Expert Advice on How to Cut Cheese (2024)

FAQs

Expert Advice on How to Cut Cheese? ›

For firm blocks of cheese, use straight perpendicular cuts to create small, thin slices. With rectangular cheeses that have a rind, such as Gruyère, each slice will have a small piece of rind on one side. This technique also works for cutting blocks with no rinds, like Pepper Jack.

For slices, lay the cheese with its largest surface down and slice into small rectangles. From there you can cut the slices in half to create a club cracker sized slice and in half again for the perfect square slice of cheese.

If you're cutting a creamy cheese like Brie, you want to ensure everyone gets a bit of the centre. When it comes to firmer cheeses like Cheddar or Stilton, you'll want to ensure they're equally divided and that you're not left with an odd-shaped wedge which is impossible to cut.

Take your cheese out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to warm to room temperature. This will make it easier to cut, and allow the flavour of the cheese to come out. Cold cheese is not as flavourful as is room temperature cheese. We also recommend using a proper cheese knife.

Using a sharp, thin knife, cut wedges from the center to the edge to ensure that each slice of cheese contains both rind and the creamy center. Slicing the wheel of cheese this way evenly divides the cheese and prevents waste from uneven slicing.

Even stranger, as you press down to slice through it, a cheese becomes progressively stiffer and stronger. This is because the casein mesh is squashed out around the cut, like a stretched sponge; it becomes stronger because it can't easily move any further.

What knife is best for cutting cheese? If you don't have any cheese knives on hand, we'd recommend using a small paring knife for cutting firm-to-hard cheeses and a thin kitchen knife or butter knife for soft cheeses. While these won't take the place of a purpose-built cheese knife, they'll work in a pinch.

When you do pre-cut cheeses, be sure to plan your prep for no more than one day in advance of serving. Store your pre-cut cheeses on the shelves of your Cheese Grotto and keep them in the fridge for up to 12 hours, then take it out and bring everything to room temperature a couple of hours before you plan to serve.

Temperature plays a key role, too. Take them out of the fridge a minimum of thirty minutes before serving. It's easier to cut hard cheeses when they're cold rather than at room temperature.

Run the vegetable peeler over a corner of the cheese to mimic the effect of a shredder. Alternatively, you can run the peeler over a larger area to create thin slices, such as you would achieve by using a sharp knife.

What is the etiquette for cutting cheese? ›

When cutting a cheese wedge, try to cut a slice along the length of the cheese, from the centre to the rind. Try not to cut the point or the 'nose' off the cheese, which is often the ripest bit and worth sharing around!

"Freezing these types of cheese will make them more crumbly, mealy, and difficult to slice, but they will continue to melt just fine," says Windsor. "You may not get that picture-perfect grilled cheese pull with frozen cheese, but you will still have a delightfully delicious sandwich."

Temperature plays a key role, too. Take them out of the fridge a minimum of thirty minutes before serving. It's easier to cut hard cheeses when they're cold rather than at room temperature. As for cheese tools, a cheese slicer works well for hard cheeses, and a paring knife will suffice for creamier varieties.

Narrow Plane Knife

A versatile tool used for cutting many types of cheeses, from semi-firm cheeses like Jack, Cheddar or Jarlsberg, to soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert.

If you don't have any cheese knives on hand, we'd recommend using a small paring knife for cutting firm-to-hard cheeses and a thin kitchen knife or butter knife for soft cheeses. While these won't take the place of a purpose-built cheese knife, they'll work in a pinch.