How to Choose Knives for the Kitchen
We have that beat-up serrated steak knife and a paring knife that came with a holiday cheese and sausage tray. And that grocery-store knife, missing a tip, that we use to slice onions. Now that we're grown ups, perhaps its time to go out and buy a set of knives for the kitchen that are actually designed for the tasks associated with preparing and serving meals. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Make a list of the kind of cooking you do. Do you buy fresh vegetables or do you buy prepared dishes? Do you buy boneless roasts or roll your own? Do you clean fish or buy fresh fillets from the fishmonger? The type of preparation you do in your kitchen determines what kind of knives you'll need. Long blades for slicing, narrow blades for cleaning and boning and little blades for skinning, chopping and coring. The choice is yours, depending on what tasks you do.
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You may also want some knives for serving, slicing bread or cake or other special uses. Put only what you need on your list. Pre-packaged sets of knives inevitably include knives you don't need or use. Decide how much you have to spend on knives and buy special or limited use knives last or as you need them to do specific tasks.
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About that knife with the missing tip; keep it in the utility drawer because it's comfortable and you love it. But please consider buying a matched set of steak knives so your table doesn't look like a variety store shelf when your future in-laws come for dinner.
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Buy the best quality you can afford, but know what you're buying. There is a lot of information available on blade materials and the ergonomics of knives. What's important is that your knife is durable and comfortable for you to use. The steel of the blade should be hard enough to hold a good edge but not so hard that it takes forever to sharpen. Whether the handle is wood, hardened polymer or metal is up to you and the use you intend for the knife. The balance of the knife will determine how tired your hand gets after dicing ten pounds of onions for the fourth grade picnic.
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Shop around. Browse some cutlery stores in person for advice and the occasional purchase. Comparison shop. There are perfectly good kitchen knives that will hold an edge and perform well for you for many years that don't cost half a week's salary. This is something you can take your time on. That utility knife's still in the drawer as a reserve.
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Tips & Warnings
Wash and dry knives thoroughly by hand each time you use them, especially high-carbon blades which can corrode, given the acidic foods and dampness of a kitchen.
Keep your knives sharp with a stone. Use a grooved or ceramic steel (lightly) before each use to maintain their edge. Have your knives professionally sharpened periodically. If possible, observe and ask questions.
Invest in some hardwood or chef's (soft surfaced polymer) cutting boards. Never a use good knife on glass or ceramic surfaces-it ruins the edge.
Never toss a good knife in the dishwasher. The detergent will pit the surface of the blade and the heat will cook and de-laminate handles.
Never toss good knives in a drawer. Keep them in the plastic sleeves they came in or store them on one of those neat magnetic wall hangers.
Resources
- Photo Credit DRW & Associates, Inc
