from methods that involve zapping garlic in a microwave — most agree that they're ineffective. You'll risk accidentally overcooking the garlic, and you'll probably end up with a stinky microwave.