How to Shred Carrots

Shredded carrots are part of many recipes, whether savory or sweet. This article will advise you on the best way to shred carrots quickly and safely using a hand box grater.

The hand box grater is simple kitchen equipment used to grate solid vegetables and fruits or hard cheese. It usually offers four sides with different types of grating holes.

➜ What equipment do I need to shred carrots?

• Hand box grater with smaller holes
• Vegetable peeler (scraper)
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board

➜ Method

Follow these simple steps to get thin strips of fresh carrots:

STEP 1: Wash the carrots with any residual dirt on the surface under warm water. Use a vegetable brush or a washing sponge.

STEP 2: Use a knife to cut about 1/4 inch off each end of the carrot: the tip and the point where the green leaves come out.

STEP 3: Peel the carrot skins with a peeler. Remove stains and other visible blemishes from the surface.

STEP 4: Hold the grater firmly in your left hand (if you are right-handed) and place it in a large bowl or on a cutting board.

STEP 5: Take the carrot in your right hand; shred it up and down on the side of the grater with small holes.

This method is suitable for grating smaller quantities of carrots. It is a quick and easy technique, but it can be physically demanding and requires a little practice to get the right angle and pressure on the grater to avoid injuring your fingers.

There are different ways to shred larger quantities of carrots. For example, a good option is to use a food processor if you have one.

MY TIP: Learn, how to shred apples by hand.

➜ Storage

Use the freshly grated carrots immediately in the recipe. If you don't intend to use it immediately, place the carrots in ziplock bags or an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.

While carrots will last 5-7 days in the fridge, they can last up to several months in the freezer.

➜ Home shredded carrots vs. bought grated carrots

Homemade shredded carrots are soft, moist, and pack a lot of flavors.

Store-bought carrots are usually coarsely grated and much drier, not containing as much liquid. It is pretty stiff as an ingredient in a recipe, especially for sweet baking (carrot cake, for example).

Homemade shredded carrots bring many benefits not only for your health but also for food preparation. Meals with home-grated carrots will be moist and tender, with more taste.

➜ Useful tips

• Remember that carrots contain an orange dye - carotene. The grated carrots may leave orange stains if you grate them into a white vessel.
• Medium-sized carrots are the best to shred. It fits nicely in hand and has a large enough diameter not to break when grating.
• Depending on the recipe, grate the carrots finely or coarsely - in the larger holes of the grater. If you need carrot rounds, slice them with a knife.

Grate your own fresh carrots and use them in a tasty carrot recipe, perhaps in your favorite salad or these awesome carrot cookies!