Watching professional chefs working their knives like katanas and achieving fantastic results is scary. And there you are, still wondering how you will ever reach that level of efficiency and quality.
Well, it all begins with a solid base, doesn’t matter if you’re Guy Fieri or Anne Burrell. Knowing the basic knife cuts and combining them well with the impeccable technique will get you there.
Today, we’ll take a shot at that and discuss the basic (read fundamental) knife cuts you should know about. Of course, now, there’s an endless number of options.
Therefore, I’ll try to cover knife cuts that also teach you crucial techniques that you can apply throughout your knifing journey.
What are Some of the Basic Cuts You Can Make Using Knives?
I must be honest here. I’ve used a bunch of knives to come up to make sure my cuts were accurate. You’ll find some of these cuts are best handled by a chef’s knife. People can use Nakiri Knives for some. Others can be achieved by using Gyutos or Butcher knives. Without further ado, let’s get to the topic.
Slicing
The slicing technique is one of the fundamentals that you need to learn. Many advanced cuts also require you to slice efficiently to achieve the expected results.
For this cut, you must move the knife in an extended motion from the tip to the blade’s heel so that you can slice through the ingredient. Again, utilizing your claw as a guide for the knife to create a proper cut is essential.
Moreover, the tip of the knife should remain in place while you slightly pull the rest of the knife’s body in a rocking motion.
As with most other cuts, there are different slicing forms — you can go thinner or thicker depending on the ingredient and recipe. I understandably go for a thinner slice when I need to cook something quickly. Everything from meats to vegetables can benefit from this cut.
The Chop
Chopping ingredients is one of the very first tasks you’ll have when using a knife. Unlike many other cuts, chopping doesn’t require the chef to be extremely precise, as long as the pieces are roughly the same size.
This is my go-to cut when I need to process a large volume, and simple, bite-sized pieces of ingredients will suffice.
It’s also pretty efficient and can apply to many recipes and ingredients — let’s stay stews or recipes where it’ll be pureed. This technique doesn’t restrict itself to a specific shape, unlike dicing.
In a typical sense, chopped-up pieces would measure around half an inch, although there’s no standard. Anything smaller is usually called fine chops. On the other hand, bigger and irregular chops can be referred to as rough chops.
To perform a chop, put the ingredients on a chopping board and turn your other hand’s knuckle into a claw to guide the knife. Then, you can start cutting while slowly shifting the ingredient sideways.
Dicing
Dicing refers to what the name suggests — chopping your ingredients into squares or cubes. In contrast to chopping, dicing creates comparatively smaller pieces in most cases, but that’s not set in stone.
Chefs often refer to terms like small, medium, or large dice, which vary a bit in size. But don’t worry, you don’t have to spend hours learning each one — all you need is just a little adaptation and cutting the first slices a bit wider.
If you’re making something like soup, small dices are pretty suitable. And while medium dice can be used for small fries, large ones are better suited when you’re cooking the ingredients for a more extended period (quite common with veggies like celery).
The techniques for dicing can sometimes vary due to the ingredients’ shape, but the fundamentals remain the same.
After prepping the ingredients, cut them into large pieces to make things easier. Then, start cutting the first strips or slices. How thick or thin these slices are can determine how large or small the cubes are.
I often rely on dicing instead of chopping when the appearance of the pieces matters to me. That’s because things look much more uniform once they’re diced.
Mincing
We’ve seen more significant cuts like chops, smaller ones like dice, and now it’s time for the finest one — mincing. Mincing is when you cut the ingredients at the smallest intervals to get them into tiny pieces.
I use this cut whenever I need an ingredient’s taste to be present in the dish, but I don’t want it to scream out its existence. This is an excellent way of adding that extra flavor to your recipe without overpowering the main items.
I like to use the chef knife for this cut, thanks to its rounded belly. The first step is to slice things up pretty finely and then start cutting them up with a rocking motion of the blade.
Cutting in a rocking motion makes it easier for me to make fine cuts without feeling fatigued.
Even when you’re good at this cut, you’ll find that many veggies will stick to the blade’s edge. Just wipe them off with your finger and get back to it!
Juliennes
Now we have the infamous matchstick cuts — the julienne. Essentially, this cut is a finer way of creating a slice (remember how I said slicing will always come in handy?).
However, slicing doesn’t require proper uniformity, and we don’t bother about the length. For a julienne cut, though, that consistency becomes a bigger concern (matchsticks don’t come in different lengths, do they now?).
Usually, juliennes revolve around one-eighth of an inch in thickness — sometimes even thinner. While doing this cut takes significantly longer than slicing, I do it when the appearance of the slices matters. For instance, fries or raw salads can benefit from this.
I prefer cutting the ingredients into the desired length at first. Then, once that’s done, you just need to start slicing the pieces according to your preferred thickness.
Chiffonade
Remember those thin, curly cuts with lettuces that look exquisite? Well, those can be achieved through chiffonade cuts, and they’re not as difficult as they look.
The first step is to get the ingredients and stack them upon each other. If they’re too leafy, stacking them that way isn’t necessary. From there, fold up the veggies into a tight roll — which side you start it from is up to you. Just remember that the orientation will affect the length and width of the cuts.
Now, hold that roll with one hand, and start slicing it with the knife. The thinner you go, the more complex they’ll look.
I use this cut to use as a topping on many of my dishes — from pasta to whatever you have. However, remember not to cut them too early before sprinkling them, or they’ll start turning into lifeless pieces of leaves.
Bias Cuts
In many cases, a recipe requires long, thin slices. But what if the ingredient is a carrot, and you just don’t have the width for it? That’s where bias cuts come in. Plus, they just look a bit more intriguing to me.
Hold the ingredient at an angle to achieve this cut — anything works as long as it’s not entirely straight. This way, the more sharp a curve you take, the wider the cuts can be.
Remember that the first slice will set the trend if you want to create consistent cuts. So, make sure that you’ve got the angle right. You can still fluctuate the thickness with ease, however.
Obliques (AKA Roll Cuts)
Consider roll cuts as a distant relative of bias cuts, as they are mostly used for comparatively longer ingredients. Unlike bias cuts, these cuts have two angled sides, however.
I use this cut primarily for its visual aspects when a lack of uniformity is what I’m going for. Additionally, each piece is cut from two angles, meaning they look way more… attractive.
But there’s an even bigger benefit to this. If I create smaller cuts, the pieces will be cooked easily and quickly as they’re exposed more.
For this, firstly, make an angled cut from one side. Then, roll it and make another slice (hence the name rolling cut). The rest is self-explanatory — just keep rolling and cutting until you’re out of food.
Brunoise
If a small dice isn’t cutting it for you, you could go for something even smaller — the brunoise cut. One could compare them to mincing due to the size, and they’d be almost right.
Now, mincing results in inconsistent, irregular cuts where you don’t worry about the angle or size. Brunoise, however, is a tad larger (around one-eighth of an inch) and cuts the ingredients into consistent dice-like shapes.
To make this cut, you have to follow the same slicing formula as dicing — except they should be very fine like juliennes. From there, the diagonal cuts should also follow that trend, resulting in tiny cubes.
These aren’t ideal for throwing in the pot when you start cooking, as they’ll basically turn into nothing by then. So instead, throwing them in at the latter part of the process is what I like to do.
Are You Holding the Knife Right?
I could go on and on about basic knife cuts, but they wouldn’t matter if you’re not holding your knife correctly.
There are different ways to hold a knife, and people often add their own elements to it as well. However, there are a few key aspects that you should ensure.
First, you should avoid putting your index finger along the blade’s spine. It may seem like an intuitive approach, but it affects stability and accuracy.
Now, the basic approach to handling a knife is holding it by the handle without any contact with the blade itself. It’s comfortable enough, and most beginners easily get used to it. However, it may be limiting if you want more control.
That’s where the blade grip (AKA pinch grip) comes in. In this method, you use your thumb and bent index finger to maintain balance — the fingers start from the bolster and go a bit past it.
Doing this gives you the highest level of control over the knife, and everything from basic to advanced cuts can benefit from it. Moreover, having the blade at a height around your elbow increases efficiency and prevents the need to push too hard.
Secondly, if you’re using your other hand to guide the knife, utilizing it properly is just as essential. Ensure the knuckle sits flush against the knife and stabilizes the ingredients when necessary.
The Fundamentals
Before We jump into chopping and dicing veggies, we need to get some things in order. These are what I call the “Fundamentals.”
As it’s said, “If you do the prep right, the actual job is buttery smooth.” Before chopping and dicing begin, let’s see what you need to do.
A Sharp Knife Is a Blessing
I’d be rich if I had a dollar every time someone cut themselves or ruined a vegetable with a dull knife.
The more control and accuracy an ingredient requires, the more it benefits from a sharp blade. Having a dull edge increases the risks of slipping and accidentally cutting yourself.
Secondly, it requires more pressure from the user, which automatically reduces accuracy. It also makes making thin slices or dice difficult—something we do regularly with fruits and veggies.
Getting a Stable Surface
The first concern is the chopping board. The results will likely disappoint if the board keeps wobbling or moving during usage. That gets worse with fruits and veggies, as they need to be more consistent and trickier to cut.
Try using boards with rubber feet, as they can prevent movement. Otherwise, even putting a little towel underneath can help with the stability. The board’s material also affects the experience, so consider that.
Creating A Flat End
Their weird shapes and sizes make fruits and veggies tricky to process. Consequently, they keep moving and slipping around when you try to cut them.
Let’s say you’re cutting a tomato. Instead of making thin slices from the get-go, try cutting them into halves. That way, you’ll get two flat surfaces, which increases the stability and makes cutting easier. This is especially helpful for beginners.
Learning How to Cut Fruits and Vegetables!
Let’s now look at how to cut some of the common ingredients we come across.
Onions
The dreaded onions — there’s the peel and that pungent smell — we’ll try to deal with both. First off, slice the onion from the root to the tip.
After that, carefully cut the tip’s end and leave the root as is. That way, it won’t lose its shape. You should now be able to peel the skin with ease.
Now, place the sliced halves with the flat sides on the chopping board and make slices vertically. Avoid cutting the root end to keep things in place and cut easily.
Afterward, create vertical slices with your size preferences and cut the root off once you’re done. If you don’t want diced onions like this, just skip the vertical cuts and remove the root.
Make sure you’ve got a sharp knife. Otherwise, the pungent smell of the onion will be even worse as you squeeze its liquid.
Carrots
Another common veggie, carrots, are trickier to cut than you’d think. It can even be a safety hazard due to its rounded shape.
Start by peeling the carrots. You could use a peeler, a knife — whatever your heart desires.
The most straightforward cut would be baton cuts. Divide the carrot into a few large pieces and cut them into tall rectangular shapes. If you want to dice them, make the pieces a bit thicker than baton cuts.
Things are different with juliennes or matchstick cuts. Since they have long slices, cutting the carrot into small pieces to create a flat surface isn’t always possible.
In that case, create wide but thin slices. From there, you’ll be able to make matchstick slices without having to keep the carrot whole.
Carrots are tougher than most veggies, so try using the knife’s heel end for them. It’s more rigid, and you’ll be able to put more force.
If you want proper rectangular shapes, cut the rounded portions out. It’s not necessary for juliennes, but dice and baton cuts benefit from a uniform look.
Bell Peppers
The initial steps remain the same whether you julienne or dice bell peppers.
Rest the pepper on its side. Next, get rid of the bottom and the top portion along with the stem. That gives us our flat surface.
Hold the pepper upright and create a slice to open it up. Once you have that opening, keep making slices around the core until you remove it altogether.
There will still be some pith left, so put the pepper on the chopping board and gently remove any residue. If you want to make juliennes or matchsticks, the next step is to create thin slices.
For dice, repeat the process above, and create thicker slices of the flesh. Cut those slices vertically again to get the dice.
However, the process slightly differs if you want rings. You’ll have to run the blade along the insides of the pepper to get the core to come off. Now you have a hollow wall, so make thin slices with a sharp knife, and the rest is easy.
Herbs
Herbs don’t first come to mind when you say vegetables, but they’re a crucial subset. They’re tricky to hold, and improperly cutting them results in mushy pieces of leaves.
First, remove the stalks and such redundancies, especially for basil or sage. The stems and stalks are usually okay for parsley or cilantro, so that’s up to preference.
For simple slicing, get the ingredients together and bunch them up. Use your knuckle with the fingers tucked in for guiding, then begin cutting.
Utilize the knife’s weight to get efficient results. Like a chef’s knife, a rounded belly can also help cut in a rocking motion.
Mincing requires a similar preparation. Hold the knife’s handle with your dominant hand and the tip’s end with the other.
The cutting motion here will emulate a lever, and you’ll be able to put a significant amount of force this way. Mincing in this manner results in fine cuts.
Chiffonade is another option for comparatively larger herbs. Take the ingredients, stack them up against each other, and roll them up like you would a cigar. Start making thin slices from there.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are one of the most unusual fruits, and many find themselves scratching their heads.
A common way of cutting it open is slicing the fruit up from the middle. But there’s a risk — you may damage many of the arils, and there’s a chance of stained clothes. That’s why I prefer doing it less aggressively.
First, cut off the crown and the bottom end of the pomegranate. That gives us our flat surface. Don’t go too deep while cutting; use something like a paring knife and make shallow cuts.
If you look closely, multiple ridges are along the pomegranate’s body. We’ll be making slices along these lines. It doesn’t have to be very accurate or pinpointed — anywhere works.
Five to six slices around the fruit should suffice. Remember, shallow cuts are key.
Once you have the cuts, try prying the fruit open. Unless the cuts you’ve made are too shallow, applying a little force with your hands should do the trick.
All that’s left is pulling the seeds or arils away from the skin. Doing it over a water bowl can help prevent the arils from jumping around. Furthermore, the membranes automatically float in the water, while the seeds won’t.
Broccoli or Cauliflower
Cauliflowers and broccolis possess unique shapes. But that also has a benefit — you can cut anywhere you like.
First, cut the vegetable’s base or stem and lay it flat on the surface. There are a few ways of advancing here. Some divide it into four quarters, while others leave it in halves.
Once it’s split into halves, start making V-shaped cuts along the base to eliminate the core. You should be able to separate the florets easily after that. If some of them are still not coming off, use the knife.
The core is entirely edible, so you can determine how much of it you want to leave.
You can also cut the veggie into steaks. To do that, leave a significant portion of the core intact to keep things in place. Then, start making slices across it according to the thickness you want.
Use a sharp knife, or you’ll have a lot of crumbs near the end because there’s no core to hold the florets.
Watermelons
Handling large fruits like watermelons can prove to be annoying.
Wedges are the easiest to achieve, assuming you have the right knife. A large chef’s knife should do. Some even use serrated knives, which is a decent option as well.
Start by cutting the watermelon into two halves. Now, place each half on the cutting board and split them into two. Take those pieces and start cutting wedges out of them. The sweet spot for the wedges’ thickness would be around an inch or two.
However, many of us prefer cubes when it comes to watermelons. Start by cutting the rind of the watermelon from all sides so that the red flesh comes out. The rind is pretty tasteless, so ensure you’ve got rid of it all.
Once you have just the flesh, start making slices across it. You could also cut off the rounded areas for perfect cubes, but that’s optional.
Watermelon balls are also another option. All you have to do is cut it in half and start making scoops!
Pineapples
As you’ve probably noticed, the first step is to get rid of the crown and the bottom portion. Create a dense enough cut to get a flat base — but not too much that you’ll lose the flesh.
Place the pineapple on the chopping board, and create an opening by making a slice vertically. Slowly start cutting the rind from that opening as you keep turning it with your non-dominant hand.
At this point, the fruit will still have residue from the spikes. Take a smaller knife (a paring knife works well) and start making shallow cuts to get rid of them. A small blade allows for better control, making the cuts more precise.
Then comes the rigid fibrous core of the pineapple. Cut the fruit into four sections around it, and the core should be exposed.
Mushrooms
Once you’ve cut it into sections, creating wedges or dice becomes pretty straightforward.
Although technically a fungus, mushrooms are quite common in many cuisines. The cutting largely depends on your mushroom type, and we’ll discuss the popular options here.
First, there are the button mushrooms. You’ll have to determine whether you want the stems. Some stems are too woody, while others are edible and tasty.
Let’s say we’re cutting the stem off. Then we’re left with a fairly rounded veggie. A typical cut would be splitting the mushroom into four quarters, which leaves comparatively thicker chunks.
You can also create thin slices, which is great if you want that crispness after sauteing. On the other hand, fine dices or minces are suitable for recipes like mushroom meatloaf.
Oyster mushrooms aren’t rounded like white mushrooms, so the approach differs. While many assume that you need to peel them, that’s not the case. Plus, you’d be wasting a lot of time doing that.
The bottom portion of these mushrooms is too woody to eat, so I suggest trimming it. The most common style would be cutting it lengthwise. Just get rid of the stem and bottom portion and make thin vertical cuts.
My Last two Cents
Knives can seem intimidating when you’re only starting out. They’re tricky to handle, and there are a thousand different cuts to master.
I compiled a bunch of the most basic knife cuts above, which you will use quite frequently. With a bit of practice, you’ll be making remarkable progress.
Reference:
