# How to chop up sticky dried fruit? (Need answer fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532 "2018-12-22T14:36:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/1 "2018-12-22T14:36:15Z")
Later this morning I will be getting started on some Christmas baking. Several recipes call for chopping up sticky stuff… dates, dried cherries, dried apricots, and the absolute worst – orange slice candies. Any suggestions for how to chop this stuff up without it gunking up my knife and generally making a big sticky mess? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/2 "2018-12-22T14:50:04Z")
Very light dusting of flour maybe? Very sharp knife with a thin blade… ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/3 "2018-12-22T14:53:38Z")
Kitchen shears. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/4 "2018-12-22T15:01:09Z")
Might spray some Pam or other non stick spray on the knife blade once in a while. In the past I used my food processor and just put up with the mess. [These folks](https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/video/chopping-dried-fruit) agree with the spray. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/5 "2018-12-22T15:20:56Z")
Any cooking-type oil on the knife (a big French knife) is what a chef would use. If you sprinkle a little water on the fruit, it’ll keep it from resticking to itself as you chop. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/6 "2018-12-22T16:50:12Z")
For almost 60 years (maybe longer), my mother has used a [meat grinder](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Weston-10-Manual-Meat-Grinder-36-1001-W/306517667?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CDD%7C29-29_HOUSEWARES%7CNA%7CNA%7c71700000032305523%7c58700003835510657%7c92700036895454656%7cpla-524003592143-34721822124&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0LO2jvCz3wIVD4ezCh3SwwCJEAQYASABEgLsDPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) for chopping up holiday nuts and fruitcake fruit. Pretty sure there are different size knives to clamp to the business end, then crank away! A quick bath between victims and yer back in business. Us kids loved to help with the grinding: “Into the grinder with you, Mister Pecan!” “No, no, help me, someone!” “Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!” “AAAAAAAAAAAH!” ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/7 "2018-12-22T16:54:06Z")
The cooking spray on the knife blade worked for the dates. One other thing that helped – in the past I’ve always bought chopped dates and then just chopped them up some more. But I couldn’t find chopped dates at the store, so I bought whole dates. And I think the whole dates are easier to chop up than the chopped dates! (I try to ignore the fact that whole dates look like big ol’ cockroaches. :eek:) ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/8 "2018-12-22T16:56:43Z")
And I assume that you bought pitted dates? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/9 "2018-12-22T16:59:07Z")
Dates look like the California Raisins. “Into the grinder with you, Mister Raisin!” “No, … .” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/10 "2018-12-22T17:45:56Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Kitchen shears. This. I use kitchen shears for lots of things, including bacon and scallions. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/11 "2018-12-22T17:52:19Z")
Dampen the fruit. Sharp knife. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-chop-up-sticky-dried-fruit-need-answer-fast/826532/12 "2018-12-22T18:00:23Z")
Some things are more easily and/or more neatly cut when partially frozen.