Basic Knife Skills: Hulled Strawberries (Week 24, 52 New Foods) June 27 2013, 2 Comments

hulled strawberries basic knife skills step 1

Experimenting in the kitchen, my six-year-old discovers an easy way to hull strawberries.


Strawberry season is here! Our weekly visits to the farmers’ market always include a stop at the strawberry farmers’ stall. My kids happily fill up on samples, red juicy fruit dripping down their chins. We travel home, our market basket filled to the brim with fresh summer berries.

Exploring fun ways to cook with strawberries for my forthcoming book, THE 52 NEW FOODS CHALLENGE (Penguin / Avery 2014), we discovered that several recipes call for hulled strawberries. But teaching a kindergartener to independently wield a paring knife to carefully carve out the hull of a fresh strawberry was proving to be a challenge (mostly for me!). Precariously holding a ripe, red berry in the palm of his hand while digging away at the center of the berry to remove its hull was not my idea of a safe project.

With a little experimenting, my six-year-old son James came up with this clever idea.

Here’s what you’ll need: fresh strawberries, a paring knife and a chopstick.

hulled strawberries basic knife skills what you need

Step 1: Make a bridge or fist with your hand, then cut off the green top of the strawberry and discard.

hulled strawberries basic knife skills step 1

Step 2: Cut off the tip and place it in a bowl.

hulled strawberries basic knife skills step 2

Step 3: Using a chopstick, poke the hull out by pushing the chopstick through the top of the berry. The hull will pop out easily.

hulled strawberries basic knife skills step 3

Step 4: Gently remove the hull with your fingers. Voila! Hulled strawberries!

hulled strawberries basic knife skills step 4

Step 5: Proceed with chopping your berries. Remember to keep the flat side of the fruit down.

What are your easy tips for hulling strawberries? Share your ideas!