Kitchen Knives Guide
Kitchen knives come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and cutting surfaces. Before choosing a knife for purchase or cooking, be sure to understand the task you will need to perform. Pick up the knife, examine its balance, blade and feel to determine if it's what you need. When purchasing knives, a basic set consists of a chef's knife, pairing knife, utility knife and a serrated bread knife. Additional specialized knives should be added as the need arises. Does this Spark an idea?
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Chef's Knives
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Chef's knives, also called cook's knives, are the most versatile knife in the kitchen. The weight and balance of a chef's knife makes it ideal for heavy-duty cutting of meat, vegetables and fruit. Chef's knives range from 6 to 12 inches and should be selected based on the size of the chef's hand and comfort using the knife.
Serrated Knives
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Serrated knives, such as bread knives, deli knives, lettuce knives and sandwich knives, are ideal for cutting bread, deli meats and softer foods. The serrated edge allows the chef to cut using a sawing motion without applying a lot of pressure to the knife.
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Specialty Knives
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Some kitchen knives are made especially for a specific type of food. Some examples include steak knives for cutting steak at the table, oyster knives for prying open oyster shells, and lettuce knives made of plastic to prevent the cut edges of lettuce from turning brown.
Kitchen Knife Maintenence
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Kitchen knives should always be washed by hand with warm soapy water. They should be wiped clean immediately after use, especially when working with meat: this avoids food hardening on the blade. Store knives in a knife block, away from other utensils to avoid damaging the blade. Wood or polyurethane cutting boards will provide less resistance on the blade than ceramic, metal or plastic cutting boards. Kitchen knives will require sharpening after three to five months of normal use. Use a sharpening stone, sharpening steel, V-shaped knife sharpener or an electric sharpener.
Safety
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Free yourself from distractions when working with knives. Cut away from your body and carry the knife angled downward and away from your body. When washing, always lay the knife on a flat area, such as a tabletop, wipe the surface clean with a hot, wet cloth, flip the knife over, and repeat.
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