How To Cut Potato Wedges

If you are cooking potatoes today, you need to learn how to cut potato wedges! Because the fact is that everybody loves potatoes, but not everyone knows how to cut them. In this article, we'll learn more about how to cut potato wedges.

Different Types of Potato Cutting Styles

Potatoes are used in a variety of dishes and can be prepared in multiple ways. Traditionally potatoes are sliced, diced, julienned, spiralized, shredded and cubed. We'll discuss the common techniques used in cutting potatoes and give examples.

The Crinkle Slice

Instead of cutting straight down with your knife, you will be using a sawing action and rocking your knife back and forth across the potato to create a wavy or "crinkled" effect. This technique is typically used with red bliss potatoes because they have slightly thinner skin than other potatoes. 

When frying these up for breakfast, you want them to be crispy on the outside, but tender on the inside, and this technique is a sure-fire way to accomplish that!

The Straight Slice

This is an extremely thin slice from top to bottom. This technique is commonly used with russet potatoes because it makes them absorb less oil while being fried. This also adds more surface area for the potato to be layered on top of one another when making a dish such as home fries or scalloped potatoes. For this reason, the straight slice works best with recipes that require several layers.

The Dice

The dice is the most common technique for cutting potatoes because it can be used with all potatoes and result in a tasty-looking little cube-shaped nugget. When using the dice, slice your potato into an even grid pattern (meaning that each section should be equal in size). 

After chopping them into cubes, turn the cube on its side to achieve an oval shape. This will produce small pieces perfect for any recipe calling for diced potatoes!

The Chunks

Another great way to cut your potatoes is by creating chunks or large cubes. If you are making a dish that requires larger potato pieces, this is the way to go. Like making the dice, cut your potatoes into an even grid pattern, so each section is equal in size.  

The Wedge Cut

The wedge cut has a more dramatic appearance when compared to other types of potato cutting styles. When using the wedge cut, you will be slicing your potato in half straight down the middle, so it creates a long rectangle shape with pointy ends. This slice works excellent when making dishes such as scalloped potatoes because you can pile several slices on top of each other when stacking them in the dish.

The Matchstick Slice

The matchstick slice is like making thin fries out of your russet potato (and I'm sure we all know how amazing that smells while frying up). To achieve this style, you cut your potato lengthwise into thin strips with a sharp knife. The matchstick slices will cook up nicely and be the perfect thickness for most recipes calling for fried potatoes.

The Crisscut

The crisscut is like making curly fries out of your russet potatoes (and I'm sure we all know how amazing that smells while frying up). To achieve this style, you cut your potato into even sections (think waffle fries), then turn each section on its side and slice it into long segments like a julienne. 

This technique works best when you are planning to use the potatoes as a side dish or appetizer. If you are looking for an alternative to normal French fries, then this is an excellent method to go with!

The Chipper

When making a chipper, you cut your potato into long thin strips with a sharp knife. This technique requires some arm strength and can be very time-consuming if many potatoes are needed for a recipe. The good thing about this style is that it's one of the best ways to save a particularly large potato that may have gone soft on you after sitting in the pantry for weeks. Just slice it up into chunks, then use the chipper to make nice thin pieces of potato!

Bias or Wedge Cut

The bias or wedge cut is perfect when creating dishes such as scalloped potatoes because it creates nice staggered sections, so each piece has at least three sides. 

Like most other techniques, you will want to start by making an even grid or waffle pattern on your potato with a sharp knife. When you are done, move the edges in to form a "wedge" shape and voila! You have created a beautiful scalloped potato without the hassle of having to cut out each shape yourself.

The Curly Cut

The curly cut is perfect for making homemade French fries since it creates nice tall spirals that add softness to the insides while producing a crispy exterior. Use a spiralizer gizmo that works just like a pencil sharpener, then fry up the spirals in some hot oil for five minutes or so. Doing this method at home will save tons of money compared to buying frozen French fries at the grocery store or fast-food restaurant.

How to Cut Potato Wedges

Potato wedges can be cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Depending on the size of your knife and how well it will stand to the pressure. It is usually recommended that you use a sharp knife for cutting potato wedges and other fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes. If you are only slicing the potatoes (for instance, for French fries), you should slice through them lengthwise; but if you want to quarter them, then slicing width-wise would be more appropriate. Here is a stepwise process of cutting potato wedges:

• Wash and dry your potatoes first. Make sure there's no excess water leftover in them before continuing with the next step.
• Slice off both ends of your potato so that only one flat side is left.
• Lay your potato on one of its flat sides and make thin vertical slices across the entire width of the potato. Do not try to chop it in half yet, as you might cut through a few wedges as well. You can place another smaller cylindrical object besides your cutting board to prevent that from happening.
• After making thin vertical slices across the entire width of your potato, lay it down horizontally and slice off thin strips again across the whole width of the potato this time around. In doing so, you have made several thin slits or cuts at a right angle to each other.
• Take those thin slits or cuts so that they form a crisscross pattern when looking down at the potato. Now you are ready to cut your potatoes into 2 or 3 pieces.
• You can now slice through your potato lengthwise and make thin strips again, but this time they will be parallel to each other. If you want French fries, you should do this; if not, you may skip this step and go on with the next one instead (see below).
• After making thin parallel slices across the length of your potato for both halves, lay them flat again and cut off similar thin strips cross-wise (again, perpendicular to your first cuts) to get similarly sized potato wedges that will taste good when fried.

How to Cook Potato Wedges - Step By Step

This recipe will give you all the information you need to be successful with your homemade potato wedges. Here is the step by step guide for cooking potato wedges:

• Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1/2 tsp black pepper + 1 table spoon garlic powder OR onion powder (optional) + 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in a large pot to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit with a cooking thermometer inside the pot.
• Cut one potato into even-sized wedges (1/4" thick), then soak them in cold water for at least 20 minutes before frying, ensuring they do not touch each other while soaking.
• Drain any excess water from the soaked potatoes, pat dry thoroughly using paper towels, and place on a plate lined with paper towels until you are ready to fry them later.
• Prepare your deep fryer by attaching the cooking thermometer probe to the side of the cooking container that it is submerged just far enough under the surface of the oil to register accurately.
• Lower a single potato wedge into the deep fryer using tongs without contacting or bumping against your cooking thermometer's probe tip, then release it slowly while watching to ensure that it does not curve away from its original position in relation to your probe.
• Repeat this step with every individual French fry you wish to cook to avoid accidentally removing or breaking off your cooking thermometer's probe while frying.
• Cook one potato slice at a time, ensuring that the temperature holds at 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit for the entire cooking process. Turn your French fries over occasionally to make sure that both sides are browned. When you have finished cooking your French fries, remove them from the deep fryer using tongs and place them on a plate lined with paper towels or directly onto your serving platter to drain any excess oil.
• Serve immediately while they are still hot and crispy!

Patience is critical here. Depending on how many were fried together in the same container, it may take anywhere between two to four minutes per individual potato slice. Be prepared ahead of time by bringing your deep countertop fryer outside so that you can keep track of the temperature more easily if it's located inside an enclosed area like most kitchens. This method allows you to avoid frying large batches at once because they taste good, which keeps the temperature stable enough instead of waiting for your large batch to cook while the oil gets hotter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cutting Potatoes into Wedges

Here are some of the questions that people regularly ask about potato wedges.

What Are Potato Wedges?

Potato wedges are a cut of potatoes. They can be made by cutting a potato in half lengthways, then cutting each half into two to three pieces depending on the size of the wedge desired. Potato wedges typically have crispy outsides and soft, fluffy insides when cooked correctly.

What Do Potato Wedges Go With?

Potato wedges can accompany a variety of entrées, such as steak and chicken. They are most commonly found in fast-food restaurants, but home cooks can also make them.

How Many Calories Are in Potato Wedges?

One cup (2 oz / 72 g) of potato wedges has 166 calories. Portion size is considered to be about 1/4 of a pound (4 oz / 113g). A small 4oz portion as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner may contain as little as 110 calories, depending on the fat content of the oil used for frying.

If you bake them instead of frying them, they will be much lower in calories.

How Many Grams of Carbohydrate Are in Potato Wedges?

One cup (2 oz / 72 g) of potato wedges has 30 grams of carbohydrate. Portion size is considered to be about 1/4 of a pound (4 oz / 113g). A small 4oz portion as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner may contain as little as 22 grams, depending on the fat content of the oil used for frying.

If you bake them instead of frying them, they will be much lower in carbohydrates.

Do Potatoes Need to Be Cut into Wedges When They're Baked?

No, not at all. Wedging isn't necessary when baking potatoes. While there are recipes out there that call for potatoes to be cut in wedges, baking them whole will work better. The skin won't char up, and the insides will cook faster since thick potato blocks are not blocking them.

What Are Good Cutting Tools for Making Potato Wedges?

Some people swear by their knives, but other kitchenware like graters, mandolins, and rotary cutters can speed up the process. The important thing is that you should not use too big or too small; try to find something that can be used to cut potatoes into pieces of uniform size.

Best Knives to Cut Potato Wedges With

Are you looking for the best knife for potato wedges' cutting? Well, here is a list of some of the best knives.

Chef's Knife 8"

At an affordable price of $39.99, you can get a high-carbon and stainless steel knife. The knife is hard since its steel is above 60HRC. Whether you are cutting a hole basin of potatoes, its walnut finish is the best handle for comfortable holding. The size and weight of Chef's knife 8" are balanced, making it the best knife for cutting potato wedges.

Paring Knife 3.5"

Paring Knife 3.5" is a cheap knife sold at $29.99. It's a multipurpose knife ideal for dicing, chopping and slicing. Paring Knife 3.5" is a stainless steel knife made of 0.75g of carbon that enhances robustness making it hard to break. It is also a sharp razor that can make cutting potato edges easy and fast.

Kiritsuke Chef Knife 7.5"

This anti-stick knife can cut potato wedges without sticking due to the oxidation blackening and excellent craftsmanship. Kiritsuke Chef Knife 7.5 inches costs around $59.99. Kiristuke's angular design makes it the best knife to cut potato wedges. The long wooden handle is great for slowing pressure, while the smooth grain handle provides a comfortable holding position.

Hammered Chef Knife 8"

For $79.99, you can get a high-quality knife for cutting potato wedges. This is a hard stainless steel knife, which makes cutting easy. Its ultra-sharpness makes it the perfect knife for potato wedges. The handle is comfortable with sealed wood pores. Even after holding it for long, you can't tire due to its comfortable nature.

Damascus Japanese Chef Knife 8"

Beautiful and better-performing Damascus Japanese chef knives embody both traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. These great blades are made from VG10 steel, with 67 layers of stainless steel sandwiched around the core; this science brings out the best in the sharpness, edge retention, flexibility and hardness – all with less rust. The laminated blade provides a delicate cutting motion perfect for slicing vegetables or fruit into quick julienned matchsticks without smashing them to mush.