Tips on Using a Kitchen Knife

Chef's knives don't have to be expensive to be a quality knife.

A kitchen is full of dangerous objects, but the most dangerous of all is a kitchen knife. One slip and it is easy to receive a cut that maims, or even threatens a life. Using a knife properly includes knowing if it needs sharpening, how to sharpen it, which knife is best for what cutting and the best holding techniques.

Sharp Knives

More accidents are created by dull knifes than with sharp ones. The user must force a dull knife through the item which greatly increases the opportunity for it to slip out of the hand or twist against the object. A knife that is kept in a drawer where can be banged around on other metal objects is more likely to get dull faster. A sharp knife should glide through even meat with little pressure. If you find yourself applying force to cut dense products such as meat, potatoes or squash, the knife needs sharpening.

How to Sharpen

Kitchen knife sharpeners come in a variety of styles, from manual stones no different than they used centuries ago to electronic models guaranteed to put the correct edge on the blade. Some people prefer the old-style way of using stones, which involve rubbing the blade at just the correct angle. It is a technique that takes experience and skill. "Pull through" models are the easiest manual ones, where the sharpening stones are inside a container already set at the right angle. You merely pull the blade through the slot and the blade is sharpened. Electronic models are also pull through but they use spinning sharpeners to do the work.

Knife Types

Kitchen knifes come in a variety of styles, from large to small. Use a paring knife for detailed, small tasks such as mincing an onion or celery stalk or peeling a potato. The point is useful for digging out potato eyes or creating designs on a red radish. The chef's knife with a 8-to-10-inch blade is considered the all-purpose knife that can do almost everything needed. A bread knife to cut fresh bakery products and a cleaver for heavy-duty chopping rounds out the necessary knifes.

Using a Chef's Knife

A rocking motion is the most efficient way to use a chef's knife. With the tip down on the board and the food under the blade, rock the knife blade downward so the heel moves toward the board. Keeping the tip on the board, bring the blade back up and rock downward again to make another cut. Because the tip is against a solid object and the blade edge is not in the air, it is also a very safe way to cut.

Knife Grips

The grip, or where you hold your hand, is second in importance only to the sharpness. Never purchase a knife unless you have an opportunity to hold it and ensure that it fits your hand and your style of use. Wood grips are traditional and good looking. Plastic and synthetic grips have improved tremendously over the years and no longer look cheap and feel slippery when wet. All metal grips give a modern look to the kitchen, but easily slip out of the hand when greasy or wet.

References

• Spicy Kitchens: Kitchen Knives And Cookware : What You Might Want To Remember ...
• Recipe Tips: Types of Kitchen Knives
• PCC Natural Markets: Knife Tips; Seppo Farrey; 2011