Cooking Terms: Cutting Terms and Equipment

There are many terms for cutting in the kitchen and they have different uses and reasons for using. Below are some descriptions of why you might use the different techniques. I also have some information about the equipment used and why I chose it. Check out this video for more information. Cutting Terms and Equipment 






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Cooking terms hints

  • Chop

    • Chop is a term for a rough cut. In most home applications, chop will be just fine. In fine dining, you need precise cuts, but for a Tuesday night dinner, chop will be just fine. 

  •  Mince- 

    • Mince is a lot like chop but smaller. Usually you mince garlic or onion in order to add flavor but not texture. A mince usually dissolves into the dish. 

  • Cube

    • Cube is cubes about ½ inch. This is what you will use for potato salad. Cubing also works well for roasting and for any type of cooking where you want all pieces to be done at the same time. This helps with texture and mouthfeel. 

  • Dice

    • Dice is smaller than a cube. There are specific French terms for smaller cuts but for the home cook, you won’t need these most of the time. I hope to make a knife cuts video in the future. 

  • Grate

    • You use a grater to grate. It applies to anything you use a grater for. Cheese is grated to help it melt more evenly on top of dishes and so that it melts more quickly in sauces. You grate hashbrowns to allow for more surface area for the potatoes to brown. Grating is done to distribute flavor and to help with even cooking and melting. 

  • Shred

    • Shredding is a catch all for long strips. Many use grate and shred interchangeably. Shredding can be done with a knife, grater, or even forks and claws. 

  • Pare

    • Paring is peeling and removing the stems. You use a paring knife to peel the item. 

  • Peel

    • Peeling is removing skin. It doesn’t differ much from paring. You can peel with your hands and a peeler though.

  • Score

    • Scoring can be done to meats to break up connective and muscle tissue to make it more tender and let marinate soak in. It can be done to bread before baking to break the skin and allow it to rise more and even as decoration. 

  • Slice

    • Slicing is cutting into thin pieces. The pieces that are created are also called slices. 

Equipment Links and information

  • Cutting board- https://amzn.to/3sAwkeD 

    • This one is NSF approved, meaning that it is approved for food service use. This means that it will hold up extremely well to household use. Some prefer color coded cutting boards that indicate which type of food to cut on each one. I don’t like using those because it tricks you into thinking you don’t need to wash it as well. With a plastic cutting board, as long as you clean and sanitize it well, you will not have residue from raw meats. I always put mine through the dishwasher if I am using it with raw meat, just to make sure. 

  • Chef Knife- https://amzn.to/3rzsh1X

    • These are food service grade and inexpensive. If you don’t want to spend a ton on a knife but want a knife that will be durable try these. 

    • Never put a knife in the dishwasher and your point will be maintained for much longer. Watch our knife care video and read the knife care blog to learn more about sharpening and straightening the blade. 

  • Bench Scraper-https://amzn.to/3uMakiD 

    • I love bench scrapers for picking up items off the cutting board, scraping the counter after rolling out dough, or even scraping up dried spills on the counter. It works like a razor blade but isn’t as dangerous. I like the one linked above because it comes with a bowl scraper, which is awesome for scraping icing and batter out of mixing bowls, and a plastic bench scraper that I use for more delicate surfaces so that it doesn’t scratch. 

    • Bench scrapers are also great for cutting dough into portions. They are invaluable in the kitchen and once you get one, you will wonder how you did without it. 

  • Grater-https://amzn.to/3uR12lq

    • A hand grater is wonderful to have around the house because if you don’t need a lot of cheese, it’s easier to clean than all the parts of the food processor or stand mixer grater. If you are grating a lot, you may want more power. I use the rasp side for cinnamon and use the slicer for small amounts of slicing. Be careful with your fingers though, because you definitely don’t want to grate your hand. It doesn’t feel good at all. 

  • Food Processor-https://amzn.to/3c1drei 

    • This food processor has attachments to grate and slice. It also works well for making hummus or dips. I make hummus often and use the shredded for the cheese and the blade for the base of my pimento cheese. Check out videos on my youtube channel.

  • Stand mixer- https://amzn.to/3bVK2Sv 

    • If you have a kitchenaid, hold onto it. The older they are the longer they last. I’ve bought newer ones in the last few years, but continually go back to my old one. I burned out the motor on one within one month and ended up exchanging for a completely different model. My next mixer will be a 20 quart Hobart. 

  • Stand mixer Shredder slicer attachment- https://amzn.to/3bPIZDG 

    • I use this attachment all the time. We use it to make potato chips, grate cheese, and make hash browns. 

  • Peeler- https://amzn.to/2OlsAio 

    • I love OXO peelers because they stay sharpe for a long time and have large handles that work well if you are peeling for a long time. 

  • Paring knives-https://amzn.to/381JNnG 

    • These are food service grade and will hold up well over time. I’ve used them in my classroom for years and they stand up to a ton of use and washing. 

  • Can opener- https://amzn.to/3qeHqUW 

    • I’ve been using a Kitchenaid can opener for years. They hold up well and make clean cuts. They are also really easy to turn. 


Starting out a kitchen with good equipment is essential, but you can build it slowly and there are many high quality food service options that cost a lot less than consumer ones.


This is the camera Equipment that I use for my YouTube videos. 

 
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Erin Mercs