Written by adam on Apr 13, 2008
Language of Food: On the Bias
On the bias is a phrase that you hear often on cooking shows that seems so ubiquitous. Somewhere on TV right now is someone, maybe Rachael Ray, is telling you to cut something on the bias. Sausage, bread, chicken ... usually things that are long and skinny. After thinking about it a bit, I actually mentioned this act a long time ago, regarding sausage. I called it "the fancy factor."
But I had always considered "bias" as something in the news or in politics. The left-wing bias ... or the libaral news bias. Or maybe someone's opinion is biased. The word almost has no meaning anymore. So what does the word mean and how does it relate to cooking?
For the answer, all we need is a standard dictionary.
Bias: 1. an oblique or diagonal line of direction, 2. in the diagonal direction of the cloth, out of line; slanting.
Makes pretty good sense. Bias means slanted or diagonal, and that about sums it up. You have your news or your sausage on the bias, and you can have them at the same time.
Responses to "Language of Food: On the Bias" ...
Donna
This is a term common to sewers, fabric, so probably, meat, like fabric may be cut on a diagonal from the straight grain.
Donna
This is a term common to sewers, fabric, so probably, meat, like fabric may be cut on a diagonal from the straight grain.
You didn't mention that there is a reason you want to cut on the bias most of the time. With vegtables it's mostly an astetic thing but with meat it's to make the connective tissue as short as possible.
If you cut it straight down you're often cutting along the same grain as the connective tissue, meaning a tougher steak. Cutting on the bias makes it a bit more tender. Think the flank steak used in fajitas.
It wasn't really a question of why, but the nature of the word itself. However, You are correct. Cutting on the bias of some meats makes it more tender to chew.
Since winter of 2004, I have been exploring the world of cooking and helping out my fellow men in their quests to better themselves in the kitchen. My name is Adam Byrd, you can learn more about me and my mission on my