---
title: "Clove: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "A clove is one segment of a garlic bulb. Here is how big a clove is, how much minced garlic it gives, and what to do when sizes vary."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/clove"
---

# Clove

A clove is one segment of a garlic bulb. Here is how big a clove is, how much minced garlic it gives, and what to do when sizes vary.

Also called Garlic clove, Cloves.

A clove is one of the segments that make up a head (bulb) of garlic. Each clove has its own papery skin. A typical head holds 10 to 15 cloves. The word also names a dried spice, the flower bud of the clove tree, but when a recipe gives a number of cloves next to garlic, it means the segments.

## How to do it

1. Pull a clove off the head.
2. Cut off the hard root end.
3. Lay the flat side of a knife on the clove and press down with the heel of your hand. The skin cracks and slides off.
4. Cut out any green shoot in the middle if you want a milder taste.
5. Slice, mince or crush as the recipe says.

## How to use it

Cloves vary a lot. The ones on the outside of a [head](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/head) are big and the inner ones can be tiny. As a rough guide:

| One clove          | Amount                |
| ------------------ | --------------------- |
| Medium clove       | about 4 to 5 g        |
| Minced             | about ½ to 1 teaspoon |
| Garlic powder swap | about ⅛ teaspoon      |

If your cloves are very small, count two as one. If you have a head with only a few huge cloves, use fewer.

How you cut the clove changes the taste as much as how many you use. A whole [smashed](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/smash) clove gives a mild, sweet flavor. A [minced](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mince) or [crushed](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/crush) clove is much stronger, because cutting breaks more cells and releases the sharp compounds.

## How to store it

Keep whole heads at room temperature in a dry, airy place, out of the fridge, for up to a few months. Once you break a head open, use the cloves within about 10 days. Peeled cloves keep about a week in a closed container in the fridge. Do not keep raw garlic in oil at room temperature, because of the risk of [botulism](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/botulism).

## Common mistakes

* Burning minced garlic. It goes from golden to bitter in seconds over high heat. Add it after onions have softened, and cook only until fragrant.
* Confusing a clove with a head. "2 cloves" is two segments, not two bulbs.

## In recipes

You will see "2 garlic cloves, minced", "3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced" and "1 clove, crushed". "A fat clove" means a large one. Elephant garlic cloves are much larger and milder than regular ones.

## Related terms

* [HeadA head is a whole, compact vegetable such as garlic, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli. Here is how big one usually is and how to cut it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/head)
* [MinceTo mince is to cut food into the smallest pieces you can, finer than chopped, so garlic, ginger, shallots or herbs melt into a dish with no chunks.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mince)
* [CrushTo crush is to break food apart with pressure instead of a clean cut, as with garlic under a knife blade or spices in a mortar, to release more flavor.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/crush)
* [SmashTo smash is to flatten or break food with a sharp blow or firm press, as with garlic under a knife, cucumbers for salad, boiled potatoes or burger patties.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/smash)
* [PeelTo peel is to remove the skin or rind from fruit and vegetables with a peeler, a knife, your fingers or a quick blanch, keeping as much flesh as you can.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/peel)

[More in measurements](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/measurements)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)