How to Cut Sugar Cane

Although plantations of sugar cane are known in Hawaii, the native growth area of the grass is in warm tropical regions, such as Asia and South America. However, sugar cane can often be purchased at farmers' markets or Asian grocery stores. When cut properly with sharp instruments, sugar cane can be a sweet treat to chew or to make into skewers or swizzle sticks.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Sharp butcher knife
• Hammer
• Chef's knife

Instructions

Cutting Sugar Cane

1. Spread newspaper out on a flat work surface. Lay your sugar cane on the newspaper and position a sharp butcher knife on the side of the joint of the sugar cane. The joints are the lines on the sugar cane that looks as though they are attaching the sugar cane together.

2. Use a hammer, and hammer the knife through the sugar cane. The joint is too tough to eat and needs to be removed from all sections of the sugar cane. Now, repeat the process on the other side of the joint. Continue cutting the sugar cane.

3. Hold the sugar cane in an upright position, and position the knife close to the side of the sugar cane stalk. You will be peeling the outer rind of the sugar cane off with the knife. Using the hammer, pound the knife down the stalk of the sugar cane, cutting thin strips of the rind off. Continue to do so until you have the outer rind of the sugar cane removed.

4. Hold the sugar cane in an upright position and chop the sugar cane down the center. Take each half, and chop again. You can chew on a section of the sugar cane or chop into smaller pieces.

Make Sugar Cane Swizzle

1. To make sugar cane swizzle sticks and skewers, wash the sugar cane stalk thoroughly with cold water.

2. Using a chef's knife, carefully cut the stalk crosswise, at a joint, into sections that reflect the length of the skewer needed. Split at the center of the core lengthwise into quarters for four skewers. Don't remove the outer bark. It adds color and makes the skewer stronger.

3. Hone the ends of each skewer to a sharp point.

Tips & Warnings

• Use caution when using the butcher knife and keep out of the hands of children.

References

• Wandering Chopsticks

Resources

• Sucrose: How Cane Sugar is Made