On account of this, theyre not perfectly symmetrical bricks.

Different cuts can be tear-dropped, conical, or otherwise shaped asymmetrically with a thick and thin side.

But, alas, uneven shapes lead to uneven cooking.

A knife horizontally against a chicken breast on a cutting board.

Put an end to partially overcooked, dried-out, rubbery meat parts, and try a technique called butterflying.

Butterflying is a simple method for modifying a cut of meat by slicing it in half horizontally.

This serves to even-out a cut of meat and extend the surface area.

A knife horizontally cutting halfway through a chicken breast.

Butterflying allows for more even exposure to heat, but the increase in surface area serves other functions too.

verify you have a sharp knife, and a stable cutting board.

If youre left-handed, you’ve got the option to reverse the arrangement.

A chicken breast that has been cut horizontally and a person is lifting the top side.

Im right-handed, so the thick side will be on the right.

This steadies the meat and also creates some tension in the flesh to make cutting easier.

If you want two thin cuts, continue your cut through to the other side.

A butterflied chicken breast on a cutting board.

Try butterflying steak, chicken thighs, pork, or even shrimp.

Enjoy the quick cook time, and marinate, roulade, or tenderize to your stomachs content.