How to Slice Apples

Everyone seems to have their go-to way to slice apples, but this technique is the one I like best.

Culinary instructor Lynn Novo showed us this easy way to slice apples, which is a safer, quicker way to do it. After the apple is peeled (if you’re peeling it), the fruit never leaves the cutting board. The apple also lays flat to offer more stability when slicing.

I was taught to cut apples by quartering them and then cutting out the core by holding it in my hand and maneuvering the paring knife through the core. But, Lynn’s method has you cutting the core out by laying the quartered apple flat on the cutting board and then angling the knife to slice out the core. Once the core is out, the apple rests flat for easy slicing.

A longer paring knife, like Cutco’s 4" Paring Knife, works great for this. You can use it to peel, quarter, core and slice. Another great apple peeling knife is the 2-3/4" Bird’s Beak Paring Knife. Its rounded blade contours to the apple for quick peeling.

Something to remember when cutting anything is to also pay attention to your non-cutting hand. Make sure to tuck all your fingers under to keep them safely away from the sharp blade of the knife. Your guide hand should be in the shape of a claw.

1. Starting at the stem end of the apple, use a sharp 4" Paring Knife to peel the skin, carefully rotating the knife around and down and keeping your thumb away from the knife edge.
2. Cut the apple into quarters. Lay quarters on a flat side. Position the knife at an angle, then cut diagonally to remove the core, keeping the fingers of the guide hand tucked under.
3. Lay the flat side of each quarter down and cut crosswise into even slices.