Slicing Boules !?

Baking Tools
1

OK, admittedly my bread knives could use an upgrade; I just ordered a new one from the Breadtopia store, BUT…am I the only one who wrestles with a fresh boule when trying to slice it ?

I have a few friends who bake and when I ask their approach, every one of them gives me a wry smile, shrugs their shoulders and says, “Yeah, well you do the best you can.”

I’m not after a technique that produces perfectly uniform slices, just a tip that gives me some confidence that I don’t end up with a Wedge or Smashed crumb. Seems to me that a device that would hold the loaf flat and confine the outside would help. I looked at those 'picket fence" slicing trays, but not convinced.

Any thoughts ?

2

There are many ways to slice a boule. I first slice it in half. Then take one of the halves and tip it so the open crumb is setting on the cutting board, which gives a stable base. Now starting at one end and working your way toward the center, make your slices. And yes, a very sharp, serrated bread knife is essential.
Richard

3

I seldom bake boules because of the difficulty in slicing them well. However, I do get boule like batards when they bake up flat. Because my knife isn’t long enough to slice across the full width of the loaf when it is wide, I turn the boule or ‘bouletard’ on its side and slice it down from one side to the other, rather than top to bottom if that makes any sense. Next I place each half with the cut side down on the cutting board and then cut to make slices.

4

Like other, I first cut the round in half down the middle (and in quarters if it’s a large one), then set it cut side down and slice it that way.

As to a knife, I’ve found an electric knife to be indispensable in cutting bread cleanly, quickly, and straight.

5

Thanks all…I see the practicality in quartering the boule so as not to have to wrestle with the whole loaf. I never approached it like that, I guess because I’m always trying to reduce the size of the cut faces to reduce drying out.

Also never tried an electric knife. Maybe that should go on the top of my Father’s Day list, huh?

6

Probably more than you wanted when you asked, but here goes … I guess I would put cutting bread down to using the proper knife, and the technique of using it. Like any tool, a bread knife works great on pretty much any bread, when used properly.

As evnpar/Richard already mentioned, a serrated knife is a must. I think of a serrated knife as a saw. Like any other saw, only the tips of the serration on the blade do the cutting. The rest of the blade, all of that pretty, curved, area between the tips, is just there to support the tips doing the cutting.

A second “must have” for me is an offset handle. I do not know why there are bread knives without offset handles. I used to use a $5 NSF, white handle, bread knife from the restaurant supply store. I splurged, I upgraded to a $7 NSF, white offset handle, bread knife from the restaurant supply store. The offset handle is worth the extra $2.

When cutting bread, any bread, any shape, hard crust or soft, I use my serrated knife/saw, and I ‘saw’ back-and-forth, without pressing down. Once the blade makes purchase, I begin gently pressing down as I saw … the sawing, back-and-forth, always has priority, not the pressing down. A good starting place is anywhere the bread was slashed before going into the oven. The uneven surface makes getting a purchase quick and easy. If I am cutting a small piece off a smooth, hard crust (like with a boule), I hold the blade at an angle so it is perpendicular to the crust. A couple quick, short back-and-forths will make a small groove. Than upright the blade in the groove and make a clean, vertical cut. After doing it a couple times, it becomes second nature. I don’t even think about it, and it is very quick, clean cuts.

About sharpening a bread knife, actually, any serrated knife … you only need to sharpen the tips of the serration, not the whole blade. It’s kind of like a chainsaw – the whole chain does not get sharpened, only the teeth on the chain that do the cutting need to be sharpened.

Here is the $7 knife I use (bought locally). You can get it for $16 from Amazon. (You didn’t really think Amazon Prime shipping was ‘free’, did you?)

I will take that $7 knife over this $160 (MSRP $200) bread knife because it does not have an offset handle.

If I ever have to replace my $7 bread knife, I’m going to get this one for $6.31 and save me some serious money so I can go on vacation! :slight_smile:

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1 Like
7

@Otis : Well now…that was one all inclusive post! Thanks for the time and effort. Maybe not more than I wanted to know, but much of what I already did know. I’m still learning about how much back story to put up in the original post. Perhaps my original post SHOULD have said, been baking and slicing for a few years now, only a two person household, like to keep my loaves in as large piece as possible and was looking for a trick to deal with cutting the whole loaf into full size slices.

My new knife should arrive shortly. That, and quartering up the loaves, should reduce my issues.

As always, thanks to all

Steve

8

I don’t really do any of the techniques recommended in this article, but maybe I’ll try them.

  1. boule upside down
  2. boule at an angle
  3. baguette on the 45’. (I do place my palm flat over the baguette.)
9

Steve, the bread knife here on Breadtopia looks pretty nice … and it has an offset handle! It is a winner!!!

For me, personally, a bread knife (actually, any slicing knife) has a single use so I do not invest a lot into it. For me, a chef’s knife, paring knife, etc., I have different expectations for those, and I expect to pay more for those.

I do not like to cut boules into quads because they can dry out. If the whole boule is going to get eaten right there, how it is cut may be less important. Inevitably, I will end up turning the loaf cut-side down on the cutting board to store the uneaten bread.

10

Me, too. And I push my thumb out and bend it so the knuckle sticks out and acts like a guide for the blade to slide against. It makes starting a cut on hard, crusty bread a lot easier.

From the article you linked to:

Remember: A [serrated bread knife] is extremely important when cutting into bread. According to Drakulich, you want to cut a loaf of bread like you’re cutting a tree. “What I mean by this is when you’re using a saw-like motion going side to side, you aren’t putting pressure on the bread, like you would with a non-serrated knife. This way, you’re less likely to squish the bread—which is really what we’re after here.”

11

Good idea to have a knuckle guide.

That is a good description from the article.

Over time, I figured out that a crusty bread is a little like a tomato and pressing downward thru the skin/crust is bad news.

I need to improve at my slicing still, but also at hiding my horror when a beloved relative smashes my bread and pitches the knife at all sorts of angles so the slices are tapered and ragged. :scream: :disappointed_relieved::sweat_smile: