How much of the clove should I use when using big garlic heads?
I recently bought some of those big garlic heads (unlike the small, pretty ones you have in the supermarket). It looks like this:
My problem is that when I take out the cloves and try to cut them, they break apart like a small onion. Here is a pic 
As you can tell, there is a "whole" clove buried under the smaller outer layers. My question is - do you just take out the whole, smaller clove and use it, or do you use the outer layers as well? Do the outer layers have a different flavor? Are they bitter?
Best Answer
I think that might be elephant garlic, which isn't really garlic at all. It's in the same family, but is actually a kind of leek so it has a flavor that's a cross between garlic and onion, but milder than garlic. Because it's not very strong you'll probably want to add the whole thing. Just chop it and use it as normal.
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How many cloves are in a large head of garlic?
Answer: An average head of garlic, purchased at the grocery store contains 10 to 12 cloves per head of garlic. The number of cloves per head will vary depending on the variety of garlic.How do you use giant garlic?
Thanks to its whopping size, Elephant Garlic makes a dramatic centrepiece when roasted whole; separate the cloves after cooking and let diners squeeze out the garlic flesh themselves to enjoy the warm, unctuous paste within. Or try cutting the whole bulb into segments and bake in a hot oven, drizzled with olive oil.Is one head of garlic the same as one clove?
First thing's first: A clove of garlic is not the same thing as a head of garlic. The head is the entire bulb that's covered in papery skin. When you peel back the skin, you'll find individual segments \u2014 these wedge-shaped sections are called cloves.How many garlic scapes equal a clove?
Scapes taste just like garlic and can be substituted in just about any recipe that calls for garlic or green onions such as soups, stews, omelets, dips, rubs, etc. In terms of flavour, 4 - 6 scapes equals the flavour of 1 clove.Grow Bigger Garlic! 10 Common Garlic Growing Mistakes To Avoid
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Answer 2
You can generally use the whole thing unless there's another papery skin inside in which case discard that (some garlic may go with it) or anything that seems bad (soft or discoloured). I've never noticed a difference in flavour, and I normally crush mine. I prefer big garlic when I can get it, for convenience when preparing as I tend to use a fair bit at a time.
Answer 3
Elephant garlic is super easy to grow, and the flavor is milder, so use the entire clove. If in doubt, slowly cook in a toaster oven ahead of time to make sweet and gooey (and leave your home smelling amazing).
To grow elephant garlic, take 40 of these cloves that are in good condition and pre-soak in water while you roto-till a patch of your lawn, large enough to make an 8 in x 8 in space for each, preferably as close to a square grid as possible, with 8 inches to spare all the way around. Do this ideally in September. I used a sod cutter to remove the grass and move to areas of the lawn that needed them. If in doubt, however, add seed-free grass clippings to the soil you are roto-tilling, esp, if it is full of clay. A sunny spot at least part of the day is best.
Plant your little bulbs according to how you should plant garlic in the fall, possibly with a little bulb-fertilizer. Planting in the Fall allows your bulbs a critical head start over grass in the Spring. Once you get pre-flowers, get out the scissors and snip yourself a stir fry with a little butter. Yum! Your 40 little "steers" will now focus on bulb making. I got a 100% yield my very first year in SE Michigan -- 40 little elephants! I dug a couple a little early as needed, and to check on progress.
Just in case you might get irradiated product from a corporate supplier, lean toward buying your parent elephant garlic from an organic/roadside source.
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Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Patrícia Paixao, Andrea Piacquadio