Even a humble sandwich can be spruced up with some relatively easy techniques, especially when you want to pull off an outstanding presentation for guests. To make it happen, there are many celebrity chef-approved tips to upgrade your sandwiches from the likes of personalities like Bobby Flay. One extremely easy way Flay likes to pull off a presentable sandwich has to do with how the bread is cut before the other ingredients are piled on.
According to Flay, whose tip was shared by Chef John of Food Wishes, he likes to cut the bread at a 45-degree angle on a bias. This is a similar trick with other foods, like vegetables, to make them look better in a salad or as a garnish. With the bread, the angled cut will make the sandwich look like it’s from your neighborhood’s high-quality deli instead of your home kitchen. This technique will also add more surface area to the sandwich so your fillings can show off. Additionally, it won’t take much time, even though you’ll need a fresh loaf, or even homemade bread, to pull it off.
How to slice bread on a 45-degree bias angle
One of the most important components for this chef-approved tip is to use a sharp, serrated bread knife. This will make it easy to effortlessly slice through the bread without tears or uneven cuts, which would defeat the purpose of a presentable sandwich. Place the bread on a cutting board, and turn the bread so that it’s as close to a 45-degree angle as possible, or keep it straight and tilt the knife to the angle. Then, carefully cut slices that are 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. Bread sliced too thin won’t hold up to all its fillings, whereas thicker slices won’t have the right ingredient ratio.
You don’t have to stop with slicing the sandwich bread like Bobby Flay. Upgrade the sandwich more and switch plain mayonnaise with aioli, Dijon mustard, or high-quality olive oil. There are also many jarred ingredients that will add flavor and texture to the sandwich, like roasted red peppers or marinated artichoke hearts. Also, opt for high-quality meats and cheeses to show off on the expertly sliced bread. To use these tips, try some of our best sandwich recipes, including a Mediterranean eggplant panini and an egg sandwich enhanced with za’atar.
