Sous Vide Garlic Confit and Infused Olive Oil

The sous vide garlic confit and infused olive oil are fantastic condiments, both cooked using easier than you think precision cooking method.

a fork full of pasta with garlic confit and garlic oil

This post was sponsored by Anova as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, and all opinions expressed in my post are my own

this is the anova precision cooker inside a box

The Anova Precision Cooker Nano cooks the garlic cloves slowly at regulated temperature to achieve a succulent texture without burning the garlic or the oil. The confit is a French cuisine technique used to preserve fruits and tenderize tough cuts of meat such as duck. But it is perfect for garlic confit and for infusing olive oil with complex integrity of the extra virgin with the garlic cloves and the spices.

Garlic confit and infused olive oil made with the Anova Precision Cooker

In the old days, chefs de cuisine cooked the garlic or duck confit in the oven or stovetop. But with the introduction of the immersion circulator made it possible to achieve perfect garlic confit using the sous vide technique, and the results are fantastic.

Nowadays, Anova Culinary makes it possible for us home chefs to use the sous vide technique at home by creating easy-to-use products such as the Anova Precision Cooker Nano and the vacuum sealer. With the Anova immersion circulator, you can cook vegetables and your favorite proteins without overcooking them, and the food can stay in the water bath until ready to serve.

garlic confit pasta

Managing your busy schedule and the holiday cooking is one of the benefits of using the Anova Precision Cooker Nano. You will cook the sous vide garlic confit recipe and other yummy meals with predictable results every time.

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Tips for cooking the best sous vide garlic confit and infused olive oil.

The term “confit” means to slow cook in fat at a lower temperature. Garlic confit is similar to roasted garlic, with a subtle flavor as the garlic is not caramelized. When cooking garlic using a precision cooker, you get nothing but a rich garlic taste and no bitterness.

lemon peel, black pepper, oregano and aleppo pepper
collage on how to clean garlic cloves
Sauteing garlic cloves in a deep fry pan
Step by step on how to make sous vide garlic confit

In the past, professional chefs made confit on the stove, and typically a thermometer was the tool to keep the temperature in check. But with the introduction of the sous vide technique made it possible to create confit the easiest way. And now you can do the same when using the Anova Precision Cooker Nano, the vacuum sealer, and a vacuum seal bag. Follow the below instructions to prepare the best sous vide garlic confit.

  • Choose fresh garlic bulbs. The bulbs must look firm and will have the bottoms intact with their roots ends.
  • Some garlic bulbs have purple hues, and others are white. Both types of garlic work for this sous vide garlic confit recipe.
  • Add the garlic cloves into a mason jar for faster peeling, close with the lid, and shake. Open the jar, and the garlic cloves will loosen the peels making it easy to clean.
  • Optionally you can use peeled garlic from the store. The only recommendation is to look at the source of the garlic and how it was processed.
  • We recommend using locally sourced garlic. Remove any cloves of garlic that may have bruising or brown spots.
  • Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Remember, the garlic will cook in the oil, and the best tasting garlic confit requires good-tasting olive oil too.
  • We like to sautee the garlic before cooking it in the precision cooker, but this is optional.
  • Adding salt is essential for a tasty finish. We recommend gourmet flaked sea salt, but fleur de sel is a good option too.
  • Garlic confit can use fresh herbs and spices, and we used fresh oregano sprigs, lemon peel, and Aleppo pepper flakes.
  • You can use and experiment with other spices and flavorings, such as cumin, basil, orange peel, and/or Italian herbs.
  • When the garlic confit is ready, open the sous vide bag, pour the content into a mason jar, and close with a lid.
  • Keep the garlic confit inside the fridge; it preserves well for about a week. Or could stay fresh longer when using a pressure canner.
Step by step process on how to set up a precision cooker

Recommendation on how to set up the Anova Precision Cooker Nano for making garlic oil or confit.

Choose the container to use. We like the Anova 12 L container. The Anova Precision Cooker Nano fits nicely and has a rack to secure the sous vide bags.

Fill the container with enough water. You will notice the Anova Precision Cooker Nano has water line levels of minimum and maximum. Make sure to meet those water requirements for the precision cooker to work correctly.

Set the Anova Precision Cooker Nano at 87.5C or 190F. The precision cooker has two modes Centigrade and Fahrenheit, which is helpful. A blue light will start blinking, which means the cooker is heating the water. When it reaches the set temperature, it will beep, and the light will turn solid blue color.

Step by step on how to make infused olive oil

We recommend using the Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer and the vacuum seal bags. Fill the vacuum seal bag with the garlic, spices, and olive oil and seal using the vacuum sealer.

The Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer is simple to use. Turn it on, insert the bag, close and push the vacuum seal button to remove some air, then press the seal button. The sealer also has a mode for pulse vacuum, which comes in handy when vacuum sealing liquids.

Sous vide garlic confit with oregano sprogs inside a mason jar

Now that the garlic confit is ready, how should we use it?

If you love oven-roasted garlic, you’ll love garlic confit. The garlic cloves come out soft as butter, and the flavor is so mellow. Plus, infused olive oil is a fantastic condiment to use for sauteing vegetables, eggs, meats, and much more.

a bowl of pasta and chopped garlic with garlic oil

The sous vide garlic is perfect for making pasta aglio e olio too. Cook the spaghetti or pasta of your choice in hot, salted water until al dente. It takes about 10 minutes for the pasta to be ready. Serve it in a bowl and drizzle warm garlic oil and some chopped confit garlic cloves. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh Italian parsley. No need to add cheese, but if you are a cheese lover, use shredded pecorino romano.

Garlic confit makes the best garlic bread. You can either make crostini and spread the cooked garlic as butter. Or add it to the bread dough before oven baking. Focaccia is another bread that benefits from garlic oil and garlic confit.

a collage with pasta aglio e olio

Garlic dips and sauces are another way to use garlic confit. Add one cup of Greek yogurt to the blender with two tablespoons of garlic confit, and half preserved lemon and one teaspoon of garlic oil. Blend and serve in a bowl with pita chips.

Vinaigrettes and salad dressings benefit from garlic confit too. Puree one tablespoon of the garlic confit and combine with salt and pepper, add dried oregano, one part of apple cider vinegar, and two parts of garlic olive oil. Emulsify and enjoy with your favorite salad.

Infused olive oil with garlic and spices

Cook your steak, and when done, top it with garlic confit and drizzle warm olive oil—a suitable replacement for butter for a dairy-free option.

You can use garlic confit for making garlic soup, season beans, mix in with your mashed potatoes and cook your favorite vegetables.

I love garlic confit and garlic oil to prepare sunny side up eggs, believe me, it is much better than eating eggs with pesto sauce from a can.

Sous vide cooking collage
sous vide garlic confit

Sous Vide Garlic Confit and Infused Olive Oil

Chef Adriana Martin
The sous vide garlic confit is a flavorful condiment for crafting delectable dishes, and precision cooking is the best way to infuse olive oil with garlic and other spices. You will be impressed with the many ways you can use garlic confit and garlic oil in your cooking!
5 from 47 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Sauces, preserves
Cuisine French Cuisine
Servings 15 people
Calories 385 kcal

Equipment

  • Anova Precision Cooker Nano
  • Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer
  • Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Bags
  • Anova 12 L container
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Ladle
  • Tongs
  • Deep frying pan
  • 3 mason jars with lids

Ingredients
  

  • 8 garlic bulbs clean and peeled
  • 3 cups extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon peel
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper cracked
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper crushed

Instructions
 

  • Add half a cup of olive oil to a deep frying pan and sautee the peeled garlic cloves at low temperature until they acquire a soft golden color. Move the garlic constantly to avoid burning it. Rest until the garlic and the oil is at room temperature.
  • Place the precooked garlic cloves inside the sous vide bags. You will add the same amount of garlic cloves per bag. Optionally use one-pint size mason jars with lids.
  • Add the spices and herbs to each of the bags. One bag will have a fresh oregano sprig. Another bag will include Aleppo pepper flakes, and the third bag will incorporate the lemon peel and the black pepper.
  • Add a pinch of sea salt to each bag and cover with olive oil. The olive oil must cover all the garlic cloves.
  • Seal the bags with the vacuum sealer and submerge them in the water bath.
  • Cook the garlic confit for 2 hours at 87.5C or 190F temperature. If you prefer not to sautee the peeled garlic cloves, skip that step and cook it raw in the precision cooker for 2.5 hours.

Notes

Recommendation on how to set up the Anova Precision Cooker/Nano for making garlic oil or confit.
  • Choose the container to use. We like the Anova 12 L container, and the Anova Precision Cooker Nano fits nicely and has a rack to secure the sous vide bags.
  • Fill the container with enough water. You will notice the Anova Precision Cooker Nano has water line levels of minimum and maximum. Make sure to meet those water requirements for the precision cooker to work correctly.
  • Set the Anova Precision Cooker Nano at 87.5C or 190F. The precision cooker has two modes Centigrade and Fahrenheit, which is helpful. A blue light will start blinking, which means the cooker is heating the water. When it reaches the set temperature, it will beep, and the light will turn solid blue color.
  • We recommend using the Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer and the Vacuum Seal Bags. Fill the vacuum seal bag with the garlic, spices, and olive oil and seal using the vacuum sealer.
  • The Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer is simple to use. Turn it on, insert the bag, remove some air, and press the seal button. The sealer also has a mode for pulse vacuum, which comes in handy when vacuum sealing liquids.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 32gSodium: 158mgPotassium: 10mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Keyword garlic, preserves, sous vide
Tried this recipe?Mention @adrianasbestrecipes or tag #abrecipes on Instagram

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Chef Adriana Martin
Latest posts by Chef Adriana Martin (see all)
5 from 47 votes (28 ratings without comment)
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