Questions tagged [cutting]

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Trimming ends off snow peas

I'm curious if it is customary to trim the ends off snow peas or should I just leave them on and eat them. I always clean them but it is time consuming. The picture shows an untrimmed one on top and ...
amphibient's user avatar
  • 2,921
10 votes
6 answers
6k views

Does 100% rye sourdough bread always have a sticky crumb? How do I make it stick to the knife less?

Every time I make a 100% rye sourdough, it sticks to the knife when I cut it even after letting it sit for a day before cutting. Is this normal? I have tried to vary the hydration ratio a bit, but it ...
mlt's user avatar
  • 211
2 votes
1 answer
393 views

Bitter Cucumbers

I was watching a cooking show and the chef made the comment that if you use a large basic cucumber (not hot house, persian, kirbys, english, etc.) before you peel it, cut off about half an inch of the ...
user33210's user avatar
  • 1,192
0 votes
4 answers
2k views

How can I cut a tomato without a knife?

I am trying to make a salad but I can't find a knife at my work. Is there a way I can cut the tomato without a knife?
philip's user avatar
  • 113
14 votes
9 answers
34k views

How to peel, cut and prepare prickly pears without getting the thorns in your skin?

Peeling the cactus pear fruit, or better in known in some grocery stores as the prickly pear (or Tuna, Indian fig) can be painful, because of thorns on it. The skin of the fruit is covered in tiny ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 874
3 votes
5 answers
8k views

Best tool for quickly cutting vegetables into a salad?

I like eating a salad for lunch, but would like to somehow optimize the time it takes to cut the vegetables. My salad usually contains tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, carrot, etc. I could buy an ...
JonathanReez's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
4k views

Horizontal cuts when dicing an onion

Should you make horizontal cuts (parallel to the board) through the halves of an onion before dicing?
user1569339's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
12k views

Why did my salsa go bitter?

Recently I made 2 separate batches of salsa from the same ingredients: 1x Red Capsicum 1x Brown Onion 3x Green chilis Half a head of garlic Salt Sugar Lime Juice The first batch was great. I dirced ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 43
2 votes
3 answers
8k views

What are the official names for slicing an onion from pole-to-pole or cross-pole?

There must exist some french (or other culinary) term for the various ways to describe the different directions to slice an onion. I'm looking for two terms: Slicing across the grain, perpendicular ...
beausmith's user avatar
  • 565
2 votes
3 answers
14k views

Correct knife to use for portioning raw salmon?

I recently bought a relatively large (~2lbs) filet of salmon. In order to portion it out I placed it skin side up on a cutting board and used a bread knife to essentially saw through the skin as it ...
alexpotato's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
2k views

How do I cut an acorn squash?

A recipe I have been learning requires acorn squash wedges. I have been using my 8" chef knife to make a shallow cut in the outside, then kind of jabbing it with a small knife like carving a pumpkin ...
ericn's user avatar
  • 53
2 votes
1 answer
3k views

What is a good way to cook Turkey Chops?

How should turkey chops be cooked so they are tasty? Is a cast iron pan needed or benefitial?
samyb8's user avatar
  • 825
14 votes
5 answers
30k views

When should I press garlic and when should I chop it?

I just found out they make fancy devices for pressing garlic. However, I'm unsure of when I should use this. When do chefs press garlic and when do they chop it? Is there a rule of thumb that needs to ...
Evan Carroll's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Easy way to trim raw chicken thighs

Since I love so much chicken bone broth, I avoid buying always plain chicken breast. Instead I buy the whole thigh because I want to collect the bones. My only problem is finding a good way to ...
SystematicFrank's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
44 views

Fennel mandarin salad

I have a recipe for a fennel mandarin salad. it says to chop the fennel bulb. I haven't cooked or even ate fennel before. I have the fennel. Do i chop the green portion or the white bulb portion? for ...
Gil's user avatar
  • 11
10 votes
4 answers
16k views

Do lamb kidneys require their cores to be removed and what is the easiest way to remove them?

I am cooking lamb kidneys by frying them on a pan. If I do not remove the cores of the kidneys, that tissue in the core remains and is hard to chew afterwards. Is there a way to cook the kidneys ...
Vass's user avatar
  • 807
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I uniformly chop peanuts?

I'd love to get something approximating the nicely uniform chopped peanuts you get when you order a sundae at McDonald's. I have tried manually chopping the nuts, and they come out all sorts of ...
Jeff Axelrod's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
944 views

Cutting marbled pork without it falling apart

I have a pork butt that is seared quickly then simmered on the stove in marinade for hours. I like to choose very marbled pork because it's just so much juicier. Anyway, the pork turns out real nice, ...
pixelfreak's user avatar
16 votes
5 answers
14k views

How to prevent sliced vegetables/roots from sticking to the blade

This is especially problematic with garlic, but onions, roots and other vegetables are sometimes just as bad. When making thin slices, with the problem worsening as the portions are cut smaller, the ...
JWiley's user avatar
  • 1,020
9 votes
2 answers
19k views

How to cut beef tenderloin into Filet Mignon

I bought a chunk of tenderloin and made several Filet Mignon out of it. I had a hard time cutting the filet into parallel shape with relatively smooth surface, like those we found in fine restaurant. ...
KMC's user avatar
  • 1,984
5 votes
2 answers
7k views

Gyuto knife - What it can & can't cut? What cutting techniques?

I bought a Gyuto knife but now I am unsure what I can cut with it. The manufacturer says I shouldn't try to cut bones or frozen things with it, which seems clear to me. But how about raw potatoes &...
Sven's user avatar
  • 1,969
4 votes
1 answer
7k views

To chop or to blend?

Many dishes start off by finely chopping and then frying vegetables (usually onions, carrots, celery and maybe garlic) to get a good flavour base. If you want to get the maximum flavour would it not ...
Albert Mijburgh's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How do restaurants chop up garlic?

If I buy dishes, such as garlic chicken, from take-away restaurants, the garlic appears to be in small white particles in the meal. How do restaurants chop up the garlic for this purpose? Are they ...
Paul Lassiter's user avatar
14 votes
5 answers
132k views

How do I cut out the vein/tendon from a chicken breast tendorloin?

I like to cook grilled chicken sometimes to go in salads. The problem I always have is that in the chicken breast tendorloins I buy, there is always a tendon or vein or something. It's white when ...
Earlz's user avatar
  • 283
0 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is having an extending blade near the knife handle a serious risk when cutting food?

Here's an example of a very typical knife design: Look at where the arrow points. That's a blade part that extends from the handle orthogonal to the knife axis and it's pretty thin and its side ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 1,273
4 votes
5 answers
23k views

Is there anything gained by butterfly cutting a hot dog for grilling?

A friend of mine butterfly cuts (in half lengthwise without separating) his hebrew national hot dogs before grilling them. I don't notice a difference in flavor and didn't perceive a decrease in ...
ahsteele's user avatar
  • 2,608
11 votes
2 answers
9k views

Does chopping vegetables remove vitamins?

I hear some chefs saying on TV: "Don't cut your vegetables in the salad too small, because the smaller you cut them the more vitamins are lost." Is that true? and if it was really true, what is a ...
Zeina's user avatar
  • 1,300
1 vote
2 answers
34k views

How do I cut and serve my ribs?

I slow-cooked spare ribs on my grill yesterday: I'm not sure if that picture does it justice, but they were very tasty. The problem I had was cutting and serving them to my family. Is there a ...
ray023's user avatar
  • 113
5 votes
4 answers
26k views

Optimal shape to cut apples for apple pie

I have always enjoyed a slice of apple pie... in the morning... afternoon... and after dinner. Or anytime actually. And as such, I had to learn to bake my own apple pie to satisfy my deep affinity ...
Jay's user avatar
  • 8,853
12 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it true about a dull knife being more likely to cut you?

I've heard people argue that a dull knife is more likely to cut you than a sharp one. The argument is that you are more likely to cut yourself by applying too much pressure with the dull knife. When ...
Tyler's user avatar
  • 620
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

How to cook cubed fish for a fish taco (tortilla)

Today someone at work described eating a delicious halibut taco. I've never had one before but it sounds awesome, so I'm going to try to make one some time this week (but since I have a lot of salmon ...
JSideris's user avatar
  • 641
7 votes
3 answers
4k views

How to cut an egg without the yolk sticking to the knife?

I cut a number of eggs for a salad and had most yolks stuck to the knife. The problem, to me, is that the egg falls apart. The yolk is loose and the white as well. Does anybody know a way to cut the ...
BaffledCook's user avatar
  • 13.2k
6 votes
3 answers
9k views

What does the term mirepoix mean? [closed]

What is mirepoix and what purpose does it serve? Is it a type of cut such as julienne or Macedonia, or is it a type of cuisine?
Salsa's user avatar
  • 91
10 votes
6 answers
12k views

How do I cut an oreo?

I recently made some decorated cupcakes that required oreo halves. I tried several methods: serrated knife - lots of crumbs, both halves would shatter plain knife (slowly) - lots of crumbs, both ...
zzzzBov's user avatar
  • 235
2 votes
2 answers
499 views

Should I buy a mechanical chopper?

A popular example of this device is the heavily-advertised Slap Chop tool. Is there any advantage to buying one of these? Do they tend to be as effective as advertised, and if so, what features ...
Mary's user avatar
  • 31
5 votes
2 answers
576 views

Automatic dicer

I love cooking, but I hate dicing! I have a food processor that can slice really well, but it doesn't have any ability to do dicing. Does a device that can automatically dice various produce (peppers,...
David Pfeffer's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
7k views

Making Subway-like salads at home w/ zero work

I often buy salads at Subway because I'm lazy. However, I'm also cheap, and Subway's markup on salads is quite high. I want to buy items at a supermarket and simply mix them together to make a ...
user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
248 views

Julienne applications

I've found that the julienne cut is an important subject when talking about knife skills, but in my recipes (from books, internet etc.) I've never found a suggestion to make a julienne cut. Which are ...
7 votes
6 answers
5k views

How do you cut/process a whole pineapple?

I wanted to cut up a whole, fresh pineapple, but wasn't sure exactly where to start without butchering it up badly - I wanted to cut it up into nice pieces!! Are there any techniques that would work ...
AttilaNYC's user avatar
  • 7,566
5 votes
8 answers
3k views

a manual meat slicer

My household really likes things like turkey and ham sandwiches for lunch. One thing I've searched around for is a 'manual' meat slicer. I'm thinking of something like a miter box like one might ...
wdypdx22's user avatar
  • 1,743
7 votes
4 answers
22k views

Reasons for Discarding the Core of the Onion When Chopping?

A cook I know always discards the core of the onion when chopping it. Is there any reason for this? In professional demonstrations and cooking classes, I've never seen it done. From observation, it ...
justkt's user avatar
  • 13.2k
15 votes
3 answers
724 views

Am I using my knives for the correct jobs?

I've got a limited collection of knives which I was moderately pleased to discover meet the "minimum requirements". But, recent activity on here has got me thinking - am I using them for the correct ...
DMA57361's user avatar
  • 1,775
4 votes
2 answers
9k views

How to cut a cooked chicken, including the bones, with a cleaver?

I'm interested to know the proper way to cut a chicken into pieces using a cleaver, without cutting around the bone. When I go to Chinese restaurants, they often serve chicken neatly cut with a ...
Arlen's user avatar
  • 1,035
26 votes
6 answers
46k views

Cutting Sushi Rolls

I am new to making sushi and have gotten the hang of rolling it with the nori on the outside. The problem is when I am trying to cut it into individual pieces, I often end up mangling it to the point ...
Nick Larsen's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
4k views

Knife chopping through bone or coconut

Is it ok to use a chef knife to chop through bones (not too big, like chicken or pork ribs) or a coconut or will it ruin the knife permanently? I've done that on occasion and it did not seem to ...
huynhjl's user avatar
  • 319
26 votes
7 answers
3k views

Cutting boards: What are some general tips on purchasing and using a cutting board?

I have heard various debates on the merits of wood versus synthetic cutting boards, and their affect on food safety, knife edges, and ease of cleaning and storage. What are the pros and cons of the ...
JYelton's user avatar
  • 2,898
66 votes
7 answers
5k views

What are some good resources for learning Knife Skills? [closed]

What are some good resources for learning knife skills? Specifically, is there anywhere that I can see video demonstration of different slicing techniques and when those techniques are appropriate?

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