The Only Tool Needed For Perfectly Sliced Cheese Every Time
Sliced or shredded cheese can be used in various ways, including on sandwiches, pasta, and charcuterie boards. Anyone comparing pre-sliced packaged cheese to that sliced by hand knows cheese from a block melts better in recipes and, in most cases, tastes better. However, getting uniformly cut slices of cheese at home with a knife can be difficult, especially if it needs to be relatively thin. This can result in a frustrating and time-consuming process that only ends in sad, uneven chunks.
The solution for many home cooks is most often a cheese slicer. While this works fine, it's an extra product to spend money on and adds clutter to your kitchen. As it turns out, there is a way to get perfectly sliced cheese at home with another tool you may already have in your arsenal. You can use your vegetable peeler for thin, even slices without purchasing an additional gadget.
Peelers are versatile and easy to use
Using a vegetable peeler to get perfectly sliced cheese is incredibly easy. For long ribbons, glide the peeler along the long edge of your block of cheese. Use the short edge of the block for shorter, more manageable pieces. Either method produces delicate slices that are perfectly thin and even. Say goodbye to the knife and cutting board; with this method, you can shred your cheese directly into the pot or onto your work surface, reducing the number of dishes you need to clean. Then, throw your peeler in the dishwasher if it is dishwasher safe.
If you don't own a peeler, they are relatively cheap online or in most stores that sell kitchen tools. In addition, they are much more versatile than a cheese slicer. While a cheese slicer can mainly be used only for cheese, a vegetable peeler can peel vegetables, slice them into ribbons, thinly slice butter to coat your bread, and even peel citrus rinds to top your cocktails. A peeler is a seemingly better investment than a cheese slicer.
Uses for thinly sliced cheese
There are several situations in which this cheese-slicing method comes in handy. Use it instead of sad packaged cheese slices to upgrade a sandwich. In addition, it makes for much better grilled cheese. This is because the cheese slices are thin enough to melt quickly yet large enough to stay put in the sandwich while flipping. You can also use it to garnish your pasta with thin ribbons of parmesan before serving or add a perfectly melted layer of mozzarella to your pasta bake during the last few minutes of cooking. Finally, use this hack to make a perfectly aesthetic cheese board to impress your guests.
This trick will save you time and energy in the kitchen and liberate you from pre-packaged sliced cheese. In addition, it will prevent you from needing to purchase an additional gadget, saving you money and reducing clutter. Use a vegetable peeler to ensure thin, even cheese slices every time.