Slice a Cucumber

There are many different ways you can cut a cucumber. Learn some of the most popular culinary cucumber cuts which can also be applied to other vegetables. Cut your cucumbers quickly and uniformly to add a professional and appealing look to any dish.

Steps

Preparing your Cucumber

1. Pick the right cucumbers. When selecting cucumbers, always choose firm darker colored cucumbers with no wrinkles or spongy spots. Some cucumbers at the store are waxed to prevent them from spoiling when they are out of season. The skins contain vitamin A, so try to buy unwaxed cucumbers, whose skin you can eat.
   • If you have purchased waxed cucumbers, make sure to peel them and discard the skin.
2. Wash your cucumbers. Run unwaxed cucumbers under cold water and lightly scrub them. Washing fresh produce is important to remove various types of bacteria such as e.coli, salmonella, or Staphylococcus aureus.
   • The FDA recommends washing produce with a large amount of cold or warm tap water and using a scrub brush on tougher skinned produce when you are planning to eat the skin.
3. Cut off the stems. Slice off the hard disks on either side of the cucumber and discard. them. You don't want to eat this part.
4. Scoop out the seeds (optional). Cucumber seeds consist mostly of water, so they can make your salad soggy or add unwanted moisture to your cooked dish. Decide if you want the seeds or not.
   • You may find it easier to slice your cucumber if you have scooped the seeds out.
5. Peel the cucumbers (optional). The skin of cucumbers is slightly tough and a little bitter, but it's perfectly fine to eat. If you prefer not to eat the skin, use a vegetable peeler to slice the skin off in shallow strips long ways all over the cucumber.
6. "Square off" your cucumber (optional). Squaring off your cucumber is a method used in more complicated slicing and required you to cut off the rounded edges of your cucumber to create flat surfaces all around. Squaring off your cucumber before slicing will allow you to achieve uniform cuts that will cook evenly, and look for appealing and professional in your dish.
   • Start with one edge of your cucumber and cut off the rounded side. Move to remaining sides of your cucumber until you have cut off each rounded side and are left with a rectangular shaped piece with four pointed edges and flat surfaces.

Slicing your Cucumber

1. Lay the cucumber horizontally onto your cutting board. There are many different ways to slice your cucumber for basic everyday slicing. Create cucumber medallions by slicing through the length of the cucumber to create cucumber medallions.
2. Hold your knife properly. Grip your knife handle with your middle, ring, and pinkie finger on the knife handle and your thumb and forefinger on the sides of the blade to steady your cut.
   • Hold on to the cucumber with your opposite hand. Grip it lightly with your fingertips curled into it.
3. Make careful cuts. Start with the knife handle up and the knife point resting on the cucumber in the place where you want to make your first cut. Push the knife forward and down into each cut.
4. Slice your cucumber into whatever size and shape you desire. You can make cucumber sticks for a vegetable platter or chop up small pieces and toss them in a salad.

Slicing with the Julienne Cut

1. Hold your knife properly. Grip your knife handle with your middle, ring, and pinkie finger on the handle and your thumb and forefinger on the sides of the blade to steady your cut.
   • Hold on to the cucumber with your opposite hand. Grip it lightly with your fingertips curled into it.
2. Take one of your squared off pieces and slice it length-wise. Try to slice each piece evenly and aim for a thickness of 1-2mm (1/16in). This will leave you with thin rectangular cuts. Begin each cut with the knife handle up and the tip down into the cucumber. Push the blade forward as you push it down to create your cuts.
   • Your hand position should allow the side of the knife blade to gently rest against the knuckles of your other hand as you hold the cucumber. Making this cut with confidence takes practice. If you are nervous, grip your cucumber further back from your knife blade.
3. Slice again. Take each thin slice and repeat the same technique. Aim for dimensions of about 2mm X 2mm X 4cm (1/16in X 1/16in X 2in).
4. Slice using the Batonnet method (optional). The Batonnet method is a variation of the Julienne cut which produces thicker pieces.
   • Simply cut your pieces into 6 cm (2.5 inch) long pieces, then cut each of those pieces into 6mm (1/4th) thick slices. Stack those slices, then cut them lengthwise into 6mm (1/4th) wide sticks.
5. Enjoy! Julienne cut cucumbers work great in a salad, on a vegetable platter, or rolled into a sushi roll.

Getting Creative with Slicing

1. Dice your cucumbers. Instead of slicing cucumber medallions, you can dice your cucumber by cutting it in half longways, and then cutting it in half longways again. Line the halves up horizontally on your cutting board and slice through the length of your cucumber to dice it.
2. Dice cucumbers with the Brunoise Dice. Dicing your cucumbers adds just one step to the Julienne cut you have already done. Take your julienne cuts and bunch them up with your hand. Then cut the julienne into equally shaped dice. That's it!
   • Aim for dimensions of about 2mm X 2mm X 2mm (1/16 in X 1/16 in X 1/16 in).
   • You can also dice your cucumbers into thicker pieces if you prefer.
3. Dice the Batonnet cut. If you'd like to produce cubes, you can use what’s called the Medium dice to cut your Batonnet pieces. Hold each piece and cut cubes of about 6mm X 6mm X 6mm (1/4 in X 1/4 in X 1/4 in)
   • Aim to get your pieces as even as possible.
4. Slice and dice with the paysanne cut. If you would like smaller thinner cubes, slice each cube into about 12mm X 12mm X 3mm (1/2 in X 1/2 in X 1/8 in) squares from one side of the cube to the other.
5. Spiral cut your cucumbers. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler (recommended if you don't have experience in spiral cutting cucumbers) and begin peeling at one side in a circular motion. You should be creating a very thin peel. Continue until you have reached the end of your cucumber.
   • Be careful with the knife or vegetable peeler, always cut away from your hands and fingers.
   • Try to keep the shaving intact, but it's okay if it breaks off too.
   • If you'd like, you can use a knife or apple corer to take the seeds out before you begin peeling.
   • Spiral cut cucumbers are a fun way to garnish a salad. You can even dress spiral cut cucumbers with a light dressing and a little bit of pepper for a creative salad. Put spiral cut cucumbers on a sandwich or burger for a twist.
6. Enjoy! Sliced and diced cucumbers make a great addition to salads or sprinkled on top of dishes. Bring a professional look to your dishes with these slicing and dicing methods.

Tips

• If you don't want the cucumber skin on the sliced cucumber pieces, you can use a potato peeler in order to get rid of the cucumber rind.
• Slicing vegetables is an art that comes with a bit of a compromise. If you want speed and low waste, you'll lose uniformity. If you want low waste and uniformity, you'll lose speed. If you want speed and uniformity, you'll have more waste. Most chefs will find a middle ground which they prefer.
• Try slicing your cucumbers thinly and adding them to a sandwich.
• You can always peel your cucumber before slicing if you prefer not to eat the skin.

Warnings

• Always wash vegetables before eating.
• Make sure to always cut away from your fingers and hands.

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Sources and Citations

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