Prep & Assembly
Grate
Shred food into fine bits against a sharp-toothed surface
Grating shreds food into small, even pieces by rubbing it across a toothed surface — fluffy cheese, fine vegetable shreds, or feathery citrus zest. It's fast and adjusts by the grater's hole size. Keep your knuckles clear at the end of the food and use steady, full strokes.
Grating rubs food across a toothed surface to shred it into small, even pieces — fluffy cheese, fine veg, feathery zest. It's fast and adjusts by the hole size you choose. Use full, steady strokes and keep your knuckles clear at the end.
- Difficulty
- Easy
Types & varieties
Large holes for melting cheese, slaws, hash browns.
Microplane for hard cheese, garlic, ginger, zest.
How to do it
- 1
Pick the grater face for the texture you want.
- 2
Hold the grater steady against a board or bowl.
- 3
Press the food down and stroke firmly across the teeth.
- 4
Stop and switch grip before reaching the nub.
Common uses
Tips & pitfalls
- Chill soft cheese first so it shreds instead of smearing.
- Grate the heel against the teeth, not your fingertips — use a guard.
- Freeze butter and grate it for instant pastry cubes.
Good to know
- Tool
- Box grater or Microplane
- Best for
- Cheese, veg, ginger, chocolate, zest
- Cue
- Even shreds, knuckles kept clear
Also called
shred
Dishes that rely on it
Related
Whisk
Beat ingredients smooth and aerated with a looping wire motion
Sift
Pass dry ingredients through mesh to aerate and remove lumps
Strain
Pour through mesh to separate solids from liquid for a smooth result
Filter
Pass liquid through fine material to clarify out the smallest particles
Rice
Press cooked potatoes through small holes for fluffy, lump-free texture
Mash
Crush soft cooked food into a rustic, creamy purée
Grind
Crush food into a coarse to fine texture, from spices to meat
Zest
Shave the fragrant colored peel of citrus, sparing the bitter pith