Holiday Entertaining
How to Prep Everything You’ll Need For The Holidays Using This *One* Knife
Expertly slice and dice your way through the season.
With the holidays fast approaching, it’s time to think about your menu(s). Spiral ham for your aunt, extra creamy mashed potatoes for your dad, glazed carrots for that neighborhood potluck, plus an extra tray of green bean casserole for Friendsgiving. To pull all of this off, we need to start with the basics: knife skills. Luckily, our friends at Shun Cutlery have created the ultimate knife for basically every cut—Shun’s Premiere Master Utility Knife is just what you’ll need to expertly slice and dice your way through this holiday season.
We've compiled a brief, but thorough guide to some of the most-used knife cuts you’ll see while making every Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas dinner, plus a few recipes to help you show off your newfound knife prowess.
The Thin Slice
Most commonly seen on: a red onion
First create a flat surface. This makes it easier (and safer!) to cut any round object. You can achieve this two ways: one, by cutting a small sliver off of one side of the onion so it sits flat on your cutting board. Or, cut the onion in half lengthwise through the center, keeping the frilly root end intact. From there, settle your onion on the flat part, and using your knife in a tip to heel motion, cut it as thin as possible to yield a ⅛-inch- to ¼-inch-thick slice, making sure to tuck your fingers in when holding the onion.
The Small Dice
Most commonly seen on: crusty bread
You’re only a few cuts away from the crouton of your dreams. The aim of a dice is to make every piece as even-sized as possible. Start with slices, then cut the slices lengthwise in approximately the same size to get sticks, then cut the sticks crosswise (again, keeping sizing similar) to get your dice.
The Medium Dice
Most commonly seen on: potatoes
An even-sized dice for mashed or roasted potatoes is even more important, as you want everything to cook (and finish cooking) at the same time. The same dicing methodology above applies here, but start by cutting your potato lengthwise in half to create a safe, flat surface before going ahead with your slices.
The Julienne or Matchstick
Most commonly seen on: celery, carrots, and other root vegetables
Start by removing the ends of the carrot or celery (only about ⅛ inch), then slice lengthwise to create two even pieces. Slice each piece lengthwise into ⅛-inch-thick pieces, then lay those slices flat. Repeat the ⅛-inch slice, then, depending on length, cut crosswise to get julienne sticks that are about 3 inches long.
The Rough Chop
Most commonly seen on: herbs
The key to chopping an herb is a very sharp knife, as to not destroy and mash the herb, but to gently cut and aromatize the greenery. Gripping the herb in a tight bouquet, firmly cut along, trying not to double back and re-cut the leaves, as this will cause bruising, and will leave the herbs looking less-than-fresh upon garnish.
The Diagonal Round Slice, aka The Bias Cut
Most commonly seen on: carrots
A bias cut not only creates larger surface area, but is an easy way to make things look beautiful and elegant in presentation. After discarding the ends, angling your knife at about a 45-degree angle, slice the carrot crosswise in about ¼-inch-thick pieces, creating long rounds.
The Peel
Most commonly seen on: citrus
The perfect garnish starts with the perfect peel. Cut the top and bottom of your citrus off, to (yep, you guessed it) create a flat surface. Starting at the top, slowly wiggle your knife down the side of the citrus, doing your best to avoid the pith. Repeat as needed. If there is some white pith left, lay the peel pith side up on your cutting board and, working away from you, push the knife forward between the pith and peel to remove.
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