Can we talk nut chopping?

[sweetie darling]

I can't believe I still struggle with this ... I typically buy whole or half nuts and chop them myself. I don't buy the pieces because they are too uniform and too small (I like my nuts to have character!!). But the method for chopping efficiently escapes me year after year. I've got a large and small Cuisinart, but even if I lightly pulse, it still seems to make too much nut powder. I've got a manual chopper that's just too small to be efficient, and I've tried chopping by hand, but that just results in nuts flying all over the kitchen.

Anyone have any good tips or techniques that will work with my preference for "lightly" chopped nuts?

[JBM]

I just make a pile on a cutting board and use a big knife and chop, chop, chop.


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[onawhim]

Nice big sharp chef's knife and use a rocking motion.  I prefer this way. 

Or you can put in a ziploc and hit with a rolling pin.  Use a large sieve for the nut powder.

[nadra24]

Nice big sharp chef's knife and use a rocking motion.  I prefer this way. 

Or you can put in a ziploc and hit with a rolling pin.  Use a large sieve for the nut powder.

If I have a lot of nuts to chop, I use the ziplock method.  I generally use the bottom of a glass instead of a rolling pin. 

If it's 5-6 pecan halves for my morning oatmeal, I just use my fingers to break them into pieces.

[sweetie darling]

I don't do well with the big knife method, but I'll revisit the Ziploc/hammer option. I used to do that and can't remember what made me stop, other than a long break from baking ...

Thx 

[fancypants]

If I have a lot of nuts to chop, I use the ziplock method.  I generally use the bottom of a glass instead of a rolling pin. 

If it's 5-6 pecan halves for my morning oatmeal, I just use my fingers to break them into pieces.

Pecans in oatmeal? Great idea!

[merigayle]

If I have a lot of nuts to chop, I use the ziplock method.  I generally use the bottom of a glass instead of a rolling pin. 

If it's 5-6 pecan halves for my morning oatmeal, I just use my fingers to break them into pieces.

i use this method

[caribougrrl]

Pecans in oatmeal? Great idea!

my oatmeal frequently has pecans and dried sour cherries in it...

walnuts are good in oatmeal too, especially with apple

[nadra24]

Pecans in oatmeal? Great idea!

Pecans and frozen blueberries are my favorite, especially if you use milk or almond milk as all or part of the cooking liquid.  Creamy and delicious.  I also like chopped apples and pecans, walnuts would be tasty but they give me canker sores so I stick with pecans or sometimes sliced almonds.

[CheryG]

Growing up I loved using this thing:

[srsly]

Growing up I loved using this thing:

I had one of those from Pampered chef. It worked better than the old fashioned type until I ruined the blade (bent it somehow). I still think chopping nuts the old fashioned way is the best way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRke3_41RmY

[sweetie darling]

My mom had one with a grinder at the top that worked well.

I had one of those from Pampered chef. It worked better than the old fashioned type until I ruined the blade (bent it somehow). I still think chopping nuts the old fashioned way is the best way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRke3_41RmY

Oh sure, pecans are nice and flat! Where's the video with pistachios flying all over the kitchen? 

Guess I need to practice my big knife rocking skills ...

[srsly]

My mom had one with a grinder at the top that worked well.


Oh sure, pecans are nice and flat! Where's the video with pistachios flying all over the kitchen? 

Guess I need to practice my big knife rocking skills ...

We chopped pistachios with our big chef's knife in the cooking school in Paris. It's really the only way our pastry chef prefers to do despite the availability of a food processor. He made it look very easy to do. But like anything, it's about having lots of practice.