Lexicon - Cutting Techniques

Bone - to remove the bones from meat, poultry or fish.

Butterfly - to cut down the center, almost but not all the way through, and open out flat. Shrimp is often butterflied, and easy to picture cutting down through the middle and flattening the sides to resemble a butterfly shape. Pork chops, leg of lamb and chicken breasts can be butterflied after the bones are removed.

Chop - to cut into small pieces, not larger than bite-size. Chopping results in larger pieces than mincing.

Cube - to cut into squares usually 1/4 to 1/2 inch each side. Cubing results in larger pieces than dicing.

Dice - to cut into very small squares, usually 1/4 inch or less. Dicing results in smaller pieces than cubing.

Grate - to shred a large piece of food into small shavings by drawing it with pressure across a grater, which is a serrated surface.

Julienne - to cut into matchstick sized pieces, usually 1/8 inch or so on two sides and a length of about an inch.

Mince - to cut in tiny pieces. Mincing results in smaller pieces than chopping.

Peel - to remove the peel from fruit or vegetables.

Puree - to mash to an even, smooth consistency. This can be done by pressing through the holes of a strainer or in a blender or food processor.

Shred - to cut or tear into very thin strips.

Slice - to cut a thin piece across the breadth of a larger piece; to cut a portion, usually triangular, from a circular whole.