# Cutting Knife Skills and Technique Videos



## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

I would like to create a new thread. Maybe something to help us keep our lives occupied in this time of quarantines and isolation. I never really know what skills people want to see, so if you don't know how to do something, then please request someone to make a video. I know a lot about mass veggie production and I have a lot of experience with beef and pork, but I suck at seafood for instance. I would love to see some debas in action. It seems we are all going to be cooking from home a lot so we might as well work on broadening our skill sets and eat good healthy homemade stuff.

Here's a video to get us started.

How to cut a kabocha squash. These things suck to peel, so the easiest way is to cut them into wedges and roast them. Then you can serve them as is with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Or you can scoop them off of the skins and use the cooked pulp for a sauce or soup.


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## thebradleycrew (Mar 15, 2020)

This is an awesome idea, @stringer, thank you!
I'd love to see how you tackle some basics - I'm sure I'm not cutting things the most effective ways, and could learn something from you. I think something like making a fresh pico de gallo/salsa, or the veggies for shakshuka. Something fun! Thanks for the idea.


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## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

Here's two of the methods I mentioned in the tomato thread for dicing tomatoes. The first one I slice then dice the whole thing. The second one I cut the skins off, discard the seeds and pulp and then dice.


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## AT5760 (Mar 15, 2020)

Taking a packer down to a brisket ready for smoking? Effective silver skin removal? Tips for making a whole head of garlic into very small pieces?


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## Cksnffr (Mar 15, 2020)

Would be fun to see how everyone does bell peppers. Been doing it long enough to know there's no one right way.


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## TSF415 (Mar 15, 2020)

Bell peppers is a good one. I stopped teaching prep cooks the way to do it. Instead I cut them three different ways, show them a finished slice, tell them to not waste too much product, and for them to figure it out. 

I also vote for one on a small dice carrot. I’ll explain what I’ve come up with later. 

Also, if there’s a reason you prefer a certain knife for different products that would be cool to hear about.


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## dafox (Mar 15, 2020)

stringer said:


> I would like to create a new thread. Maybe something to help us keep our lives occupied in this time of quarantines and isolation. I never really know what skills people want to see, so if you don't know how to do something, then please request someone to make a video. I know a lot about mass veggie production and I have a lot of experience with beef and pork, but I suck at seafood for instance. I would love to see some debas in action. It seems we are all going to be cooking from home a lot so we might as well work on broadening our skill sets and eat good healthy homemade stuff.
> 
> Here's a video to get us started.
> 
> How to cut a kabocha squash. These things suck to peel, so the easiest way is to cut them into wedges and roast them. Then you can serve them as is with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Or you can scoop them off of the skins and use the cooked pulp for a sauce or soup.



BTW, what knife is that?


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## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

dafox said:


> BTW, what knife is that?



Watanabe 270 iron clad blue #2


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## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

2 main methods of cutting bell peppers.

The first I cut slices off. Julienne the slices. Then dice.

The second I use the barrel roll technique to remove the core and seeds and then julienne and dice.

The knife is Kanehide TK 240


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## dsk (Mar 15, 2020)

That barrell roll is so immensely satisfying


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## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

Japanese style chef knives can take lots abuse. I know some people worry about torquing and rolling edges and such, but even very hard thin edges can be used to rock chop, guillotine and glide, double rock chop, walk and rock, push chop, scrape the board to lift ingredients, etc without damaging the edge. Even at high speed with crappy boards. I move back and forth between these styles subconsciously reacting to the ingredient. I never think about it. Also, pay attention to my left hand. It's actually doing all the work. After awhile all 5 fingers kind of move independently to guide the food to the knife edge. Pinkie and thumb take care of the top and bottom respectively. The second finger and fourth finger are keeping the pile as uniform as possible. My middle finger guides the knife. Your exact finger placement might be different, but the key to speed is training your guide hand. Your knife hand is a big dumb animal.

If you don't use the seeds and veins of a jalapeno it adds great flavor without much heat.

How to chop jalapeno skins


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## stringer (Mar 15, 2020)

My wife is yelling at the cat who eats her food too fast sometimes and projectile vomits all over.


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## MrHiggins (Mar 16, 2020)

Thanks for making these videos. Keep em coming!


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## Carl Kotte (Mar 16, 2020)

Word! This is just great!


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## Johnny.B.Good (Mar 16, 2020)

Great idea for a thread! 

I made pasta aglio e olio last night and wondered how you pros would approach getting a bunch of finely sliced garlic. I also wonder if there is a fast way to chop Italian parsley that doesn’t include leaving lots of stems in the mix (perhaps stems matter less than I think?).


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## TSF415 (Mar 16, 2020)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Great idea for a thread!
> 
> I made pasta aglio e olio last night and wondered how you pros would approach getting a bunch of finely sliced garlic. I also wonder if there is a fast way to chop Italian parsley that doesn’t include leaving lots of stems in the mix (perhaps stems matter less than I think?).


Stems do not matter less that you think. There is a way to hack at it like a bush with a machete but you don't quite get all of it. Not a big deal if you are in a rush and using the rest for a stock. Otherwise I usually have staff pick parsley when they aren't too busy. I loose my s**t when I go to grab the chopped parsley and I grab a small piece of stem.


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## soigne_west (Mar 16, 2020)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Great idea for a thread!
> 
> I made pasta aglio e olio last night and wondered how you pros would approach getting a bunch of finely sliced garlic. I also wonder if there is a fast way to chop Italian parsley that doesn’t include leaving lots of stems in the mix (perhaps stems matter less than I think?).









Or a mandolin?


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## TSF415 (Mar 16, 2020)

soigne_west said:


> View attachment 74170
> 
> 
> Or a mandolin?


We usually mandolin or use a food processor with the slicer attachment for sliced garlic. But we make 2 qts at a time.


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## stringer (Mar 18, 2020)

Oblique cut carrots


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## stringer (Mar 18, 2020)

This is how I slice garlic. I usually cheat and by the peeled cloves. Time is money.


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## Brian Weekley (Mar 18, 2020)

stringer said:


> Japanese style chef knives can take lots abuse. I know some people worry about torquing and rolling edges and such, but even very hard thin edges can be used to rock chop, guillotine and glide, double rock chop, walk and rock, push chop, scrape the board to lift ingredients, etc without damaging the edge. Even at high speed with crappy boards. I move back and forth between these styles subconsciously reacting to the ingredient. I never think about it. Also, pay attention to my left hand. It's actually doing all the work. After awhile all 5 fingers kind of move independently to guide the food to the knife edge. Pinkie and thumb take care of the top and bottom respectively. The second finger and fourth finger are keeping the pile as uniform as possible. My middle finger guides the knife. Your exact finger placement might be different, but the key to speed is training your guide hand. Your knife hand is a big dumb animal.
> 
> If you don't use the seeds and veins of a jalapeno it adds great flavor without much heat.
> 
> How to chop jalapeno skins




The only part you missed is, when after chopping the jalapeno peppers, you use the index finger of your left hand to rub your eyes. Yup! .... Like my East Indian friend “Binder Dundat” always says ..... DONT!


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## Michi (Mar 18, 2020)

If you need very thin and very uniform slices of garlic, a truffle slicer works extremely well.


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## ian (Mar 18, 2020)

stringer said:


> This is how I slice garlic. I usually cheat and by the peeled cloves. Time is money.




All the worst damage to my knives recently has been from cutting through hard garlic skins. I finally started using a beater paring instead of my very acute edge 65 HRC knives for this.... guess it's worth it to change knives to avoid ravaging the edge. Whatever.

And actually, because our local grocery store was out of whole garlic, I bought some peeled for the first time in years today. Once you go peeled you never go back? Is that the expression? Guess we'll find out.


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## LucienJ (Mar 18, 2020)

I like how smoothly it works.


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## ian (Mar 18, 2020)

The most important video I can make. You can't cut anything if you can't take the knife off the mag strip, right? 

There is *some* useful info here, at least for beginners.

1) There's the twisting motion to take the knife on/off the strip. This is especially important if you have a strong magnet in your strip and a san mai knife, because if you just lift the handle away from the strip you can cause tip bends over time. This used to happen to me with some frequency before I changed technique, and also covered my wooden knife strip in leather to decrease its strength.

2) There's the wiping of the knife from the middle, to avoid puncturing your towels with the heel of the knife. This was recently explained as well in a wonderful thread by @Michi.

3) There's the paper towel wipe. A good move for a home cook, I think, since you don't wipe often enough for the roll to get soggy and it really dries off the knife well.

(Guest starring @CiderBear's Heiji nakiri.)


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## Carl Kotte (Mar 19, 2020)

Brian Weekley said:


> The only part you missed is, when after chopping the jalapeno peppers, you use the index finger of your left hand to rub your eyes. Yup! .... Like my East Indian friend “Binder Dundat” always says ..... DONT!



Touching genitalia is also a very bad idea [emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]


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## slickmamba (Mar 19, 2020)

ian said:


> The most important video I can make. You can't cut anything if you can't take the knife off the mag strip, right?
> 
> There is *some* useful info here, at least for beginners.
> 
> ...



its crazy how many people I see wiping their knives with the edge facing inward and cut themselves...


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## Michi (Mar 19, 2020)

slickmamba said:


> its crazy how many people I see wiping their knives with the edge facing inward and cut themselves...


Works fine (and for many years) with the usual blunt knives that you find in most households. Once people have cut themselves into their palm that way, they usually don't do it a second time 

After I recently sharpened some knives for a friend, she cut herself within the first five minutes of using one of them. (Fortunately, it was only a minor cut.) But now she is showing more respect for her knives


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## Brian Weekley (Mar 19, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> Touching genitalia is also a very bad idea



I was going to mention that .... as in using the bathroom for a #1 but couldn’t come up with words that wouldn’t get me banned! Otherwise great technique for chopping Jalapeño peppers.


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## Carl Kotte (Mar 19, 2020)

Brian Weekley said:


> I was going to mention that .... as in using the bathroom for a #1 but couldn’t come up with words that wouldn’t get me banned! Otherwise great technique for chopping Jalapeño peppers.



Hmmm, who knows, maybe I will be banned now? Not good


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## stringer (Mar 19, 2020)

How to double rock chop garlic
With Ashi Ginga White #2 Sujihiki


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## M1k3 (Mar 19, 2020)

For parsley, I I bunch it up and cut like I'm doing a chiffonade. Then use that same chopping technique.


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## bahamaroot (Mar 19, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to double rock chop garlic
> With Ashi Ginga White #2 Sujihiki


I use this technique too but pinching the blade and handle works for me.


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## Nagakin (Mar 21, 2020)

Parsley, cilantro, garlic, etc are usually my excuse to dual wield.


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## panda (Mar 21, 2020)

AT5760 said:


> Taking a packer down to a brisket ready for smoking? Effective silver skin removal? Tips for making a whole head of garlic into very small pieces?


@brainsausage


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## GreyBoy (Mar 21, 2020)

Stringer, your videos are great. I filmed this a couple days ago... so it's redundant now. My take on carrots, just sharing my basic technique. Mostly a push cut type o guy. Cheapo blade, got as gift, kinda like it though except for the handle. I advise thin-ish knives for carrots (not necessarily lasers tho).


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## ian (Mar 21, 2020)

GreyBoy said:


> Stringer, your videos are great. I filmed this a couple days ago... so it's redundant now. My take on carrots, just sharing my basic technique. Mostly a push cut type o guy. Cheapo blade, got as gift, kinda like it though except for the handle. I advise thin-ish knives for carrots (not necessarily lasers tho).




I really liked how the cutting board moved closer to the camera with each cut at 1:11. Really heightened the drama! Nice vid.


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## YumYumSauce (Mar 21, 2020)

Got a fridge full of food right now but this makes me want to cut stuff


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## GreyBoy (Mar 21, 2020)

Haha I'm a noob, I forgot to put a towel down but kept filming. This is my first time sharing a video. Pointers welcome. I figure many of us don't love dicing them, but I'd show how I do it. I only dice carrots at work, really... We'll, since my blender is meh, I fine-dice everything if I'm making something that needs to be superrrr smooth.


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## esoo (Mar 21, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to double rock chop garlic
> With Ashi Ginga White #2 Sujihiki




Interesting - as a home cook, all I've ever done is rock chop without the lifting of the tip. Going to have to try this the text time I use this technique.


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## minibatataman (Mar 22, 2020)

stringer said:


> Here's two of the methods I mentioned in the tomato thread for dicing tomatoes. The first one I slice then dice the whole thing. The second one I cut the skins off, discard the seeds and pulp and then dice.



I made the tomato thread to see how people do it, turns out most of us just do this. Thanks for the video though! I love the idea


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## GeneH (Mar 26, 2020)

I hope there's a lot of technique videos loaded up in this thread.


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2020)

I'll do a couple right now. I'm getting ready to cut some fruit. I do have a bunch of random cutting, sharpening, knife testing, and razor videos from over the years on my YouTube channel. 
garfilo1


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2020)

Here's pineapple


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2020)

How to cut mango


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## Nagakin (Mar 26, 2020)

Once my next wave of knives is here I'll add to the wedging thread with some sweet potatos (I don't use carrots at home) and demonstrate keeping your wrist loose on harder produce to reduce/eliminate breakage and cracking.


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2020)

How to cut grapefruit


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## Boynutman (Mar 26, 2020)

I tend to peel oranges mangoes grapefruits ‘apple style’, single long peel. With a sharp knife (butcher!) this is really quick with minimal fruit loss (is that a word?).
Downside: dirty/wet/sticky hands and knife.


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2020)

Boynutman said:


> I tend to peel oranges mangoes grapefruits ‘apple style’, single long peel. With a sharp knife (butcher!) this is really quick with minimal fruit loss (is that a word?).
> Downside: dirty/wet/sticky hands and knife.



That's no fun. You are supposed to show us!


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## Boynutman (Mar 26, 2020)

Here goes. @stringer, having just made the video makes me humbly appreciate both your knife ànd video skills.


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## M1k3 (Mar 26, 2020)

Boynutman said:


> I tend to peel oranges mangoes grapefruits ‘apple style’, single long peel. With a sharp knife (butcher!) this is really quick with minimal fruit loss (is that a word?).
> Downside: dirty/wet/sticky hands and knife.



Sort of like katsuramuki?


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## Boynutman (Mar 26, 2020)

In my dreams...

This is where the boys get separated from the men. I’m out. Anyone brave enough can try an usuba?


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## M1k3 (Mar 26, 2020)

That was exactly what I was thinking.


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## Michi (Mar 26, 2020)

@stringer Awesome videos, thank you!
@Boynutman Thank you, too!


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## Chesterc (Mar 28, 2020)

Sorry for the crappy videos but this is me filleting a Murray cod at work. The Murray cod is a fresh water fish with medium to soft flesh with the skin can go really crispy when cooked. It is one of the nicer tasting and consistent fish (farmed) you can find in Australia. Knife used was a suisin 180 innox honyaki. Enjoy!


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## JOSHUA PETERSON (Mar 28, 2020)

Tourne a carrot


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## JOSHUA PETERSON (Mar 28, 2020)

Flute a shroom


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## dafox (Mar 28, 2020)

Chesterc said:


> Sorry for the crappy videos but this is me filleting a Murray cod at work. The Murray cod is a fresh water fish with medium to soft flesh with the skin can go really crispy when cooked. It is one of the nicer tasting and consistent fish (farmed) you can find in Australia. Knife used was a suisin 180 innox honyaki. Enjoy!



I cant see the videos.


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## Chesterc (Mar 28, 2020)

working now?


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## dafox (Mar 28, 2020)

Chesterc said:


> working now?


Yes, thanks.


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## dafox (Mar 28, 2020)

Chesterc said:


> Sorry for the crappy videos but this is me filleting a Murray cod at work. The Murray cod is a fresh water fish with medium to soft flesh with the skin can go really crispy when cooked. It is one of the nicer tasting and consistent fish (farmed) you can find in Australia. Knife used was a suisin 180 innox honyaki. Enjoy!



Thanks, what stones do you use to sharpen the SIH?


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## stringer (Mar 28, 2020)

GreyBoy said:


> Stringer, your videos are great. I filmed this a couple days ago... so it's redundant now. My take on carrots, just sharing my basic technique. Mostly a push cut type o guy. Cheapo blade, got as gift, kinda like it though except for the handle. I advise thin-ish knives for carrots (not necessarily lasers tho).



Very nice flair


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## bahamaroot (Mar 28, 2020)

I need to start a "Non-knife skills" thread if I'm going to make videos.


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## Chesterc (Mar 28, 2020)

dafox said:


> Thanks, what stones do you use to sharpen the SIH?


I used chosera 1000 3000 5000 and the naniwa junpaku 8000.


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## thebradleycrew (Mar 29, 2020)

stringer said:


> Here's pineapple



@stringer - question for ya: I noticed on a couple videos (at least the grapefruit and pineapple) that you do a little bit of the work with food in hand, blade cutting towards your palm. I was taught for those cuts to keep the food on the board. Do you worry about slipping through to your hand webbing or are you just so well practiced that the risk is super low?


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## ian (Mar 29, 2020)

thebradleycrew said:


> @stringer - question for ya: I noticed on a couple videos (at least the grapefruit and pineapple) that you do a little bit of the work with food in hand, blade cutting towards your palm. I was taught for those cuts to keep the food on the board. Do you worry about slipping through to your hand webbing or are you just so well practiced that the risk is super low?



Man, for some cuts doing it in hand is just so much easier, citrus supremes being the supreme example of this. It elevates the product closer to your face, making it easier to be precise, and the angle is more natural. Plus, it’s faster then to rotate the product with your non cutting hand than if it was on the board. I’m not a pro, but I’ve never come close to cutting my hand doing anything like this. One is naturally more careful in these situations, so I’d be more likely to cut myself by grazing a knuckle in a quick chop than during in hand work. There are other situations where it’s totally natural to cut toward your hand too, like when trimming meat, where you use your hand to keep the meat from moving while you cut. It’s important to cut toward your hand in those situations since cutting away from your nondominant hand is awkward and also difficult since your cutting hand then interferes with your line of sight to the product.


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## stringer (Mar 29, 2020)

thebradleycrew said:


> @stringer - question for ya: I noticed on a couple videos (at least the grapefruit and pineapple) that you do a little bit of the work with food in hand, blade cutting towards your palm. I was taught for those cuts to keep the food on the board. Do you worry about slipping through to your hand webbing or are you just so well practiced that the risk is super low?



The risk is definitely very low for me. If it scares you then use a smaller knife. This is one of the few exceptions to not cutting toward your hand in classical French training. Like Ian said it's really just way easier to do it this way. I have never thought about doing it on a board but it would seem awkward. I know a lot of people get cut trying to take avocado pits out, but I haven't heard of anyone injuring themselves on citrus supremes. I'm sure it happens but the sharp edge shouldn't really be getting close to the hand holding the fruit.


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## Alwayzbakin (Mar 30, 2020)

This is how I do citrus. My second job is where I was first exposed to a lot of respect for sharp knives. It was the first time I saw a strop hanging in the kitchen; only the head chef or Sous chef were allowed to cut the chives, and a girl trained me on some strict procedures for citrus segments. It had to be done with a sharp non serrated knife (try telling that to 7/10 pastry cooks) and it had to be done all in one pull cut: no sawing. That was in fact when I first bought stones and learned to sharpen my knife; it was the first time I realised my knives weren’t that sharp just because I had a shun!
Anyway I like to cut four sides first, I’m not sure why but in general I think it helps.https://youtu.be/O0RRpEVMplk
https://youtu.be/O0RRpEVMplk


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

Alwayzbakin said:


> This is how I do citrus. My second job is where I was first exposed to a lot of respect for sharp knives. It was the first time I saw a strop hanging in the kitchen; only the head chef or Sous chef were allowed to cut the chives, and a girl trained me on some strict procedures for citrus segments. It had to be done with a sharp non serrated knife (try telling that to 7/10 pastry cooks) and it had to be done all in one pull cut: no sawing. That was in fact when I first bought stones and learned to sharpen my knife; it was the first time I realised my knives weren’t that sharp just because I had a shun!
> Anyway I like to cut four sides first, I’m not sure why but in general I think it helps.




Yea, I'm all about the single pull cut. Nice job getting all the way down to the bottom. There's always some amount of pith left at the bottom when I'm done that I have to deal with separately. More practice needed. Or maybe I just need to be more careful.


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## Alwayzbakin (Mar 30, 2020)

ian said:


> Yea, I'm all about the single pull cut. Nice job getting all the way down to the bottom. There's always some amount of pith left at the bottom when I'm done that I have to deal with separately. More practice needed. Or maybe I just need to be more careful.


For a long time I had a knife that had been sharpened so it had relatively little curve near the tip and it worked really well to this effect. The Fuji has a bit more curve near the tip than I like and I often have to go back and clean up the bottom. It’s one of the reasons I want my next knife to be a ktip


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## Nagakin (Mar 30, 2020)

Alwayzbakin said:


> only the head chef or Sous chef were allowed to cut the chives


I never understood those little flexes. If you won't show me how you want it and let me do it, why am I here? Your little power moves? I might not be the chef, but I'm a professional putting in the hours too. 

The only kitchen I quit immediately required below the sous to wear a cut glove, which I attempted dealing with until someone grabbed my knife hand and tried babying it through a rock chopping motion. Also the only time I elbowed someone in the throat at work...I was probably getting let go anyways.


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

So, I know there are tons of y'all that are better than I am at cutting apart chickens, but so far there are no chicken vids in this thread. So, here's a video of me showing my son how to cut a chicken into 8 pieces. (He will probably feature in all my videos, since I'm caring for him what seems like 24/7 now...)

Feel free to post improvements, of course. Yakitori master I am not, but I'm going slowly enough in this vid for it to perhaps be useful to newbies.



Also, when starting the video I suddenly realized I'd never pronounced Munetoshi out loud before. #onlinelife


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## andrewlefilms (Mar 30, 2020)

ian said:


> So, I know there are tons of y'all that are better than I am at cutting apart chickens, but so far there are no chicken vids in this thread. So, here's a video of me showing my son how to cut a chicken into 8 pieces. (He will probably feature in all my videos, since I'm caring for him what seems like 24/7 now...)
> 
> Feel free to post improvements, of course. Yakitori master I am not, but I'm going slowly enough in this vid for it to perhaps be useful to newbies.
> 
> ...



This is really helpful, thank you!


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## slickmamba (Mar 30, 2020)

ian said:


> Also, when starting the video I suddenly realized I'd never pronounced Munetoshi out loud before. #onlinelife



I am very proud of your pronunciation


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

slickmamba said:


> I am very proud of your pronunciation



Because it makes you feel better about yours?


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

And..... halving grape/cherry tomatoes in "bulk". Harder to be perfectly precise, but faster than doing them individually imo. Some people use a surface like a plate instead of their left hand. Starring a Heiji 210 petty.



I find that if you’re careful, you can not cut pieces of your palm off 9/10 times. The trick, then, is to only do this 9 times in your life. 

“Probability. It just works!”


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## panda (Mar 30, 2020)

you can use the last three knuckles as a guide, by maintaining contact with the board while you guide the spine with index, much easier to do with a 270 suji.


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

panda said:


> you can use the last three knuckles as a guide, by maintaining contact with the board while you guide the spine with index, much easier to do with a 270 suji.



someday, I will own a 270 suji. right now, it won’t fit under my cabinet.


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## panda (Mar 30, 2020)

i have one for sale...


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## Nagakin (Mar 30, 2020)

ian said:


> Some people use a surface like a plate instead of their left hand.


Two 4qt cambro lids is literally perfect for this. There is just enough space for your knife to slide through.


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## ian (Mar 30, 2020)

panda said:


> i have one for sale...



You buy me a house with a kitchen that has taller cabinets. I buy your suji. Deal!


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## panda (Mar 30, 2020)

lol


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## Chesterc (Mar 30, 2020)

Alwayzbakin said:


> This is how I do citrus. My second job is where I was first exposed to a lot of respect for sharp knives. It was the first time I saw a strop hanging in the kitchen; only the head chef or Sous chef were allowed to cut the chives, and a girl trained me on some strict procedures for citrus segments. It had to be done with a sharp non serrated knife (try telling that to 7/10 pastry cooks) and it had to be done all in one pull cut: no sawing. That was in fact when I first bought stones and learned to sharpen my knife; it was the first time I realised my knives weren’t that sharp just because I had a shun!
> Anyway I like to cut four sides first, I’m not sure why but in general I think it helps.



It reminds me when I first got a trial at my job I was asked to cut Half 9 pan of chive. They need to be as thin as possible like literal paper thin so when they mix into the dressing as if they were floating on it. I thought my knife skill was good from my previous job and I was quite happy on the chive I cut I showed to the senior chef. He looked at it and said start it again. So at the end I spent about 2 hours standing in the corner cutting chive and he still wasn’t very happy about it and tells me I can’t even cut chive. By that time I already gone through 20 bunches of chive. I had to lay the chive in an even layer on the tray and use tweezers to pick through them. 
One and half year later I slowly work my way up the rank in the kitchen into a senior role. I realized those small things like cutting chives precisely would eventually help you to become a better chef. It’s cliche but you just have to go through that pain.
Btw thanks for sharing nice cutting motion on that lemon!


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## Butaru (Mar 30, 2020)

This is a great thread. Trying to think of other things to cut up.


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## M1k3 (Mar 30, 2020)

Butaru said:


> This is a great thread. Trying to think of other things to cut up.



Carrots?


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## andrewlefilms (Mar 30, 2020)

I know most of you know how to mince ginger but maybe some people will find the spoon peeling helpful


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## MrHiggins (Mar 31, 2020)

Butaru said:


> This is a great thread. Trying to think of other things to cut up.



Broccoli into even flourettes, mushrooms into medium dice.


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## ModRQC (Mar 31, 2020)

Nagakin said:


> Once my next wave of knives is here I'll add to the wedging thread with some sweet potatos (I don't use carrots at home) and demonstrate keeping your wrist loose on harder produce to reduce/eliminate breakage and cracking.



What's the problem with the current wave? I'd like to see the vids.

People sharing cutting technique videos... awesome as always.


----------



## Chesterc (Mar 31, 2020)

Carving a duck with a petty. Sloppy move after a couple of white rabbit white ale(pretty tasty stuff one of my favourite). Excuse my Cantonese at the background.


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## Michi (Mar 31, 2020)

Great video, thanks you?! I really enjoyed how deliberate and relaxed you were doing this.


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## Chesterc (Mar 31, 2020)

Thanks mate actually I’m really relax lately. I just realised it wasn’t that bad afterall. It’s more like an unexpected holiday now


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## Chesterc (Mar 31, 2020)

Michi said:


> Great video, thanks you?! I really enjoyed how deliberate and relaxed you were doing this.


It’s just that even though it’s cooked but still the heat hasn’t been able to penetrate to some parts of the duck. And expecially with the thigh and the meat from the breast that’s closed to the bone would be a chewy. That’s why I was looking and trying trim off the sinews and stuff


----------



## Walla (Mar 31, 2020)




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## Michi (Mar 31, 2020)

Ouch, that was painful!


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## M1k3 (Mar 31, 2020)

YouTube fails, this thread is not.


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## Alwayzbakin (Mar 31, 2020)

Good luck indeed


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## ModRQC (Mar 31, 2020)

Good thing this little demo gets done before the knife gets to work...

Speaking of which... MOARRR good videos please. @stringer , you can cut some grass on that board if out of anything else. We won't care if the knife is sexy and the handling impressive.


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## ModRQC (Mar 31, 2020)

stringer said:


> Oblique cut carrots




Is this also called roll cut, or are most western Chefs completely off on the terminology? I though oblique was like a Paysanne with an angle. I like a clear lexis and kitchen terminology is nothing of that sort, sadly. Perhaps why I find it so fascinating, indeed.


----------



## orangehero (Mar 31, 2020)

A little OT, but anyone know what happened to Theory? I used to refer to his videos on technique a lot when learning.


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## ModRQC (Mar 31, 2020)

And oh please, can someone with any authority to make me shut my mouth and watch (pretty much everyone here) can make a video cutting stuff while naming and showing each and every cutting motion and dirty tricks they know? Ooooh please please please please the noob in me wants a reference he can take to the bank. Push cutting has become imprecise to me since I'm wondering if any kind of slicing motion makes it slicing or if it stays push cutting. And all that s***.


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## ModRQC (Mar 31, 2020)

orangehero said:


> A little OT, but anyone know what happened to Theory? I used to refer to his videos on technique a lot when learning.



I'd expect him to butcher out a T-Rex in 30 seconds. Good call indeed!


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## ian (Apr 1, 2020)

ModRQC said:


> I'm wondering if any kind of slicing motion makes it slicing or if it stays push cutting.



Push cut = away from you and down.
Pull cut = toward you and down.
Guillotine and glide = starting with the knife contacting the board near the tip, the push down and on the handle to guillotine the product while pushing the knife away from you at the same time
Rock chop = knife contacting the board near the tip, push the handle straight down, then lift up the handle while perhaps rotating the handle around a circle centered at the tip of the knife, then down again, repeat
Slice = same as pull cut, but with more pull and less down. Often slicing happens at a slower repetition than pull cuts, which may happen in rapid succession. Slicing may also be performed horizontally.


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## Nagakin (Apr 1, 2020)

ModRQC said:


> What's the problem with the current wave? I'd like to see the vids.


My bag is always rotating, I'm back up to a respectable number now though. Just have to finish my meal prep before buying more groceries...



ModRQC said:


> And oh please, can someone with any authority to make me shut my mouth and watch (pretty much everyone here) can make a video cutting stuff while naming and showing each and every cutting motion and dirty tricks they know? Ooooh please please please please the noob in me wants a reference he can take to the bank.


Since @stringer covered a lot of techniques, I was planning to do a video on ergonomics demoing different motions from heel to tip and the use of blade length. Cutting board height, posture, etc. Been lazy since I'm unsure how many pro vs home cooks are here and I don't want to patronize anyone.


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## stringer (Apr 1, 2020)

Nagakin said:


> My bag is always rotating, I'm back up to a respectable number now though. Just have to finish my meal prep before buying more groceries...
> 
> Since @stringer covered a lot of techniques, I was planning to do a video on ergonomics demoing different motions from heel to tip and the use of blade length. Cutting board height, posture, etc. Been lazy since I'm unsure how many pro vs home cooks are here and I don't want to patronize anyone.



It doesn't really matter. We can all teach each other. Cooking is one of those weird things where there's a million ways of accomplishing a task. It's both intensely culturally specific. Yet at the same time there's nothing more personal without going into NSFW territory. So words like amateur/professional don't really apply. I learn and enjoy watching everyone's ideas and techniques. For instance I had never seen anyone cut cherry tomatoes like @ian did and I've been cooking professionally for 15 years. So just have fun and show us what you think. I'm on day 15 of isolation so I know I can definitely use the distraction.


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## ian (Apr 1, 2020)

Nagakin said:


> My bag is always rotating, I'm back up to a respectable number now though. Just have to finish my meal prep before buying more groceries...
> 
> Since @stringer covered a lot of techniques, I was planning to do a video on ergonomics demoing different motions from heel to tip and the use of blade length. Cutting board height, posture, etc. Been lazy since I'm unsure how many pro vs home cooks are here and I don't want to patronize anyone.



What I really like is how @stringer started the thread with a bunch of techniques at various levels of difficulty. If he'd started off by deboning a duck, then breaking down a salmon, then doing some katsuramuki, this thread would be too intimidating to contribute to (at least for me), and much less useful. We already have a "Youtube Awesome" thread. This is different.


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## esoo (Apr 1, 2020)

I do like what @stringer started here, as being a home chef it's nice to see the technique of the pro's on the basics. I'm always learning and it's interesting to try something new - like double rock chop. I sucked at it, and my rock chop is pretty quick, so I won't develop it, but it was interesting to see.


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## Chesterc (Apr 1, 2020)

Master in folks. whenever I ran out of staff meal ideas I would always look on the internet seeing what others people do. There are a lot of good techniques and experience in the home cook and they are more willing to share those information to others and I really appreciate that and I always learn a few things or two.


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## stringer (Apr 1, 2020)

How to peel and cut sweet potato fries


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## zeaderan (Apr 1, 2020)

Anyone up for doing a paring knife video? I see vids of people using it in a hammer grip with the blade facing inward but when I try it it feels like I'm about to cut my thumb off...


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## stringer (Apr 1, 2020)

zeaderan said:


> Anyone up for doing a paring knife video? I see vids of people using it in a hammer grip with the blade facing inward but when I try it it feels like I'm about to cut my thumb off...



Don't do that technique with too sharp of a knife. Unless you are into bloody strawberries.


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## Cadillac J (Apr 2, 2020)

I haven't posted here in likely six years or so...and haven't browsed anything new. But I found this thread googling something else.

Anyway, I just uploaded two videos that I recorded on whatever phone I had in 2012. It was the last time I recorded anything in this realm and this is the first time I ever posted anything to YouTube.





Shout out to all my old school peeps that been around here and the old place before/since '07-'08...it was all about learning to sharpen back then, not sure what people are talking about now -- maybe I'll stick around, not sure.

Love,

Cadillac J..for life. Sujis > gyutos for all-purpose knives since 2011 I'd guess.

Probably stuntin' in my 2017 ATS-V or at Del Taco drive-thru. Later everyone.


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## orangehero (Apr 2, 2020)

A good guide to different cuts:

https://theculinarycook.com/knife-skills-different-types-of-cuts/


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## stringer (Apr 4, 2020)

How to clean monkfish.

Monkfish is often available very cheap and is fantastic if you know how to prep it. Grocery store fillets are usually very minimally trimmed. This leaves big flaps of tough chewy flesh filled with blood vessels and cartilage and the fish equivalent of silverskin

Edit: I'll post the link when it finishes uploading


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## dafox (Apr 4, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to clean monkfish.
> 
> Monkfish is often available very cheap and is fantastic if you know how to prep it. Grocery store fillets are usually very minimally trimmed. This leaves big flaps of tough chewy flesh filled with blood vessels and cartilage and the fish equivalent of silverskin
> 
> Edit: I'll post the link when it finishes uploading



What is the knife?


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## stringer (Apr 4, 2020)

dafox said:


> What is the knife?


 
Ashi Ginga 210 Stainless Suji/Petty


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## ian (Apr 4, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to clean monkfish.
> 
> Monkfish is often available very cheap and is fantastic if you know how to prep it. Grocery store fillets are usually very minimally trimmed. This leaves big flaps of tough chewy flesh filled with blood vessels and cartilage and the fish equivalent of silverskin
> 
> Edit: I'll post the link when it finishes uploading




This may save my marriage! My wife won’t eat monkfish, but maybe she just had it badly prepared or something... I might have to buy some now and try to convince her!

Edit: on second thought, maybe this will be bad for my marriage.


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## stringer (Apr 4, 2020)

ian said:


> This may save my marriage! My wife won’t eat monkfish, but maybe she just had it badly prepared or something... I might have to buy some now and try to convince her!
> 
> Edit: on second thought, maybe this will be bad for my marriage.



After you trim it like this here's how you cook it. 

Put some high sear tolerant oil on the fish and season it with salt.

Sear in a hot but not crazy smoking pan all the way around. Browning for a minute and then rolling it like it's a pork tenderloin until it's seared all around.

Place in the oven. This will only take a few minutes but it can get smoky if you do the whole thing on the range. Pull it out at internal temperature of about 125 degrees. Let it rest 6 or 7 minutes. Slice it into medallions and serve with roasted veggies.

It is very similar in texture and flavor to lobster. Cook it like a delicate veal tenderloin.


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## M1k3 (Apr 4, 2020)

A little capers, lemon juice, white wine and butter will make a nice sauce for it also.


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## M1k3 (Apr 4, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> A little capers, lemon juice, white wine and butter will make a nice sauce for it also.



Don't forget the pan juices!


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## soigne_west (Apr 4, 2020)

OK now I'm hungry...


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## stringer (Apr 4, 2020)

I did mine blackened. With roasted Brussels sprouts, yellow beets, and methi cous cous.


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## Nagakin (Apr 5, 2020)

Not a knife trick but if you don't have a thermometer handy a good way to temp fish is with the back of a metal spoon/fork. It should be warm but not hot on your wrist.


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## Carl Kotte (Apr 20, 2020)

A small contribution: gravlax slicing. 
Enjoy!


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## DevinT (Apr 22, 2020)

Someone please show me the best way to dice a mango.

Hoss


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## stringer (Apr 22, 2020)

DevinT said:


> Someone please show me the best way to dice a mango.
> 
> Hoss



Already did 







Cutting Knife Skills and Technique Videos


How to double rock chop garlic With Ashi Ginga White #2 Sujihiki




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


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## M1k3 (Apr 22, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to cut mango




@DevinT doesn't show dicing. But show's the hard part on the way to dicing.


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## stringer (Apr 22, 2020)

The real key is the pit in the middle is shaped like a football that got ran over in the driveway.


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## rickbern (Apr 22, 2020)

stringer said:


> I did mine blackened. With roasted Brussels sprouts, yellow beets, and methi cous cous.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 75978



I think there’s some good info on handling monkfish in this guy’s video


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## pleue (Apr 22, 2020)

DevinT said:


> Someone please show me the best way to dice a mango.
> 
> Hoss


I cut both sides of the mango off the seed, score each side crosshatched like an avocado in hand and then push inward on the skin to expose the 'dice' and then slice it off the skin in hand. You can then cut the perimeter around the pit off in two pieces and cut and de-skin like a slice of melon. Eat the rest of the minimal mango left off the pit (the best part, like a chicken carcass.) Makes very quick work of it.


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## DevinT (Apr 22, 2020)

Thanks guys.

Hoss


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## refcast (Apr 22, 2020)

Just be careful cause mangos are slippery as hell.


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## playero (Apr 22, 2020)

soigne_west said:


> View attachment 74170
> 
> 
> Or a mandolin?


like the godfather used to do it


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## Alwayzbakin (Apr 24, 2020)

DevinT said:


> Someone please show me the best way to dice a mango.
> 
> Hoss


I was about to serve a mango with lunch today and I remembered this. I was a bit distracted sauteeing asparagus and grilling cheeses and I certainly didn’t choose the best camera angle but I think it’ll get the point across nonetheless. 
I do like the above mentioned “inside out” method but for when you need the whole cheek you’ll need another method. I’ve seen people using the lip of a glass that looks cool but I’ve never tried that and why bother if you don’t get to use a knife?! I like this way for having control over the mango: it’s easier to grip the skin and it won’t roll over when you don’t want it to as can be the weaknesses of peeling whole. Again just a rather crappy video of the peeling; hopefully most would improve on the dice


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## Carl Kotte (Apr 25, 2020)

Since it ticks so many boxes (Corona cutting, at home, amateur, deba, fish, Stringer’s request) here’s one more:


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## ian (Apr 25, 2020)

Alwayzbakin said:


> I was about to serve a mango with lunch today and I remembered this. I was a bit distracted sauteeing asparagus and grilling cheeses and I certainly didn’t choose the best camera angle but I think it’ll get the point across nonetheless.
> I do like the above mentioned “inside out” method but for when you need the whole cheek you’ll need another method. I’ve seen people using the lip of a glass that looks cool but I’ve never tried that and why bother if you don’t get to use a knife?! I like this way for having control over the mango: it’s easier to grip the skin and it won’t roll over when you don’t want it to as can be the weaknesses of peeling whole. Again just a rather crappy video of the peeling; hopefully most would improve on the dice




Noone around here use a peeler for mango? I always do, then cut with a lot of rotation around the pit to get two sort of fat crescent shaped hemispheres.


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## esoo (Apr 25, 2020)

ian said:


> Noone around here use a peeler for mango? I always do, then cut with a lot of rotation around the pit to get two sort of fat crescent shaped hemispheres.



From the Zwilling/Henkels Knife Skills book, my default to check when I don't know how to cut something up


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## ian (Apr 25, 2020)

esoo said:


> From the Zwilling/Henkels Knife Skills book, my default to check when I don't know how to cut something up
> View attachment 78222



Yea, I guess I usually just do steps 1-3, but cutting in the perpendicular direction and with enough rotation of the knife around the pit that steps 4-5 are unnecessary.


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## Alwayzbakin (Apr 25, 2020)

ian said:


> Noone around here use a peeler for mango? I always do, then cut with a lot of rotation around the pit to get two sort of fat crescent shaped hemispheres.



I like ‘em quite soft. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’ve always got crappy peelers but I’ve found the skin to catch and tear off the flesh before it cuts. For a green mango that would be my go to


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## ian (Apr 25, 2020)

Hmm, yea mine are quite soft too, even wrinkly sometimes. Ceramic Y peeler here. If it seems to catch I wiggle it back and forth a bit so that it starts to slice to skin. Then usually one can finish the stroke fine with a straight pull.


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## banzai_burrito (Apr 25, 2020)

Digging the info in here! Y'all's vids are helping me a bunch with getting more proficient!


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## Johnny.B.Good (Apr 28, 2020)

I never thanked everyone for the advice on getting thin slices of garlic. I'm not sure any amount of practice as a home cook would let me approach the speed and accuracy of Stringer, so I broke down and ordered the truffle slicer Michi suggested! I never do more than seven or eight cloves at a time, so I can refrain from buying the pre-peeled boxes full, though it's certainly tempting. I won't forget Ian's warning about chipping high-hardness knives on tough garlic skins though. I'm amazed I haven't had that problem in the past.

ETA: I'm surprised you don't seem to have the same issue I do with garlic sticking to the face of your blade.

This is a fun thread, so thanks again for starting it and for all the great videos!


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## rick alen (Apr 28, 2020)

soigne_west said:


> View attachment 74170
> 
> 
> Or a mandolin?



Even with a stainless knife I can slice garlic .010", .020 or less at machine gun speed.


----------



## Ultrafiche (Apr 30, 2020)

Have been really enjoying this thread and all the content posted, especially the videos from Stringer!



stringer said:


> How to double rock chop garlic
> With Ashi Ginga White #2 Sujihiki



Question from a newcomer: can any j-knife stand up to smashing garlic in the way demonstrated in this video? What about crushing garlic with the knife beneath your palm in the "standard" fashion?

I know these knives are hardier than the delicate objects some folks might treat them to be, but I was (pleasantly) surprised to see the smashing method in this video, particularly with the tip making contact with the board.


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## stringer (Apr 30, 2020)

Don't go bashing away with just anything. You need to ease in and figure out your tools. My point is just that if you have good technique and your knife is sharpened appropriately for the task, they can take a lot more abuse than people generally think.


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## M1k3 (Apr 30, 2020)

You also need to make sure the knife is closer to parallel with the board surface once it hits the garlic.


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## stringer (Apr 30, 2020)

How to cut corn on the cob. Or off of the cob as it were.


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## ian (Apr 30, 2020)

stringer said:


> How to cut corn on the cob. Or off of the cob as it were.




Aternative tip: if you have a small cutting board (professionals: what?) and don’t want to do it over a sheet pan because you’re lazy and the sheet pans are like so on the other side of the kitchen, it helps to cut the cobs in half first to make them shorter. Then when you shave the kernels off, they won’t fall from a great height and scatter all over your counter.


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## stringer (Apr 30, 2020)

How to do what I call a quick or rough julienne of sweet potato.


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## stringer (May 1, 2020)

Kaprow Gai

Kaprow chicken is one of my all time favorites. It's pretty simple.

2 pounds ground chicken
6 cloves garlic finely chopped
20 Thai chilies thinly sliced (more or less to taste)
2 oz soy sauce
1 oz fish sauce
2 oz peanut oil
8 oz chiffonade Thai basil
1 oz rice wine vinegar
1 oz lime juice

Saute garlic and chilies in peanut oil
Add ground chicken, brown
Add liquid ingredients and reduce by half
Add basil and wilt
Serve over rice

Here's how to cut the basil. I like a LOT of basil.


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## stringer (May 1, 2020)

Here's how to cut a chicken. This is another one that I recommend you ease into. Here's a near zero edge Watanabe cutting chicken bones.


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## playero (May 8, 2020)

so much for cutting thru bones


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## Carl Kotte (May 8, 2020)

More Corona fish at home (I hesitate a little to post it since I’ve had some bad comments about it, but seriously - and take this from a former fish monger - this is ok, and you can do it too!):


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## Carl Kotte (May 8, 2020)

Oh, and I’ve shaved my hands since (with a Deba of course).


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## ian (May 8, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> More Corona fish at home (I hesitate a little to post it since I’ve had some bad comments about it, but seriously - and take this from a former fish monger - this is ok, and you can do it too!):




Seems real nice to me. I don't know what hawataritogi is on about. Your cuts look cleaner than his imo. He was fast, though. Almost superhuman, even... seemed like his hands were vibrating or something from all the amphetamines he took. Maybe that's what he meant about you making it difficult for yourself? Working without drugs?

---

I was initially wondering about when you were cutting straight down across the bones. Do you think that would dull the edge faster than if you'd done that at an angle like in his video? Just curious... I have no clue about fileting flatfish.


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## Carl Kotte (May 9, 2020)

ian said:


> He was fast, though. Almost superhuman, even...



Yes, he’s amazing in that sense. A speed demon!


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## Carl Kotte (May 9, 2020)

ian said:


> I was initially wondering about when you were cutting straight down across the bones. Do you think that would dull the edge faster than if you'd done that at an angle like in his video? Just curious... I have no clue about fileting flatfish.



That’s a really good question. I have no answer, but - now that you’ve said it - it seems the answer should be ’yes’. I’m not sure by How much it shortens the life of the edge, but it should contribute to dulling it faster. 
I should give the angled approach a shot. Old bad habits die hard.


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## Chesterc (May 20, 2020)

A lot of people scare of fabricating fish and think it’s difficult to do but the principal is actually similar to breaking down a piece of meat where you trying to leave as little flesh on the bone as possible. I think speed is less important and the hardest part is to make the cut precisely and cleanly.
ps. Your average fish monger fish will never be as good as restaurant supply fish so instead of having them fillet the fish for you which I find most of the time they do a **** job anyway, you can buy the fish whole with scale on and practice how to fillet fish yourself.


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## Carl Kotte (May 20, 2020)

@Chesterc nice job!  And a nice knife. Is it a Masamoto?


----------



## Chesterc (May 20, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> @Chesterc nice job!  And a nice knife. Is it a Masamoto?


Thanks man, yes it’s a tsukiji masamoto blue 2 ai Deba I picked up back in 2016 a trip to Tokyo. Really solid choice of Deba I’d say better than my suisin inox honyaki


----------



## Carl Kotte (May 20, 2020)

Chesterc said:


> Thanks man, yes it’s a tsukiji masamoto blue 2 ai Deba I picked up back in 2016 a trip to Tokyo. Really solid choice of Deba I’d say better than my suisin inox honyaki


Aaah, you’re putting ideas into my head now. Maybe I should treat myself with a nice deba some day. So damn good looking.


----------



## Chesterc (May 20, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> Aaah, you’re putting ideas into my head now. Maybe I should treat myself with a nice deba some day. So damn good looking.  ☺


Go for it you won’t regret it I’m sure. But I would rather get a normal Deba if I can do it again.


----------



## SoloSK71 (May 29, 2020)

Not my videos, posted by Knifewear


----------



## SoloSK71 (May 29, 2020)

Not my video, posted by BBQ with Franklin


----------



## SoloSK71 (May 29, 2020)

Not my video, posted by Certified Angus Brand Kitchen


----------



## SoloSK71 (Jun 1, 2020)

Breaking down a chicken for Yakitori



Not my video, posted by Knifewear


----------



## NotAddictedYet (Jun 2, 2020)

stringer said:


>




Genuine question: is it ok to force the knife into the squash with the other hand like that? I tried to half a pumpkin the other day but found my gyuto just struggled to cut through, always getting stuck in the middle. I just thought my gyuto isn't sharp/thin enough and doing so will damage the knife. Or I just need to push harder through denser stuff?


----------



## M1k3 (Jun 2, 2020)

NotAddictedYet said:


> Genuine question: is it ok to force the knife into the squash with the other hand like that? I tried to half a pumpkin the other day but found my gyuto just struggled to cut through, always getting stuck in the middle. I just thought my gyuto isn't sharp/thin enough and doing so will damage the knife. Or I just need to push harder through denser stuff?


Push harder or slicing. Or a combination of both.


----------



## panda (Jun 3, 2020)

M1k3 said:


> Push harder or slicing. Or a combination of both.


thats what sea said


----------



## stringer (Jun 3, 2020)

NotAddictedYet said:


> Genuine question: is it ok to force the knife into the squash with the other hand like that? I tried to half a pumpkin the other day but found my gyuto just struggled to cut through, always getting stuck in the middle. I just thought my gyuto isn't sharp/thin enough and doing so will damage the knife. Or I just need to push harder through denser stuff?



I have never damaged a knife using this technique on veggies. I use it frequently when chopping dense root vegetables like sweet potatoes and squash. I like knives with think spines. They will wedge no matter how thin they are behind the edge if the vegetable is taller than the knife. A little tap on the spine with the heel of your hand pops it open. I do not believe that this is hard on the edge. I think most of the force gets turned into horizontal splitting energy instead like a wedge when you are splitting wood instead of focusing that energy on the knive's apex.

I have damaged knives cutting through bones by slapping the spine. Like when splitting a chicken or cutting the head off of a fish. In these circumstances the problem is not wedging. The problem is the bone is hard and requires more force. The correct procedure to minimize risk of damage to the edge is place the point of the knife on the cutting board. Slowly lower the heel until you begin to feel resistance. Then place your other hand on the spine and lean into it gradually increasing force until the knife does it's thing. I do this in the chicken video above. Most people would not recommend you cut this way with a Japanese gyuto. 

Here's another example of a spine slap with a butternut squash.


----------



## ian (Jun 16, 2020)

GreyBoy said:


> Stringer, your videos are great. I filmed this a couple days ago... so it's redundant now. My take on carrots, just sharing my basic technique. Mostly a push cut type o guy. Cheapo blade, got as gift, kinda like it though except for the handle. I advise thin-ish knives for carrots (not necessarily lasers tho).




Just wanted to give this post a bump. For some reason, I've never julienned carrots like this. Instead I've always cut the carrots lengthwise into neat strips, then arranged those into neat stacks and cut them oh so carefully. The technique in GreyBoy's post is so much better, as long as you're not trying to create Michelin quality uniformity, which I never am. I do this all the time now. I think technically it may require more total cuts, but it's so much faster. +100


----------



## M1k3 (Jun 16, 2020)

And the 3d cutting action!


----------



## Carl Kotte (Jul 4, 2020)

I think many people deseed pomegranates like this already, but if not it’s something to recommend:


----------



## nexus1935 (Jul 4, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> I think many people deseed pomegranates like this already, but if not it’s something to recommend:



Thanks for posting - I had seen the whacking motion before, but the scoring was new and looks to make it much more effective. Time to buy a pomegranate!


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## Carl Kotte (Jul 4, 2020)

nexus1935 said:


> Thanks for posting - I had seen the whacking motion before, but the scoring was new and looks to make it much more effective. Time to buy a pomegranate!


Yeah, I have been told that you should aim for ’the shoulders’ running vertically (you can discern the bumps on the surface of the fruit) and make like four-five cuts that way. If done right, you merely hit the white stuff inside the pomegranate. Then you make that long cut in the middle of the fruit without pushing the knife through (you want to keep as many of the seeds intact as possible). Open and whack! Please go ahead


----------



## zeaderan (Jul 8, 2020)

just found out that chef Frank has a youtube channel and thought this video with the not as advertised method of onion chopping was interesting:


----------



## stringer (Aug 19, 2020)

Cleaning silverskin on pork tenderloin
(Too poor for beef nowadays)
Ashi Ginga 210 Sujihiki Swedish Stainless


----------



## ArthurHolo (Aug 20, 2020)

zeaderan said:


> just found out that chef Frank has a youtube channel and thought this video with the not as advertised method of onion chopping was interesting:



Interesting idea for small pieces. I tried it and it was easy and fast. The only thing is to leave a small part at the 'back' or verything will fall apart.


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## tchan001 (Jan 28, 2022)

I found a video of spineless milkfish belly cutting skills. Interesting fish knives and usage.


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## enchappo (Jan 28, 2022)

tchan001 said:


> I found a video of spineless milkfish belly cutting skills. Interesting fish knives and usage.



Very cool!

Nice to see this thread getting some action too  … as a newbie here this was one of the early threads I came across and enjoyed going back and reading/watching from the start!


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