A sous chef told me my brunoise was 'rustic' and it stung, but he was right.

I was cutting carrots for a mirepoix and he said, 'If you want them to cook evenly, they need to be the same size, not just small.' Now I actually use a ruler for the first cut. Anyone have a trick for keeping your knife work consistent when you're in the weeds?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_price2mo ago

My first brunoise looked like I'd attacked the carrot with a spoon. I still have to mentally chant "square off the sides" before every cut, or I end up with a pile of weird triangles. That ruler trick is a lifesaver for getting that first guide right.

carter.casey2mo ago

Actually, weird triangles can mess with cooking time. The pointy bits overcook way faster than the big middle part, so you get some mushy carrot and some crunchy carrot in the same bite. It's not just for looks, it's for even cooking.

robert_jenkins822mo ago

Square off the sides" like it's a final exam? It's just a carrot, man. Do those weird triangles actually make the soup taste worse, or is this just for looks?