If you love garlic, you’re going to love this project: making Garlic Confit and both hot and cold-infused garlic oil. This method not only enhances the rich flavor of garlic but also preserves it beautifully for future use. Whether you're cooking meats, making bruschetta, or simply love the taste of garlic, garlic confit and infused oils are must-haves in your kitchen.
In this guide, I'll show you step-by-step how to prepare garlic confit using a slow cooker and how to create both hot and cold-infused oils, plus some delicious serving ideas!
What is Garlic Confit?
Confit is a traditional French cooking method where food is slowly cooked in fat, oil, or sugar syrup at a low temperature to preserve it.
Garlic confit involves slowly cooking garlic cloves in oil until they become creamy, sweet, and deeply flavorful — the ultimate treat for garlic lovers!
Ingredients You'll Need:
Lots of fresh garlic (check your local vegetable market for the best deals)
Neutral oil (sunflower, vegetable, corn, or even olive oil)
(Optional) Fresh herbs like rosemary
Slow cooker or oven
Coffee filters or cheesecloth for straining
Step 1: Preparing the Garlic
Peeling garlic is the most tedious part — but here’s a trick:
Cut off the bottoms of the garlic bulbs to expose the cloves.
Place the cloves in a box or container and shake vigorously.
This technique loosens the skins, making peeling much easier (and giving you a mini workout!).
Repeat the shaking process if some cloves are still unpeeled. Once peeled, you're ready to cook!
Step 2: Cooking Garlic Confit
Using a slow cooker makes this process easy and gentle:
Spread the peeled garlic evenly in the slow cooker.
Pour oil over the garlic until it’s completely submerged (about twice the depth of the garlic).
Mix the garlic to ensure every clove is coated.
Set the slow cooker to low.
The goal is to keep the oil around 90°C (194°F) — hot enough to cook the garlic without burning it.
After about an hour, check the garlic’s softness by poking it with a knife. When the knife slides in easily, your garlic confit is ready!
Step 3: Cooling and Infusing
Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the garlic and oil infuse for 24 hours.
This resting time deepens the flavor and creates a luxurious texture.
Step 4: Straining the Oil
After 24 hours:
Strain the garlic from the oil carefully.
Use coffee filter paper or muslin cloth to remove impurities and achieve crystal-clear garlic oil.
If needed, double filter by pouring through two layers to get a pure, golden oil.
Tip: Be patient during filtering — it can take a few hours, but the clarity is worth it!
Step 5: Storing Garlic and Garlic Oil
Pack the cooked garlic tightly into sterilized jars.
Pour enough oil over the garlic to cover it completely.
Store the remaining oil in clean containers.
You can even freeze extra garlic oil for later use!
Bonus: Cold-Infused Garlic and Rosemary Oil
Want to take your oil to the next level?
Try cold infusion:
Place fresh rosemary sprigs in a clean bottle.
Pour your filtered garlic oil over the herbs.
Let it sit and infuse naturally over time for a fragrant, herbaceous oil perfect for meats and veggies.
Serving Idea: Garlic-Infused Bruschetta
One of the best ways to enjoy your garlic confit and infused oil is on bruschetta!
How to make it:
Brush slices of bread generously with garlic-infused oil.
Grill or char the bread on a skillet for those perfect grill marks.
Rub the bread with a clove of garlic confit for extra flavor.
Top with mozzarella slices and fresh tomatoes.
Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
The result? A simple yet intensely flavorful appetizer that’ll leave you wanting more.
Final Thoughts
Making garlic confit and infused garlic oil is a labor of love — but the payoff is incredible.
You’ll have soft, sweet garlic and rich, flavorful oil ready to elevate any dish you make. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to preserve a garlic haul!
Thanks for joining me today — happy cooking, and see you next time!
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