Bell peppers and knife techniques

[pacanis]

Having a new kitchen knife and wanting to get "handier" with it, I've been paying more attention to the TV chefs and what they are using to cut food with, along with any technique they are using. I was watching Essence of E the other day and saw him cut a bell pepper like I've never seen before. The technique appeared to waste some (very little the way he did it), but was extremely fast and saved him a trip to the sink to rinse seeds out. Something I end up doing no matter how I cut it.
He stood the pepper on end, stem up, and made four downward slices, rotating the pepper ninety degrees after each slice, leaving the seeds and veins intact under the stem cap.
Maybe he had the perfect shaped pepper, maybe his cuts had a slight arc to them, but at any rate, when I tried it (not wanting to waste very much of the pepper) I got some seeds. OK, maybe he's done it more than once and knows what he's doing I only had the one pepper to work with, but am going to be trying this again. The four pieces of pepper you get are fairly flat and easy to slice.

Does anyone else do this?

 

[Andy M.]

I have done it that way. I also cut off the top then reach in with my fingers to twist out the central mass of seeds and stuff. Then cut it into sections to dice or julienne.

You can also cut off both ends and make a cut to lay the center section flat and go from there.

 

[GotGarlic]

The technique appeared to waste some (very little the way he did it), but was extremely fast and saved him a trip to the sink to rinse seeds out. Something I end up doing no matter how I cut it.

I use Rachael Ray's method - put a garbage bowl on the counter, put all the stuff in that, then throw it all away when done. Saves trips to the sink and the garbage can.

That said, I might try Emeril's technique, if I can remember to next time I cut peppers. I cut the core out, shake the seeds out, and then cut it into quarters. I end up with basically the same thing, but his method saves pulling out the core first.

 

[pacanis]

I have done it that way. I also cut off the top then reach in with my fingers to twist out the central mass of seeds and stuff. Then cut it into sections to dice or julienne.

You can also cut off both ends and make a cut to lay the center section flat and go from there.

That way has become my preferred way. Then I'll trim the cap to get more pepper from it, but that way leaves a lot of veins that still need scraped out. I think I want to get better at the standing up method. It was almost like he was fileting the pepper. Like I said, I think the shape of the pepper helps a lot with it... nice and uniform and not so apple shaped, like some peppers are.

 

[Constance]

Using a paring knife, I turn the pepper stem down, then cut the pepper in half from the bottom to the top, leaving the stem. I then pull the two pieces apart. The stem part will remain on one half of the pepper...just pull it back and out with your fingers. Then it's easy to have your way with the rest of the pepper.

 

[Andy M.]

Go to you tube and search for 'cutting bell peppers' videos. There are a lot of videos with different methods.

 

[Jeekinz]

Having a new kitchen knife and wanting to get "handier" with it, I've been paying more attention to the TV chefs and what they are using to cut food with, along with any technique they are using. I was watching Essence of E the other day and saw him cut a bell pepper like I've never seen before. The technique appeared to waste some (very little the way he did it), but was extremely fast and saved him a trip to the sink to rinse seeds out. Something I end up doing no matter how I cut it.
He stood the pepper on end, stem up, and made four downward slices, rotating the pepper ninety degrees after each slice, leaving the seeds and veins intact under the stem cap.
Maybe he had the perfect shaped pepper, maybe his cuts had a slight arc to them, but at any rate, when I tried it (not wanting to waste very much of the pepper) I got some seeds. OK, maybe he's done it more than once and knows what he's doing I only had the one pepper to work with, but am going to be trying this again. The four pieces of pepper you get are fairly flat and easy to slice.

Does anyone else do this?

That's how I like to do it. You're left with a little bell pepper cage.

 

[GB]

Here is a video of the basic technique I use. I did not listen to the audio so I can not vouch for what they are saying (and i am not sure what she was doing when she was turning her knife back and forth), but I use this method with great success. I do not bother with the paring knife. I find I can get rid of the ribs just fine with my chefs knife. What they do not show in the video (not sure if they talk about it though) is that you can use the top and bottom you cut off as well so there is almost no waste.

 

[GrillingFool]

I use Constance's method.
Another tip is to slice them with the skin side down. MUCH easier that way.

 

[GB]

Another tip is to slice them with the skin side down. MUCH easier that way.

That is true if your knife is not very sharp. If your knife is sharp then there is little difference.

 

[pacanis]

Here is a video of the basic technique I use. I did not listen to the audio so I can not vouch for what they are saying (and i am not sure what she was doing when she was turning her knife back and forth), but I use this method with great success. I do not bother with the paring knife. I find I can get rid of the ribs just fine with my chefs knife. What they do not show in the video (not sure if they talk about it though) is that you can use the top and bottom you cut off as well so there is almost no waste.

Now that's filleting a pepper. Pretty cool the way she pops the stem out. I didn't realize you could do that.
BTW, all she is doing when she is rotating the knife is showing you the grip.

 

[GB]

Ahhh thanks pacanis. I was wondering if she was doing some sort of breathing exercise or a ying yang thing or looking at how shiny it was.

 

[GrillingFool]

Well of course GB! But not everyone has the skills or inclination to have
spooky sharp blades like some of us might.

 

[buzzard767]

Here is a video of the basic technique I use.

Ha ha ha haaaaa! They said one of the requirements is a Chef's knife. So what is she using? A Mac 270mm SB-105 BREAD knife. Haaaaaaaa ha aha ha. I know because I have one. Haa ahaaaaaaaa.

Here's how I do it, second veggie in the video. The guy with the knife is Chef Curtis Chung, aka C_Dawg on the forums.

 

[GB]

Here's how I do it, second veggie in the video.

That seems to be the same basic technique as in the video I posted.

 

[buzzard767]

That seems to be the same basic technique as in the video I posted.

For the most part. I hope she never has to prep food for a restaurant full of hungry people though. They'll all starve to death.

 

[GB]

For the most part. I hope she never has to prep food for a restaurant full of hungry people though. They'll all starve to death.

She was demonstrating a technique. It is much easier for the person watching and learning if the demonstrator goes nice and slow. Fast may be impressive to watch, but slow make it easier to learn.

 

[buzzard767]

She was demonstrating a technique. It is much easier for the person watching and learning if the demonstrator goes nice and slow. Fast may be impressive to watch, but slow make it easier to learn.

GB, you are way too serious, and I'm not a second grader. I get it!

 

[GB]

Sorry. I guess I just do not see the humor in your statement.

 

[ironchef]

I slice off the top and bottom of the pepper, make a vertical slice down one side, then turn the pepper its side, skin down. I lay my knife flat along the inside of the pepper, starting with the edge of the incision that I made, and the roll the pepper while slicing. This way, I can remove all of the inner membrane. If your knife is sharp, you should be able to get a thin, translucent sheet of the inner skin.