Strawberries are delicious either way, Do you have an idea how to cut strawberries properly? Well, there are many different ways to cut them depending on what you want to use them for. Always start by washing the strawberries you want to serve. Then remove the green stems and prune them if you only want the juicy, ripe parts of the berries. Cut the berries into different sizes for different serving purposes, or even into unique shapes for fancier presentations.
How To Cut Strawberries
If you’ve ever wanted to know how to cut strawberries, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re making a delicious fruit salad, whipping up a strawberry-filled smoothie bowl, or just snacking on some freshly cut strawberries, this guide will show you the best and easiest way to cut strawberries.
To start, you’ll want to wash your strawberries with cold water and pat them dry. Make sure you get rid of all the dirt and leaves. Then, take a paring knife and cut off the stem and the green top.
Once you’ve removed the top and stem, you’ll see that the strawberry is basically shaped like a five-pointed star. To make slicing easier, you’ll want to cut the strawberry into four quarters. To do this, start at the stem end and make a vertical cut down the center of the strawberry, then cut the halves in half.
When you’re ready to start slicing, place the strawberry flat on the cutting board and make thin, lengthwise slices that are about 1/4-inch thick. Make sure you don’t cut too thin or too thick – you want the slices to be even.
If you’re looking for a different way to cut your strawberries, you can also dice them. Simply cut the strawberry into small cubes and then cut each cube into four equal parts for an evenly diced strawberry.
Once you’ve cut your strawberries, you can enjoy them in any way you like. Whether you’re adding them to a fruit salad, blending them into your morning smoothie, or just snacking on them, you’ll have plenty of delicious strawberries to enjoy. So, go ahead and get slicing – you won’t regret it!
How to peel or core strawberries
Peeling or coring strawberries—removing the green stem or calyx from the top of the berry—makes it more elegant and easier to eat when served. This is a better strategy than simply cutting off the top of the berry because it retains more of the berries, so peeling is usually the first step in any strawberry recipe.
No matter how you eat strawberries, you want to start with fresh, ripe berries. Try tasting the berries before you buy them because strawberries can look great, red, and shiny, but taste dull. If you can’t taste the berries, smell them. They should smell – you guessed it! – like a strawberry.
Before using the berries, rinse the strawberries thoroughly and gently shake off any moisture until the berries are completely dry.
Insert a sharp knife near the base of the stem core
Hold a strawberry in one hand and a sharp paring knife in the other hand. For maximum control, hold the knife on the blade just below the handle. Insert the tip of a knife into the strawberry near the base of the stem. Tilt the tip of the knife towards the center of the berry kernel.
flip strawberries
Rotate the strawberry to guide the knife around the stem cap, keeping the tip of the knife at an angle to the center pith of the strawberry. This will cut rather than cut off the stem.
This part is important, so it’s worth repeating: flip the strawberry, not the knife. This is the same movement as peeling apples with a paring knife or running a spatula along the edge of a cake pan. Professionals know to keep the pan still and move the object – you create the right angle and then you use that angle.
When cutting the berry, create a cone shape that tapers towards the strawberry. This removes the stem and tough bits right underneath without sacrificing too many berries. When this is done, the stem should pop/out right away.
Straw trick or trick
Another strawberry peeling method uses a straw to push straight through the bottom of the fruit all the way to the top, where the stem will pop right out. However, this method will punch a hole in the whole fruit, so it’s not ideal when presentation matters.
Peeled strawberries
Serve peeled strawberries as is, with cream or balsamic vinegar or powdered sugar. Try a real treat by dipping them in sour cream or crème fraîche and then brown sugar.
However, when used in baked goods and salads, strawberries with their skins glistening. You preserve the maximum of delicious fruit by getting rid of the inedible stem and the tough part directly below it. A few ways to serve strawberries include:
- Add peeled and sliced strawberries and orange wedges to a simple arugula salad;
- dip strawberry puree into sweetened whipped cream;
- Mix peeled strawberries with finely chopped chili, salt and pepper to taste, and a dash of lime juice for a fresh strawberry salsa;
- Make strawberry ricotta muffins;
- Mix strawberry-almond smoothie;
- Mash strawberries in sparkling water, add sugar to taste and enjoy your homemade strawberry soda.