We love roasted garlic.  Somehow it makes its way into just about dinner around our house.  It's so much more mellow and earthy than regular garlic.  It's also easier to use since it is already cooked.  As we all know, once garlic burns there's no going back.  Burned garlic will not only stink up the kitchen, but it will ruin an entire dish.

Over the years I've made thousands of heads of rosted garlic.  The problem is that it never lasts long enough.  So, to fix that we started buying bulk pre-pealed garlic from Costco (this is just where we buy it, not a plug for them!).  You can also buy pre-pealed garlic from the grocery store, but it will be more expensive.  The bag we get is a couple pounds, which is way too much even for this recipe.  So when we buy it, I find myself throwing garlic into everything from the crock pot to salad dressings to just breaking a couple whole cloves when I am pan searing chicken or steak.  Although I hate things going to waste, for the price I'm okay with some spoilage out of a bag.

One quick point to make about pre-pealed roasted garlic: there is almost no mess to deal with, which I love.

This recipe slow cooks the garlic, making almost a confit.  I keep it stored in the refrigerator for up to six months and it tastes great.  Just keep the roasted garlic covered in the oil in an air tight container.  Whenever you need some, grab a fork and get the good stuff.

QUICK COOKING TIP: This recipe is really 2 for 1!  Not only will you get the most tender and delicious roasted garlic, but you will also get some super tasty roasted garlic oil.  Typically I will cover the garlic with more olive oil than is needed for roasting so we will have extra garlic oil.  It's fantastic in just about any savory dish and in hummus in particular!

Let's get roasting.