Transfer vegetables objects from cutting board to pan

Question

I have one of those thick & heavy bamboo cutting boards that I just got. Until now, I've been using a simple plastic cutting board that doesn't weigh much. After dicing vegetables, I would simply lift the cutting board in my left hand and use my right hand holding the knife to transfer the vegetables onto a pan, bowl, or wherever.

My question is, how do I do this with a heavy cutting board? Obviously lifting it with one hand is not an option. I couldn't find any youtube videos showing proper technique of using the knife and the other available hand to transfer the diced vegetables onto something else.

Thanks

Answer 1

You can use a bench scraper for this sort of task:

Just push the food onto the bench scraper (you can slide the bench scraper underneath the food as well), and move it. You can see a demonstration in this article by Serious Eats.

Depending on how your cutting board is positioned, you can also just use a knife/bench scraper to push it off the board into a bowl (e.g. if the board is on the edge of a table).

Depending on the type of knife you're using (a chef's knife, for example), you can move the dice onto the side of the knife, but you won't have as much room as with a bench scraper. Also, you can dull your knife this way / cut yourself if you aren't careful.

Answer 2

Don't overcomplicate things. Put down your knife and use your hands.

You say it's a thick board so you can scrape the last bits off with your knife into your hand that you keep to the side. Place the board a little over the edge of the table if you need more depth.

Answer 3

You could do it in 3 different ways. No need to buy some extra tools.

You can use a cake/pie server, spatula or turner or the big kitchen knife blade and here is how:

1) Use a large knife and transfer the vegetables / objects on to the side of the knife blade by using a wood, plastic or teflon spoon, cake/pie server, spatula or turner. If you do not have it in other then of metal then use one of metal, but metal could scratch your knife blade. You could use your hand instead too, to push the vegetables / objects on the knife blade too, just watch out so you do not cut yourself by accident on the knife blade.

2) Use a large cake/pie server, spatula or turner and then transfer the blade over the pan or object you want to ditch your vegetables / objects in. If you have no cake/pie server, spatula or turner, then just use what ever you have in the kitchen that looks more or less like a large flat thin surface.

3) Put the board near the edge of the table and simply put the pan under that edge and push the vegetables / objects using the knife you cut it with. Of course for this you need to have the pan cold, not hot, so you do not burn yourself.

PS: It looks like there are those who have a lack of imagination, so there for I need to be MORE specific. Example if you do not have a specific pallet for such, do not buy one, use a cake pallet or a big spoon or a blade of some sort, that would work too.

Use something like

• this: http://www.eatwell101.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Good-Grips-Stainless-Serving-Spatula.jpg
• or this: http://www.spode.com/media/catalog/product/cache/8/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/1/5/1573864.jpg

NOTE: You do not need to buy anything, just see what you have at home that has a flat and clean surface and has a good in size and is thin and enough hard/durable enough to carry the vegetables / objects you cut.