Garlic Confit

Learn how to make garlic confit that’s a creamy, herby garlic delight you can smash on toast, or add to homemade sauces, soups and more.

Garlic Confit

It’s the perfect time of the year to learn new cooking methods! One of the easiest and most elegant? Confit. We’ll be using this French cooking method to make garlic confit, a deliciously rich and tender recipe that you can add to pasta, toast, soups, and more for showstopping flavor.

Ingredients

• Garlic – we’ll be using an abundance of garlic to get the most out of our time cooking.
• Olive oil – remember to keep the oil once the recipe is done cooking. You’ll be storing the confit garlic in this oil.
• Rosemary or thyme – optional, but recommended. These herbs add a complementary flavor to garlic confit
• Red chili flakes – an optional, but fun addition to make garlic confit a bit spicy and colorful.

What is Garlic Confit?

Confit is a cooking method that involves slow cooking an ingredient to preserve it. [1]

Confit is a conjugation of the French word confire. In French, confire means “to preserve.” [2]

Confit is used to candy fruit, preserve meat such as duck confit, egg yolks, and more. [3]

Garlic confit is garlic that’s been slow cooked in oil to preserve it. Once cooked, the garlic’s texture is tender and easy to smash, while the flavor is richer and deeper. 

How to Make Garlic Confit

Garlic Confit Stovetop Method

You can make garlic confit in the oven or on a stovetop. Here’s the first way, the stovetop method.

First, set a small saucepan over medium low heat on the stovetop.

Then, add peeled garlic cloves. Pour olive oil over the garlic until every clove is completely submerged—this is imperative to make it properly.

Second, if using, add sprigs of rosemary or thyme to the oil. This will make the garlic confit herby and aromatic.

Then, stir the herbs into the oil until its submerged as well.

Third, cook the garlic until it’s golden and tender.

The left photo below shows the garlic uncooked and raw. The right photo shows the garlic confit cooked and tender.

Here’s a closeup photo of the finished recipe. While the cooking oil appears to be a darker color, the garlic is a tender caramel color.

Once tender, it’s time to quickly cool it. Store the cooled garlic confit as soon as possible to avoid food borne illnesses.

See storing instructions below in the post.

Garlic Confit in Oven: Oven Method

If you prefer to confit garlic in the oven instead, follow the directions below:

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Add garlic and oil to an oven-safe dish. Make sure garlic is completely submerged in oil. If not, add more as needed.
• Cover and bake for about 2 hours, until golden (not brown), and tender.
• Place on a heatproof surface, allowing to cool completely. Once cooled, pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until serving.

Garlic Confit: Botulism

What is botulism? According to the CDC, “Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves.” [4]

What is the deal with garlic confit and botulism anyway? Well, botulism often exhibits as a food-borne illness that results from the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in low-acid, low-oxygen, low salt, and low-sugar environments.

When garlic is stored in oil, the environment is typically low-acid, low salt, low-oxygen, and low-sugar. Raw garlic is a bigger risk, while cooked garlic’s risk is lower but still evident.

While the risk of botulism is low, it is always safe to play it safe.

To avoid the growth of bacteria, remember to practice food safety and proper food storage.

We will be storing this recipe in the refrigerator which will keep it at safer temperatures, and keeping it for no longer than 1-2 weeks to avoid the risk of botulism.

Follow the steps below to avoid garlic confit botulism.

How to Store Garlic Confit

How long does garlic confit last? We’ll be going over two different ways to store garlic confit which include different storing times.

In the Refrigerator

It’s imperative to cool your garlic confit as quickly as possible and get it into the refrigerator to avoid food borne illnesses.

Once cooled, pour garlic confit (and the oil it cooked in) into an airtight jar. Cover tightly with plastic, then seal the jar completely.

Store the well-sealed jar in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, but no longer for food safety. Do not ever store this recipe at room temperature.

Whenever using this condiment, make sure to use a clean spoon and do not redip to avoid exposing the confit garlic to bacteria. Reseal completely and store back in the refrigerator.

In the Freezer

Once cooled, pour garlic confit and its cooking oil into an ice cube tray for individually-sized portions. Once frozen, pop out cubes and store in an airtight container in the freezer for 1-3 months.

Garlic Confit Uses

Once you make this recipe, you’ll probably be wondering how to use garlic confit. Here are a few very delicious suggestions:

• Garlic Confit Toast. Slice a baguette into rounds and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350°F. Then, spread this aromatic condiment over each toasted round. Enjoy!
• Confit Garlic Butter. Mash garlic confit in a bowl filled with softened butter. Fold until well incorporated. Use this as a spread on bread, mashed potatoes, and more.
• Garlic Confit Pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Then, toss with garlic confit, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh basil.
• Garlic Confit Spread. Use this recipe as a spread on your favorite breads, sandwiches, wraps, crackers, on top of Vegan Brussels Sprouts or Hasselback Sweet Potatoes and more!
• You can add this confit garlic to soup, vinaigrettes, sauces, sandwiches, and more to add a deliciously creamy, roasted garlic flavor.

Delicious Recipes for You

• Crispy Breakfast Potatoes
• How To Toast Coconut
• Blistered Green Beans
• Maple Glazed Carrots
• Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Tools You Need

• stainless steel saucepan
• olive oil dispenser
• garlic peeler

A Garlic Lover’s Dream

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! When you make a BB recipe, take a pic and share it on Instagram or Facebook tagging me @beamingbaker and #beamingbaker. Is simply love hearing from you! ‘Til our next kitchen adventure…

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

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