How to Slice Cheese – You Will Be Amazed

Gather the Things Needed to Cut the Cheese

Choose a correct knife or slicer

Choosing the right knife is very important because the perfect shape would depend on how hard the cheese is. Usually, hard cheeses are easy to cut. But, the tricky part is cutting the semi-soft or soft cheese. So, choose the sharp knife, wire cutter, slicer, or peeler that seems convenient to you.

A clean board

The next thing you would need is a clean board. If you have a cheese slicer, you probably wouldn’t need it. But, no matter where you lay your piece of cheese to cut, make sure the tray is clean and dry.

Cut the cheese with a correct knife

Don’t get scared when I say “correct knife.” In no way, I recommend you buy an individual slicer for specific cheese. But, the cheeses are very delicate, and there is a wide variety of slicers in styles, shapes, and variations. So, if you are a perfectionist, then it would be wise to use the right slicer to have the perfect portion of cheese.

Ways to Cut Hard Cheeses

Even though hard cheeses are easy to cut, I use a tear-shaped sharp knife. As you place the cheese on the board, hold the cheese with one hand. Now, grab the knife with the other hand and start with its tip. Then, slide it through the cheese and push the knife down slowly. Easily, you can make wide slices or scrambled pieces as you wish.

Ways to Cut Medium-hard to Medium-soft Cheeses

Let me tell you; you need to be very careful while cutting medium-hard to medium-soft cheese. Since using the knife for such cheeses is time-consuming and doesn’t give me the desired finish, I prefer to use a wire cutter. You can also use dental floss. Just slide through the wire or floss to have even thick pieces.

Ways to Slice Blue Cheese Wedges

Most cheese wedges come in the shape of a wheel or pyramid. In such shapes, it’s easy to cut in smaller sizes. Here, the good news is you can use a sharp knife. Just place the tip at the center of the cheese and cut according to the desired width. Also, you can cut the whole wheel into half, then cut each portion into half until you get the required width. I like this way because it gives me even a portion of all pieces. Usually, I prefer to keep it 1 to 2 inches thick before presenting.

Ways to Cut Semi-soft or Soft Cheeses

Compared to regular knives, the soft cheeses knives come with long blades. They are also sharp and designed with a pointed tip. However, the knives are designed with holes in them. Since soft cheeses are tricky to cut, and often they get stuck with the knife, the holes keep the cheese from sticking. So, to cut the cheese, you just need to angle the knife at the edge of the cheese and press it down in blocks.

One point to ponder! The cheese is soft, so I prefer to keep them in thick blocks than make thin pieces. You can also choose the desired thickness you prefer. And, when you are done, use the blade tip to pick up the cheeses on the plate.

Ways to Cut Crumbly Cheese

Whether the cheese is soft or hard, you can use a cabana knife to make the perfect crumbly pieces. They are usually wide and designed in the shape of a bell. The best part of these knives is they are not sticking to the cheese. Apart from crumbling, you can also use the knife to create big chunks if needed!

Ways to Cut Thin Slices of Cheese

Making thin pieces of cheese needs practice. Even though I knew the techniques, it took me a month or so to be an expert. Now, I prefer to use a cheese plane to save time. You need to do is place the plane on the thin side of the cheese.

Then, drag the plane slow and steadily over the cheese. As you do, you will find the perfect piece of cheese will be right on the tip of the cheese plane. You can easily place it on your sandwich or nachos top.

Ways to Chop or Cut Cube Cheese

I am a huge fan of parmesan cheese. I often use it for my apple pie for dessert and sometimes for my juicy parmesan chicken. Even thinking about parmesan or cheddar brings a smile to my face. Moreover, you can get variations in cuts, especially when the cheese is hard. I prefer to make cubes, grate, or finely chop my hard cheddar, parmesan, or goats’ cheese.

And, to do the job, I use a scoring knife. Its sharp edge and pointed tip help me to make a big chunk of the cheese. I also use it to make smaller and even pieces. However, for thin slices, I use a cleaver. The wide blade is easy to control and decisive cut. You can also use the knife to make square blocks as well.

Time for Plating

As you are done with cutting and happy with your slice of cheese, remind yourself that it’s time for plating. It’s the most crucial part because you are going to accentuate the beauty of your dish with this slice of cheese. If you are planning to eat the cheese directly or as a side dish, choose a wide wooden board or ceramic tray that matches the shape and type of the cheese. You can use a square, rectangular or hexagonal tray as you wish.

Now, evenly lay the slices or keep them in a stack in a manner they are easy to pick. You can decorate the plate with different types of cheese, rosemary, dill, grapes, bread, bacon, and so on. I add a delicious mayonnaise dip to the platter.

On the contrary, if you are not planning to let the guest take the hassle, it’s better to present the food ready. You can use cheese to make a crunchy appetizer, sandwiches, mac n cheese, garlic toast, cheesecake, and the list can go on. No matter what the dish is, you can never go wrong with cheese if you can pair it with the dish nicely. Even though the plating is important, you can always go creative having your own style.