Cutting on the bias

Cutting on the bias

A bias cut that increases the cooking surface

The technique

Hold the knife at an angle, about 45 degrees to the ingredient, and slice while keeping this angle constant from start to finish. The vegetable or meat remains stable under your clawed hand, only the blade works on a slant.

When

For long, thin vegetables like leeks, carrots, asparagus, or cucumbers, when you want a nice oval presentation and a larger cooking surface. Also for a thin piece of meat, sliced against the grain to stay tender.

Pitfalls

1. Changing the angle while cutting results in uneven slices
2. An angle that is too flat makes the slices fragile, breaking apart during cooking
3. Slicing meat with the grain makes it chewy

The benchmark

An angle of 45 degrees is the classic benchmark: the more oblique the slice, the more its surface area in contact with the pan increases, and the faster it browns. On meat, always cut perpendicular to the grain.