Prepping big meals often means nonstop chopping, and even more time spent scrubbing sticky cutting boards and knives afterwards. From cheese to meat to starchy vegetables, residue builds up on knives quickly, slowing down both prep and clean up.
The solution is surprisingly simple: A bowl of hot lemon water to dip your knife into.
This small habit can cut cleanup time in half while making chopping faster and smoother. Here's why chefs love it, especially for simplifying post-Christmas clean-up.
The Lemon Water Knife Hack to Speed Up Festive Cleaning
It might sound simple, but dipping your knife into hot lemon water between cuts will mean that residue releases from the blade more easily, food slides off cleanly, and blades stay easier to work with throughout prep.
This chef-prep secret to change how you do holiday meals is a favorite of Joanne Gallagher, co-founder and recipe developer at Inspired Taste. She shares, 'When you dip the knife in hot water, the warm blade glides more easily through sticky or fatty foods like soft cheese, chocolate, caramel, or cold butter.
'The heat barely melts the surface to keep food from sticking. Adding lemon [from Walmart] helps break down fat and keeps it from building up on the blade, so it rinses off more easily afterward.'
This will also mean that if you dip your blade into the hot lemon water when you finish, then come back later to fully clean up after your meal, there will be less stubborn mess to get off. This saves you time scrubbing.
Cleaning with lemon is also a great non-toxic cleaning tip for removing sticky residue without having to scrub and without heavy degreasers.
Joanne continues, 'Fill a heat-safe bowl or mug with very warm but not boiling water, squeeze in some lemon, and dip or swish your knife in the water for a few seconds between cuts. Wipe the blade carefully with a clean towel after each dip, then keep cutting. For very sticky foods, repeat the technique to keep your knife warm and mostly clean.'
Repeating the step is the essential part, urges Rhonda Wilson, quality lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning. 'Dipping a knife into hot lemon water does make it easier to cut sticky items, but it’s a short-lived trick.'
To counter this, dip between cuts. To avoid having to change the water constantly as it cools, Rhonda suggests keeping the water in a tall, insulated cup, such as a Stanley Cup from Walmart. Pick a cup that is the length of your knife so that the whole blade is coated with each dip.
Beyond this lemon water hack, it is best to also sharpen knives before prepping your meals. Investing in the best chef's knives and keeping them in top condition using whetstones, from Amazon, will do infinitely more for easy meal prep than any other hack. Besides, a dull knife is a dangerous knife, as you have to apply more pressure for the same results, increasing the risk of slips and cuts.
It can also help to have either a wooden cutting board from Walmart to prevent sharp knives from damaging plastic boards and risking contamination. Plus, wooden boards will reduce the speed at which your knives get dull from use, unlike glass ones, which are hygienic and non-porous but make your knives lose their sharp edge at speed.
What to Shop
Having a bottle of lemon juice to hand makes this cleaning tip quicker and easier than having to cut and squeeze fresh lemons, especially when already juggling food prep.
A whetstone is one of the best ways to sharpen knives quickly, and is loved by chefs. They help to shave off dull edges for a fresh cut time and time again. There are plenty of tutorials online for getting the perfect results, too.
Using an insulated cup will keep you hot lemon water warmer for longer, so you do not need to worry about changing it out while juggling meal prep. Always clean it after cutting meat, however. No exceptions.
Distilled white vinegar is a fantastic non-toxic cleaning tool for any home. When used correctly, it can help to kill mold and bacteria, as well as tackle odors and lighten stains, all without harsh chemicals. It is ideal for cleaning counters after meal prep.
The Scrub Daddy sponge softens under hard water and toughens under cold water, allowing you to adjust the level of abrasive you need depending on the task at hand. Always be careful when washing knives so you don't slice your hand or fingers.
With a fresh lemon scent and a concentrated soap formula, Dawn Powerwash works five times faster than regular Dawn dish soap to break down grease, limiting how much you need to scrub.
Meet the Experts
It is small prep hacks like this that will make cleaning up after a dinner party that little bit easier. It's so simple, it just makes sense.
