The extra step with salt that Gordon Ramsay uses to chop the garlic better

Gordon Ramsay, the multi-Michelin-starred chef, has shared numerous tips with his followers, from his secret to a perfect steak to his trick for effortlessly peeling hard-boiled eggs. One of his tips is to add a little salt while chopping garlic.

In a short YouTube video, Ramsay slices a clove of garlic into thin, round slices, sprinkles them with a pinch of coarse salt, and then chops them into very small pieces. According to Ramsay, the salt's rough texture "helps break down the garlic fibers for a much better result." The salt pulverizes the garlic, making it easier to chop finely, while also drawing out moisture and providing a better grip for the knife.

In another video, published by Wired on YouTube, the chef uses salt in a slightly different way to create a garlic paste, in response to a question about how to mince garlic without a press. First, he crushes the clove with the flat side of a knife, hitting it with his fist. Then he adds a little salt and minces it vigorously into a paste. "The salt holds it together and prevents the garlic from spilling onto the cutting board," Ramsay reveals.

Crushing garlic isn't just about aesthetics or making it easier to chop. Garlic cloves contain a strong-tasting sulfur compound called allicin, which is released when they are crushed or pounded. The problem is that, once crushed, garlic becomes sticky and harder to chop. Salt absorbs some of that sticky moisture and, according to some chefs, also helps to reduce the bitterness of raw garlic.