How to Use a Fruit and Vegetable Peeler

Learn how to use a fruit and vegetable peeler for smooth, safe, and efficient peeling. Beginner-friendly guide with techniques, safety tips, and outdoor cooking uses.

What a Peeler Is

A fruit and vegetable peeler is a simple cutting tool designed to remove thin layers of skin from produce. Unlike knives, peelers take only the outer surface — not large chunks of food — which makes them safer, faster, and far more efficient.

Grim Workshop peelers are compact stainless-steel tools designed to fit in small cooking kits, Altoids tins, backpacks, and camp mess kits. They’re sturdy, flat, reusable, and ideal for both everyday cooking and wilderness campcraft.

Whether you’re prepping potatoes at camp or slicing apple skins for kids at home, a peeler is one of the easiest tools to learn and one of the most useful to master.

→ All Items with a peeler

Why a Peeler Matters

Saves Time

Peelers remove skin faster than knives and waste far less food.

Safer Than Using a Knife

Peelers give you:

Better control
Less chance of slipping
A predictable blade angle

Perfect for Camp Cooking

Helpful for:

Stews
Hash
Skewers
Foil meals
Breakfast scrambles

Works on More Than Vegetables

You can also:

Slice thin shavings
Create ribbons
Make garnishes
Remove blemishes
Prep tinder from dry wood (in survival situations)

How a Peeler Works

A peeler uses a fixed blade with a small gap that:

Slides over the food
Cuts only the outer surface
Removes thin layers without digging deep

Some peelers cut on the push stroke, some on the pull stroke.
Grim-style peelers are typically pull-stroke for easier control.

How to Use a Peeler

Step 1: Wash the Produce

Even if you’re peeling it.
Dirt makes blades dull faster.

Step 2: Grip the Peeler

Hold it like a pencil or a small knife.
Keep your fingers behind the cutting edge.

Step 3: Hold the Food Steady

Either:

In your other hand
Resting on a cutting board
On your knee (in the outdoors)
On a flat rock

Step 4: Peel Away From Your Fingers

Pull the blade down the surface in long, smooth strokes.

Step 5: Rotate the Food

Turn the fruit or vegetable as you go until all sides are peeled.

Step 6: Remove Any Blemishes

Use the point or corner of the tool to dig out soft spots or eyes.

Step 7: Rinse the Food and the Tool

Prevents bacteria and keeps your blade sharp.

Best Foods for Using a Peeler

Vegetables

Potatoes
Carrots
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Parsnips
Sweet potatoes
Butternut squash (with extra pressure)

Fruits

Apples
Pears
Mangoes
Kiwis
Papaya
Peaches (if firm)

Other Uses

Cheese shavings
Chocolate curls
Butter ribbons
Thin slices of soap
Making tinder shavings from dry sticks

Camp Cooking Tips

Peel Into a Bowl or Onto a Leaf

Keeps your workspace clean.

Keep a Trash Area Separate

Avoid attracting wildlife with food scraps.

Use a Rock or Board as a Cutting Surface

Never peel directly onto dirt — you’ll dull the blade.

Peel Before Cooking Over Fire

Faster cooking, better results.

Peel With the Grain

For carrots and long vegetables, peel from top to bottom for smoother cuts.

Safety Tips

Keep Fingers Behind the Blade

A peeler is safer than a knife — but still sharp.

Peel Away From Your Body

Prevent slips.

Use Slow, Smooth Strokes

Speed leads to uneven peeling and accidents.

Don’t Peel While Walking

Sit down.
Stability = safety.

Keep the Tool Clean

Old food on a blade attracts bacteria and dulls the edge.

FAQ

Q: Why use a peeler instead of a knife?
A: Peelers remove only the skin, not large chunks of food. They’re faster, safer, and more efficient.

Q: Do peelers work on tough skins?
A: Yes. Just apply more pressure. Hard squash may require multiple passes.

Q: Can I peel fruit with soft skins like peaches?
A: Yes if they’re firm. Very soft fruits may require blanching or a knife.

Q: Why does my peeler skip or drag?
A: The produce may be dirty, the blade dull, or the angle incorrect. Clean and adjust pressure.

Q: Can kids use a peeler?
A: Yes with supervision. Peelers are safer than knives.

Q: Do peelers work on cooked foods?
A: Yes. They can remove thin layers from cooked carrots, squash, or potatoes.

Q: Can a peeler cut me?
A: Yes if handled carelessly. Always peel away from fingers.

Q: How do I clean a peeler in the field?
A: Wipe with grass, sand, snow, or warm water if available.

Q: Can peelers make cooking faster?
A: Definitely. Peeled foods cook more evenly and more quickly.

Q: Will a metal peeler rust?
A: Grim peelers use corrosion-resistant stainless steel, so rust is very unlikely.