What is a julienne knife?

Author: Dorthy Schuppe  |  Last update: Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Julienne, allumette, or French cut, is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks.

What is a julienne knife used for?

Given its fine and exacting dimensions, the julienne cut is commonly used for firm produce, such as apples, beets, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and root crops. This thin uniform cut ensures a quick and even rate of cooking or marinating.

What does julienned mean?

Julienne refers to a technique used to prepare vegetables by cutting them into matchstick-shaped pieces. Find out how to julienne. Ad. To cut vegetables into matchsticks-shaped pieces for use mainly as a garnish. To julienne, vegetables should be peeled and cut across into pieces about 5cm long.

Why is it called a julienne cut?

When you chop vegetables this way, you julienne them. The word comes from a soup of the same name, which is prepared with thin strips of vegetables garnishing it — in French a potage julienne.

What are the basic knife cuts julienne?

The julienne cut is known as the matchstick cut because of an ingredient's resemblance to the wooden part of a match after being cut. These are essentially thin planks that are cut evenly and meticulously. The size for the julienne cut as taught at Escoffier is 2 ½ inches long, 1/8 inch wide, and 1/8 inch high.

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Is julienne the same as shredded?

Shred means to cut or tear something into small pieces. You can say either. "Julienne" is a specific process, though. "To Julienne a carrot" is to shred it in a particular way.

Can you julienne carrots with a grater?

Grater with an extra sharp blade of high-grade stainless steel, excellent for making fine julienne strips of carrots, celery, white radish, potatoes, etc.

What foods can you julienne?

Julienne, allumette, or French cut, is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks. Common items to be julienned are carrots for carrots julienne, celery for céléris remoulade, potatoes for julienne fries, or cucumbers for naengmyeon.

What does mince mean in cooking?

Mincing is a food preparation technique in which food ingredients are finely divided into uniform pieces. Minced food is in smaller pieces than diced or chopped foods, and is often prepared with a chef's knife or food processor, or in the case of meat by a specialised meat grinder.

What is a paring knife used for?

A paring knife is a key part of any kitchen.

Its slim, sharp blade is perfect for slicing, skinning, chopping, peeling fruit and vegetables and cutting up meat. A versatile knife, it guarantees a precise cut thanks to its 8 cm stainless steel blade.

What is a small dice called?

Small dice; (Macédoine); sides measuring approximately 1⁄4 inch (5 mm) Brunoise; sides measuring approximately 1⁄8 inch (3 mm)

What is the French word for cutting vegetables?

Brunoise. In French cooking jargon, brunoise refers to the technique of chopping vegetables into tiny pieces.

What is it called when you cut across the grain?

Slicing is a general term that means to cut across the grain into thin, uniform pieces.

What is another name for julienne cut?

The julienne is also known as the matchstick cut. As its name suggests, what you're going for is a thin, stick-shape cut. To make a julienne cut, square off your vegetable then cut lengthwise into 3mm-thin rectangular slices. Then cut these slices into matchsticks.

Why is it called the French cut?

Origin of the name

It seems likely that as the game is a lesser version of regular cricket that the name is intended to mock both the game and the French — just as a "French cut" in the sport of cricket is a poorly executed cut shot which almost gets a batsman out.

What do julienne slices look like?

Julienne cuts are thin, even slices of a vegetable or fruit made by squaring off the edges of said veggie or fruit and cutting it into planks and then strips. Many people describe them as matchstick cuts because, well, they should look as skinny and even as a box of matches.

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