Push the flat side of a knife on the clove to loosen the peel. Take a chef's knife and lay it on the clove so the flat side is resting on top of it. Hold the knife handle with one hand and bring the palm of your other hand down on the flat blade. The pressure of your palm will smash the clove. [1] X Research source Trim off the dry stem end of the clove. If you look at the peeled clove of garlic, you'll see a narrow tip at one end and a wide, dry end where it used to be connected to the stem. Use the knife to cut just the dry bit off. [4] X Research source verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Jessica Gibson is a Writer and Editor who's been with wikiHow since 2014. After completing a year of art studies at the Emily Carr University in Vancouver, she graduated from Columbia College with a BA in History. Jessica also completed an MA in History from The University of Oregon in 2013.