The Stacking Technique For Perfectly Even Diced Potatoes

Diced potatoes add comfort to your soups, create a beautiful salad topping, and as a side dish, you'll almost never have leftovers. And the kitchen secret to creating a beautiful presentation cooked to perfection is all about the food prep; however, the thought of chopping a slippery potato into tiny uniform pieces may seem intimidating and time consuming. Thankfully, there is a simple stacking technique that makes diced potatoes easy to master and look perfectly even. 

You may be wondering, why not just use frozen potatoes? Frozen potatoes, although convenient, contain added sugar and salt altering the flavor of your dish. They can also lose as much as half their nutrients during the freezing process and may have a mushy consistency once cooked. Therefore, the stacking technique is the best method for diced fresh potato bits at home that will cook evenly and all taste like the chef intended.

Before you slice and dice, you'll need to prepare your potatoes with a good scrub and peel if desired. With a sharp chef's knife, cut a small strip off your potato lengthwise so it sits flat on the cutting board. You may already have a flat side if the potato has been peeled. Slice your potato across the longer side into even, ½-inch thick strips creating potato rounds. Next, stack your potato rounds and slice again lengthwise into ½-inch thick pieces so you are left with a stack of potato sticks perfect for french fries and sweet potato fries. 

Once you've reached this step, give your stack a quarter turn and slice again into ½-inch thick cuts across the shorter side of the potato that should result in even cubes perfect for throwing in a breakfast hash or as a side for a barbecue dinner. Cook them right away or store in a covered dish with cold water to keep them from browning while you prep the rest of your meal.