Buzz
Culinary experts acknowledge the significance of high-quality knives, yet many overlook the versatility offered by kitchen scissors and shears. Shears, being larger than scissors, often feature serrated blades, making them particularly adept at handling meat. Both tools excel at cutting various foods, including bread, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, many scissors and shears are equipped with grips at the end for cracking shells and removing bottle caps. Opting for scissors provides a safer and simpler alternative to knives.
Procedures
Trimming Food Using Kitchen Scissors
Disassemble meat by cutting it into smaller pieces. Scissors offer greater precision when cutting through slippery meats like fish and navigating tight spaces compared to knives. Insert the scissor tips into the belly of the fish near the tail, then cut along the belly towards the head. Utilize the scissors to trim off the head and fins. This method allows for clean meat extraction without the need for a cutting board.
- For poultry, remove the backbone or rib cage to open up the bird. Trim off the wings and thighs where they attach to the body. These joints are small and are easier to clip with scissors than with a knife.
- Scissors are also more convenient for cutting bacon into smaller pieces.
Effortlessly chop fresh herbs and spices. With kitchen scissors, the risk of slipping and cutting yourself is minimal. Delicate herbs like basil and oregano can be easily harvested by snipping the leaves off at the stems. To further break down the leaves, place them in a bowl and continue cutting until they reach the desired size. This method ensures clean cuts without damaging the leaves.
- Kitchen scissors also make quick work of firm herbs and spices like garlic and ginger.
Remove roots and stems from fruits and vegetables. Kitchen scissors are perfect for clipping off leafy tops, such as those found on carrots and strawberries, with minimal effort. They also come in handy for removing roots or tough stems from scallions and mushrooms. When dealing with broccoli, simply cut the florets off at the stem.
- The sharp blades can also be used to scrape away dark spots and other imperfections.
Neatly trim dough after rolling it out. In baking, scissors are invaluable. After rolling out phyllo or puff pastry, use scissors to trim it to the desired size. The scissors provide clean, precise cuts. When working with pie dough, place it in the pie tin and trim the edges with scissors to remove any excess.
- Scissors also come in handy for creating a lattice pattern by cutting strips of dough and laying them over the pie.
- They are also essential for precisely cutting pasta dough, such as when making ravioli.
Cut food directly inside a can to prevent mess. This technique is particularly useful for items like canned tomatoes, which tend to be messy when removed from the can. Keep them in the can and use scissors to cut them into smaller pieces. Then you can easily pour them into a pan without losing any juice.
- This method also works well with other canned foods, such as pineapple rings and peppers.
Slice bread into smaller portions with ease. Kitchen scissors are excellent for cutting any food into bite-sized pieces, but they excel with bread. Trim around the crust to cleanly remove it, leaving the rest of the bread intact. Leftover bread can then be evenly clipped into cubes for use in stuffing, bread pudding, croutons, or other recipes.
- Scissors also allow you to cut pitas into uniform wedges.
- They can even slice pizzas and quesadillas after they've been cooked.
Utilize scissors for cutting dried fruits and vegetables. These dried items are typically small and slippery, making them challenging to cut with a knife. Place them between the scissor blades and halve them effortlessly. It's a convenient method for breaking down foods like raisins or sun-dried tomatoes.
Quickly clean shellfish by cutting them open. Scissors and shears with sturdy grips between the handles are ideal for cracking open crab claws and lobster shells. The scissor blades are also effective for cleanly slicing through thinner shells, such as those on shrimp. This task is difficult with knives and often requires a shell cracker.
- For shrimp, insert the scissor blades under the shell, cut along the vein, then peel off the shell by hand, removing the vein simultaneously.
Using Scissors for Non-Food Items
Effortlessly open sealed packages with scissors. While kitchen scissors are primarily intended for food, they are equally capable of opening packaging as regular scissors. This is particularly helpful in the kitchen when hands are slippery or a package refuses to tear properly. Additionally, you can cut off ties without needing to untie them.
- Kitchen scissors are invaluable for cutting through vacuum-sealed packaging that cannot be torn by hand.
Remove plastic bottle lids using scissor grips. Kitchen shears feature plier-like teeth between the handle grips, perfect for twisting off plastic caps like those found on hot sauce bottles. Place the bottle between the handles, set it on a flat surface, and hold the scissors parallel to the table. Twist until the seal breaks.
- To remove larger lids, angle the scissors upwards and away from your body, grip the lid between the handles, and twist.
Easily remove metal bottle caps using the scissor handles. No need to search for a bottle opener. Position the bottle cap between the handles and press them together. Ensure the scissors point upwards and away from your body. Lift them until the cap pops off.
Trim twine for food wrapping purposes. Scissors simplify the process of snipping off a piece of string or twine. Use the twine to secure the contents of a bag or container. Twine is also essential for trussing chickens and turkeys, ensuring even cooking.
Washing Kitchen Scissors
Clean the scissors after using them with food. Treat them like any other kitchen utensil. Each time you use the scissors, bacteria accumulates on the blades, which can transfer to the next food you cut. At a minimum, they should be washed after handling raw meat. For safety, wash the scissors after each use.
- After cutting meat, be sure to wash the scissors before using them on any other food.
Detach the scissor blades. Examine where the blades meet. If they are secured with a screw, do not attempt to separate them. Other shears can be pulled apart. They may slide off each other or have an unlocking mechanism in the handle. Refer to the owner’s manual for precise instructions on separating the blades.
- If you are unable to separate the blades, you can still wash them. Separating them simply facilitates cleaning.
Clean the blades with soap and water. Ensure the scissors are washed like any other kitchen tool. Use your regular dish soap along with hot water. Ensure the soap reaches the areas where the blades intersect or meet the handles, as bacteria can accumulate there, especially if the scissors do not disassemble.
- Some kitchen scissors are dishwasher-safe. Verify this information on the packaging or in the instructions.
Hand-dry the scissors. Take a clean cloth and wipe down the blades thoroughly, removing all water, even from hard-to-reach areas near the handles. Water can cause metal to rust, and it would be regrettable to see a high-quality pair of scissors become discolored and fragile.
- Even if you wash the scissors in the dishwasher, it's advisable to hand-dry them to prevent rusting.
Air-dry the blades. Place them on a drying rack if available. Alternatively, lay a paper towel or newspaper on your countertop. Arrange the scissor blades on the chosen surface and allow them to air-dry for a few minutes to remove any remaining moisture.
Store the blades separately from metal objects. Contact with other metal items can dull the blades, so avoid placing them in your utensil drawer. A knife block is an ideal storage location for scissors. If they don't fit in the block, store them in a separate drawer away from other utensils.
Tips
-
Use your kitchen scissors exclusively for kitchen tasks to maintain their sharpness. Opt for lighter scissors for office work and crafting.
Warnings
- Using kitchen scissors for household chores introduces bacteria to them. This bacteria can transfer to your food when the scissors are used, so remember to wash them after each use.
