5 Uses For Kitchen Scissors

I have a favorite knife for each task I do in the kitchen, but I don’t think I even realize the varied benefits of using kitchen scissors to do some of the cutting work in the kitchen. Kitchen scissors can actually make some of the usual work of cutting some foods safer, faster and even neater than using a knife. Here are 5 uses for kitchen scissors that you may never have thought about before:

1.  Cut fresh herbs and spices quickly and safely.

I actually enjoy practicing my knife skills and love cutting herbs with a knife, but if I am in a hurry, I will grab my kitchen scissors. There is a risk of cutting yourself and it can also be messy when using a knife, especially when you are in a hurry. Cutting herbs with kitchen scissors straight into the mixing bowl, pot or dish is easy and makes less mess than a knife.
Other herbs and spices that could be cut with kitchen scissors include: chives, basil and parsley, fresh garlic cloves and ginger slices.

2.  Cut chili peppers keeping your hands free from chili oils and capsaicin.

Gloves are the best way to keep your hands free of chili oils and capsaicin from getting onto your hands, but if you run out of gloves using kitchen scissors will be helpful in keeping your hands away from the chili. I’ve had capsaicin burns before when making chili and I am here to tell you it is NO FUN!

3.  Cut the roots off vegetables before using.

Snipping with scissors is often faster than using a knife for certain vegetables like scallions. I cannot remember the last time I used a knife for scallions or chives. Other root vegetables you could snip include woody ends of mushrooms, the stems of spinach and other greens. You could also cut the florets off broccoli or cauliflower.

4.  Trim fresh bread, pasta or pastry.

I love using kitchen scissors for cutting tortillas into strips for soup or triangles for chips for fresh salsa. The edges are neat and you may find you have greater control over cutting while holding the tortilla than with using a knife.
You can also cut fresh pasta sheets using scissors. Scissors are good for the precision cutting as required for cutting between rows of ravioli. They are also great for shortening fresh spaghetti lengths. Dried noodles can also be cut using kitchen scissors.

5. Cutting raw or cooked meat.

A type of kitchen shears called poultry shears are made especially for cutting joints of whole cooked birds. Kitchen scissors can also spare you from having to cut meat, seafood or fish on a cutting board, which eliminates those scary bacteria from growing you’ve been warned about. Other uses for kitchen scissors include cutting off the wing tips of chicken and turkey, cutting raw or cooked poultry into bite-sized pieces, cutting scales or fins off fish, cutting bacon pieces into lardons, cutting open crab legs or even trimming the fat off meat.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to using kitchen scissors,  some are more obvious than others. Over time, you tend to find your own favorite uses that you prefer using them for over knives. Do you use kitchen scissors? What is your favorite task for this kitchen tool?