I hate cutting sweet potatoes...HOW do you do it??

[jenkuh]

This is probably the most obvious thing for most people but for some reason I just cannot wrap my head around how to cut sweet potatoes (for baked fries, etc.) without losing my mind (or my hand...) How in the world do you do this?

btw, I wasn't sure if this was the write place to post this or not...

[Altair]

what kind of knife are you using? I use a BIG knife... slice in half length-wise, then lay the flat side down and cut 3-4 pieces lengthwise again, then flip those on their sides to cut again if they are thick. i might cut each piece in half if they are too long.

[sweetbabygirl19]

Cutting Sweet Potatoes

Jenkuh - My grandmother showed me this and so far it is the easiest way. Peel the potato or leave the skin on your choice. Use a big knife, not a paring knife. Cut the potato in half long ways. Put the cut/flat side down on your cutting board and then cut slices long ways. Then if the potato is thick you can cut them again to make smaller pieces for fries or just use the wedges. You can also do this with an onion for slicing or dicing. Just always put the cut/flat side down on your board and the knife won't slip trying to cut something round. BTW she also taught me to put a dish cloth under my cutting board (wet it a little first). It keeps the board from moving so there is less chance it will slip and you will cut your self. I hope this helps we have been doing it this way forever.

[sincitymama]

Yes, like the other posters mentioned the most important part for me is using a BIG knife. If I tried a little steak knife or paring knife or somethng I would certainly hav elost some fingers by now! BIG big knife.

BTW- if it helps, I hold my big knife by the handle with my better hand (I am right-handed) and press the palm of the other hand against the non-sharp side of hte knife. Keeps the fingers out of the way.

[nicolelynn]

Also the quality of knife has alot to do with it. I grew up with a chef father who has had the same JA Henckels chef knife for 25 years, yet I got cheap Target knives when I got married. I finally realized I needed to invest in good knives when I tried cutting the first spaghetti squash I've ever cooked in half...:

Thank-fully I got a JA Henckels knife set for Christmas so I can whack apart spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes with ease. Even if you can't swing a whole set one really good JA Henckels chef knife will run about $40...last you a lifetime and make your life easier!

[newcastlemama]

I use the biggest knife I have that is very sharp and high quality (Wustof) and lay the potato on its side and slice. I makes such a difference to have a good knife. If you could buy only one I would get a big one for chopping and slicing...it makes cooking so much easier!

[*Jessica*]

I make sweet potato dollars instead of fries!

[jenkuh]

Thank you! Seriously! We eat a lot of sweet potatoes and I had pretty much all but given up on anything but the ol' baked sweet potatoe. What everyone says makes sense!!
A) My knives are total cheapies - I think we paid $18 bucks for one of those big sets...should have known!! I was always attempting to cut them thinking, "Surely, if this is really what it is like to cut potatoes - people wouldn't be eating potatoes..."
B) I'm going to go out and buy a BIG, nice quality knife!! Thanks so much - this will make me a happier person!

P.S. I also like the tips for how to cut it as far as a "method" goes!

[natmommy]

I bake my sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes take them out, let them cool a bit and then cut them and put them back in until they're done. It makes it so much easier!!

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by *Jessica*

I make sweet potato dollars instead of fries!

That is what I make with coconut oil and sea salt...they are like really good potato chips when you cook them a little crispy. YUM!

[little-g]

Originally Posted by sweetbabygirl19

BTW she also taught me to put a dish cloth under my cutting board (wet it a little first). It keeps the board from moving so there is less chance it will slip and you will cut your self. I hope this helps we have been doing it this way forever.

This is a very good idea! My smaller boards seem to slip a lot. My mother has a pricey silcone mat for under her boards but this would do just as well.

I par-boil potatoes just whole in their skin before cutting them up for chips.

[Lynnseedoil]

Our large Henckel's chef knife cost something like $80 a few years ago. With that, a paring knife, a filet knife and a bread knife, you have all the knives you'll ever need! Oh, and invest in a good sharpener too.

[spughy]

If you're buying Henckels knives, just be aware that there are different lines and some are cheap stamped steel while others are forged. You want a FULLY forged steel knife, it holds its edge beautifully and is generally better balanced.

I have a Messermeister Meridian Elite 6" chef knife that I LOVE. It is forged steel, stays sharp for a long time (but I have a DH who loves to sharpen knives, too). It retails for around $100 CDN ($75 US on cooking.com)and is worth every penny. I find the 6" blade to be the perfect size - I am small, but it's big *enough* to cut pretty much everything. I also have some cheap 8" Victorinox chef knives and they are nowhere near as good.

Basically if you are paying less than about $70 PER KNIFE you are probably not getting a good knife, unless you're buying them from someone's tailgate and they keep looking around shiftily, IYKWIM.