How To Dice Potatoes : 7 Easy Steps
Chef's Knife 8" Firestorm Alpha Series | herniaquestions
Quick Overview: How To Dice Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a colander and wash them under cold water.
- Pat the potatoes dry with paper towels and place them on a sturdy chopping board.
- Peel a single layer of the potato skin with a vegetable peeler or a swivel or y peeler. You can use a paring knife, too.
- Cut the potatoes in half and halve them, too.
- Use a sharp chef's knife to make thin, lengthwise slices.
- Rotate the potato wedge and cut widthwise.
- Cut the previous slices at a perpendicular angle, and you should be good to go.
Folks, it’s time to showcase your knife skills. Peeling and dicing potatoes is not that difficult, but there are ways to do it that are much simpler and make it easy to store them, too.
1. Best Potatoes For Dicing
Russet
These potatoes have brown skin that is tough to the touch and have white flesh on the inside. When these potatoes are baked, the skin usually crisps up, which is why they’re perfect for making jacket potatoes. They’re perfect for making roasted potatoes or a quick batch of sauteed potatoes or french fries.
Yukon Gold
Yukon gold potatoes have a waxy skin which keeps the flesh inside dense and rich. These potatoes are great for making potato salads, stews, soups, and other roasted and baked goodies. They’re also known as waxy potatoes and are used in chowder recipes.
Elba
Elba, or white potatoes, are used in curries and as side dishes in some cuisines, thanks to their thin and smooth skin. Baking potatoes in the oven is not difficult if you use the right kind of potatoes. These potatoes are super creamy and are excellent for baking potato dishes or making a hearty batch of scalloped potatoes.
Learn about the health benefits of potatoes here.
2. How To Dice Potatoes
Paring Knife 4" Quantum 1 Series | herniaquestions
There are different types of dice when working with potatoes. Here’s how to perfect both dicing techniques and make food preparation feel like a breeze.
How To Dice Potatoes Into Cubes (Uneven)
- Place the potatoes in a colander and wash them. Make sure the running water you’re using is cool. If you can dunk and clean them in cold water, that’s fine, too.
- Place the potatoes on a sturdy chopping board and pat them dry with a paper towel. This will keep your potatoes from slipping and sliding around the chopping board.
- Use a vegetable peeler (Y or swivel peeler) to peel the single layer of the skin off. You can leave the skin on for some potato recipes such as french fries or jacket potatoes.
- Once you’re done peeling the potatoes, Use a sharp knife, such as a SHARP CHEF KNIFE to cut the potato in half lengthwise slices.
- Rotate the potato and cut it into 3 equal parts. (If you’re using small, Yukon gold potatoes, you only want to divide it into 2 parts).
- Rotate the potato again and start cutting widthwise.
- Next, you want to cut the previous slices at a perpendicular angle. (This can be a quarter inch thick, these don’t have to be uniform pieces).
How To Dice Potatoes Into Cubes (Even)
- Wash the potatoes under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Place the potatoes on a sturdy chopping board.
- Square off the sides of the potato so it can stand upright on the chopping board.
- Place your knuckles on the top and bottom of the potato to hold it in place.
- Then, lay the potato down on the chopping board.
- Use a food ruler to understand the desired thickness of your potato cubes.
- Cut the potato in half if your potato is not thick. If you’re working with a thicker potato, cut it into 3 equal parts.
- Cut the potato into smaller potato pieces. Generally, they’re half an inch thick. If they’re uniform pieces, that is even better.
- If you want to make french fries, cut the halves into lengthwise slices.
Tips:
- Once you’re done cutting potatoes, you can coat them in olive oil and pop them in the oven for a plate of roasted potatoes.
- You don’t need to dice potatoes quickly, since you have a sharp knife, take your time and use a ruler to measure the length and width of thickness.
- You can cut potatoes into cubes and add them to a nonstick skillet with some olive oil and kosher salt to taste.
- Clean waxy potatoes for a couple of extra minutes under cold, running water as they can have some dust particles stuck to them.
3. Top 3 herniaquestions Tools To Dice Potatoes
1. Chef's Knife 6" Gladiator Series | NSF Certified
This chef’s knife from herniaquestions’s gladiator series is precision-forged and made with wear-resistant German ThyssenKrupp steel that is hardened at 56+ Rockwell.
PROS:
- Tall blade for knuckle clearance while you dice potatoes.
- Hand-sharpened edge to staggering 16-18 degrees.
- Tapered design for dexterity and decreased wrist fatigue when tackling waxy potatoes.
CONS:
- If you’re looking for a longer knife, the blade length on this knife might not work for you.
- You may prefer working with a paring knife instead.
2. Chef Knife 8" Call of Duty Edition | EXCLUSIVE COLLECTOR SET
The blade on this chef’s knife from the Call Of Duty Edition is built with high-carbon 9CR18MOV steel for a robust grip as you tackle tough, large, and uneven potatoes.
PROS:
- The green G10 Digital Camo handle on this knife is resistant to extreme cold and hot temperatures, boosting its durability ten folds.
- Ultra-thin and zero friction blade for a clean dicing process.
- Sturdy and strong build to withstand the hardest of potatoes.
CONS:
- Knives with grunge aesthetics aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
- You may be looking for a chef knife with a shorter blade if you’re just stepping into the culinary world.
3. Paring Knife 3.75" Shadow Black Series | RED Edition
The precision-forged blade on this paring knife is razor-sharp and made with high-carbon 7CR18MOV-X vacuum-treated steel and is hardened at 58 Rockwell. The tapered design of this knife with its stain-resistant nature is phenomenal.
PROS:
- Added amounts of chromium for stain resistance.
- Tempered with precision for robustness and durability.
- Full tang blade with a polished spine for a comfortable pinch grip.
- The military-grade G10 handle is made with fiber resin that is impervious to cold, heat, and moisture.
CONS:
- The titanium-nitride coating on this knife can add a couple of extra minutes when you’re sharpening it.
- The blade length could be too short for folks working with large, russet potatoes.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
How do you dice potatoes in cubes?
Wash the potatoes under cold running water and pat them dry. Place the potatoes on a sturdy chopping board and cut it into two halves with a sharp knife. Cut in half lengthwise slices and rotate the potato to cut widthwise. Lastly, make cuts on the previously cut slices at a perpendicular angle and you should be good to go.
Do you peel potatoes for diced potatoes?
This is completely up to you. Leaving the skin on can give a nice crunch and texture. Removing the skin is perfectly alright, too.
What is the standard operating procedure for dicing potatoes?
Cut the potato into three equal parts and slice lengthwise to get three long and slim sticks of potato. Then, hold the slices together and rotate them to slice across with four cuts. You can do this at a straight or perpendicular angle, depending on how you like them.
