How to Cut Brie

Brie is a familiar sight on most cheese boards. Its creamy texture, buttery flavor, and tender rind are a great contrast to sharp or firm cheeses. If you're hesitant about digging into the wedge or disc, try your best to cut small pieces that include the rind so no one finds a hollowed-out portion of brie on the board. Keep in mind that you can remove the rind from the entire portion of brie if you know that no one wants to eat it.

EditSteps

EditCutting a Disc of Brie

1. Find a brie knife. To cut the cheese without it sticking to the knife, you'll need a long knife with a very thin blade. If you don't have a brie knife, use any knife that has a thin, sharp blade, or even a blade with holes. These are sometimes called open blade knives.
   
   
   
   • If you plan on spreading the brie on a baguette, you may also want to get out a small, pointed cheese knife that you can set next to the cheese. This knife is sometimes called a small spade.
2. Slice the disc of room-temperature brie in half. Let the brie sit at room temperature on a cutting board for up to 1 hour before you cut it. Then, use a gentle back and forth motion to cut through the middle of the disc. You should now have 2 equal-sized semicircles of cheese.^[1]
   
   
   • It will be harder to taste the unique flavors of the brie if it's served cold from the refrigerator.
   • If you plan on serving half of the brie, wrap 1 semicircle in parchment or waxed paper and store it in the refrigerator.
3. Cut the semicircle into small triangular pieces just before serving. Slice from the center of the straight edge towards the rounded edge to make small, thin wedges. Make the wedges about wide at the widest part of the triangle. You can cut from 1 or both sides of the semicircle.^[2]
   
   
   • If you're serving guests, leave the semicircle of cheese on your platter with the knife next to it. Then, let your guests cut triangular pieces from the cheese.
   • You can store leftover brie as long as it hasn't been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (including the 1 hour you left the cheese out before serving). Wrap the brie in plastic wrap and put it in an airtight container. Then, refrigerate it for up to 2 to 3 days.

EditSlicing a Wedge of Brie

1. Choose a sharp brie knife. Look for a thin knife with a long, narrow blade that won't stick to the cheese. If you can, choose one that has holes in the blade to make it easier to slice the brie.^[3]
   
   
   
   • You can also set a small spade or spreading knife on the cheese platter if you'd like to spread the brie on a baguette.
2. Slice along the length of the room-temperature wedge. Instead of cutting the brie into chunks, use your knife to make long, thin slices. Start at the tip of the wedge and cut along one side. Then, switch to the opposite side of the wedge and cut another thin sliver.^[4]
   
   
   
   • Try to keep the cheese wedge-shaped as you slice it. Once you or your guests have made several cuts, the brie will be smaller but it should still look like a wedge.
   • You can refrigerate leftover brie as long as it hasn't been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (including the 30 minutes you left the brie out before serving). Wrap the brie in plastic wrap and put it in an airtight container. Then, store it for up to 2 to 3 days.
3. Avoid cutting off the triangular tip of the wedge. You may have seen people cut the very end of the wedge off to make a small triangle. This is considered rude since the point of the wedge is usually the ripest and most flavorful part of the wedge.^[5]
   
   

EditRemoving the Rind

1. Put the brie in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep the brie in its packaging so it doesn't absorb odor while it's in the freezer. Chilling the brie briefly will make it easier to slice off the rind.^[6]
   
   
   
   • You can freeze the brie up to 1 day.
2. Remove the brie and set it on a cutting board. Take the brie out of the freezer at least a few hours before you're going to serve it. Then, unwrap the brie from its packaging and put the cheese on a cutting board. While you want it to drop to room temperature for serving, you should cut the rind off while the cheese is still cold.
   
   
3. Turn the brie on its side and cut off the flat sides. If you're cutting a wedge, turn it onto one of its flat sides. If you're cutting a disc of brie, you'll have to move it onto the rounded edge and hold it in place. Then, take a sharp knife and carefully slice away the flat sides of the wedge or disc.^[7]
   
   
   • You can use any type of knife for this step.
4. Trim off the rounded sides or sides of the wedge. Lay the disc or wedge of brie back down onto the cutting board and carefully cut off the rounded edge around the sides of the disc. If you're cutting a wedge, you'll need to trim off the long sides and the flat, wide end of the wedge. Regardless of which style you're cutting, trim about of the rind so you don't cut into the cheese itself.
   
   
   • If you prefer, switch to a smaller knife to make it easier to cut around the brie's edges.
5. Let the brie come to room temperature. Once you've finished removing the rind, leave it for 1 to 2 hours so it's no longer cold. You and your guests will have an easier time enjoying the flavors of the brie if it's at room temperature.
   
6. Set out the brie or cut it into slices. Now you can place the brie wedge or disc on your cheese platter with a small knife next to it so guests can help themselves. If you're using the trimmed brie in another recipe, you can slice the brie thinly.
   
   
   • For example, if you're grilling a brie sandwich, make thick slices to lay on the bread. If you're cutting a wedge, make long strips of brie across length of the wedge. If you're cutting from a semicircle, you can cut long, rectangular strips across the flat side of the cheese.

EditTips

• If you're assembling a cheese plate, leave space between each cheese so you have room to cut them.^[8]
• Avoid scooping out the center of the brie and leaving the rind if you're sharing a cheese plate.^[9]

EditThings You'll Need

• Brie knife
• Cutting board
• Small spade knife, optional

EditReferences

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from How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2JgKoGi