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Author Topic: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.  (Read 1346 times)

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hughver

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How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« on: January 16, 2021, 02:14:34 PM »
I've been doing 90% or more of the cooking in our household since I retired in 1995.  For the most part, I've really enjoyed it but the part that gets tiresome is the prep, chopping, slicing, etc. I can't tell you how many different gadgets, both powered and manual, that I've bought over the years trying to reduce the labor while still maintaining the desired consistency/quality. So far, nothing has adequately duplicated doing it by hand. Anybody have a good method/gadget for reducing the effort?   ???
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02ebz06

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2021, 02:56:28 PM »
Good question...

Mandolin slicers work well.
I have a chopper that you just pound away on it with the palm of your hand.

Then you have the downside, you have to clean them.
So is it worth it for small amounts? ? ? Up to the individual I guess.


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Canadian John

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2021, 03:15:54 PM »

  For the most part, all manual here. It's just the two of us and not pressed for time...   A food processor would be nice at times..  All of the mechanical devices consume space and time..It's surprising what a
 
 set of good, well maintained  knives will do.
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SmokinHandyman

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2021, 03:16:59 PM »
I still use a knife.

Tried the gadgets but cleaning is just as time consuming.
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SmokinHandyman

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2021, 03:33:57 PM »
Plus my wife helps cut and chop also
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hughver

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2021, 03:38:13 PM »
I also have lots of time, but the amount of time that I am able to be on my feet is limited by physical problems, to 5-10 minute. 02ebz06, I've had the traditional stainless steel Mandolin for a long time and use it for some applications, just today, I bought the "Safe Slice" plastic version but have not tried it yet. The pounding sounds interesting.
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02ebz06

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2021, 03:51:04 PM »
Quote from: hughver on January 16, 2021, 03:38:13 PM
The pounding sounds interesting.
You still have to clean it, but the nice thing is, it comes apart and makes it easy to clean.
EDIT: The blade rotates each time you push down on the top.
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BigDave83

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2021, 04:22:29 PM »
I have standing and walking issues also. I usually just sit down at the table and chop up what I need, usually with just  knife. I will chop extra onions and keep in a lock n lock. I will do peppers also at times if I know I will be using them in a day or two at the most, they don't keep well once cut up.

We have gone to salad mix in a bag usually.

I have a few things I will use for specific things like making homemade potato chips, or something that I want uniformity or close to it. I like my mandolin but hate cleaning it. I have one of two of the choppers pictured above also and they work great for some things. I use my apple peeler at times but I use the apple cutter you place on top and just push down and cores and slices the apple. It saves a lot of time when I make applesauce.

 I usually only cook for 2 so it isn't a lot of prep work.

Find me an easy and quick way to peel Taters and I would be grateful.
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02ebz06

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2021, 04:25:09 PM »
Quote from: BigDave83 on January 16, 2021, 04:22:29 PM


Find me an easy and quick way to peel Taters and I would be grateful.

Wouldn't the apple peeler work ?
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Bar-B-Lew

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2021, 04:33:42 PM »
bought this to shred blocks of smoked cheese but havent tried it yet

looks like it slices veggies too

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H96RQDK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Bar-B-Lew

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2021, 04:34:33 PM »
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pmillen

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2021, 05:11:52 PM »
I have a rather large Cuisinart food processor.  Marcia told me that I wouldn't like it when I bought it.  She was right—it's too violent.  It sort of explodes whatever I put in there into slices.  It's drudgery to clean and I don't like handling the blades.

I might like a mandoline.  I somewhat like the knife work for most slicing and dicing but I sometimes use a slicer for paper thin cuts.  I choose a dicer—that I just slam closed on, say, an onion—for large projects.
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BigDave83

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2021, 09:01:18 PM »
Quote from: 02ebz06 on January 16, 2021, 04:25:09 PM
Quote from: BigDave83 on January 16, 2021, 04:22:29 PM


Find me an easy and quick way to peel Taters and I would be grateful.

Wouldn't the apple peeler work ?

I tried it but it wasn't as easy as doing them by hand. I have not tried the cordless drill and the vegetable peeler yet, I just see peeling flying everywhere.
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dclord

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2021, 12:57:48 AM »
I've tried mandolin slicers and food processors and for the most part they are more trouble than they are worth. And as it turns out, having good sharp knives and slicing things up is really my favorite part of cooking.

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urnmor

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Re: How Do You Chop, Slice, Etc.
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2021, 09:08:26 AM »
I certainly agree with you.  Prepping IMO takes most of the time and effort in cooking.  Like you I have also been making 99.9 percent of the meals since retired.  Now that said I do not use a lot of different utensils when prepping as I rely on just a few knives and occasionally a mandolin.  Now what really makes the tediousness go away is loud music (genre) changes depending on my moods. Then a great glass of wine or two and most importantly my dancing.  You ought to see my moves they are out of this world at least that is what my 7 year old granddaughter says.
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