How to do a roll cut (oblique cut)
Cut at a 45° angle, roll the ingredient half a turn, and repeat to create two-angled oblique pieces.
The roll/oblique cut creates attractive, larger surface-area pieces. Keep the knife angle consistent, make a cut, roll the item, and continue until finished.
The short version
- Maintain a consistent 45° knife angle
- Roll half a turn between cuts
What you need
- chef's knife
- cutting board
How to do it
- 1
- 2
- 3
Keeping the same knife angle, make another cut.
Watch this step - 4
Continue rolling and cutting until the end.
Watch this step
What goes wrong
Changing the knife angle from cut to cut
Lock in the 45° angle and only roll the ingredient.
Why it works
Rolling changes the orientation each time, producing irregular-but-consistent angled pieces that look refined and cook evenly.
Learn next
How to chiffonade mint by rolling it into a cigar and slicing
Stack mint leaves, roll them tightly into a cigar, then slice to get fine ribbons.
Use the edge of the cutting board to keep your knife parallel when slicing chicken horizontally
Move the chicken toward the edge of the board so you can keep the knife flat and parallel for an even horizontal cut.
Cut ingredients to similar sizes so they cook evenly
Keep pieces roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time.
Use a small amount of water to slow browning and buy cook time (with splatter caution)
If food is browning too fast, add a little water to create steam and extend cooking time—careful if there’s lots of hot oil.