A knife is one tool that is a must-use in the preparation of meals in the kitchen. A knife is a crucial piece of equipment that forms part of most food preparation activities, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and prices. You may own a $400 kitchen knife block or a $30 kitchen knife set, but only need three knives for all your cutting needs.
If you are pondering what knife to buy as a home cook or a skilled chef, let's find out the only three kitchen knives you require; their uses, how to store them, and the best price for a durable blade.
Chef’s Knife
In culinary art, a chef's knife is termed a Cook's knife. The knife is often used to slice or chop and disjoint large pieces of beef. Chef’s knives have 8-inch or 10-inch blades. A good chef's knife ought to be strong, has a long blade, be light-weighted, and be firm on the hand. When selecting a chef's knife, pick a blade that is a full tang handle — meaning the handle has a full piece of steel with two grip parts pinned together on each side. In contrast, a half-tang blade has part of its metal partially protruding and fixed by gluing it through the handle. A full tang blade is stronger, firm, and lasts longer. Another important consideration for a professional chef’s knife is to go for a forged blade formed from a single forged slice of steel. Or a stamped blade that is formed from cutting a piece of steel from a large sheet, creating a generally light knife, a characteristic not desirable for a chef’s knife.
A chef’s knife is a knife to choose for all tasks that require chopping and dicing salads, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The keen knife together with its tip allows easier cutting of other foodstuffs like fish, chicken, and beef.
Paring Knife
A paring knife looks more or less the same as a miniature chef’s knife. It has a blade size of 2-4 inches and performs light and precise tasks. Due to its small size, a paring knife is utilized for slicing and mincing small-sized ingredients like garlic, coring tomatoes, husking, peeling fruits, and cutting or dicing vegetables. Any task that would consider cumbersome when using a chef’s knife would best suit a paring knife. A paring knife functions well on a chopping board and also fits well in the hand when pilling onions or opening foods with stiff packaging.
When utilizing a paring knife, you require applying less pressure on the blade or handle. If you find yourself forcing the blade to cut, then you could be using the wrong blade for the job, and it might be dangerous. When purchasing an excellent quality paring knife to add to your kitchen arsenal-as one of the few three kitchen knives you need, it's recommendable to go for a budget set.
Sharpening a paring knife may further decrease the size of the blade. Instead, have a set of knives just in case you require to replace a dull knife. A well-maintained paring knife will have its blade and angled point sharp for coring fruits and vegetables and lasts long.
Serrated Knife
A serrated knife is normally associated with cutting bread into slices and is, therefore, commonly referred to as a bread knife. The blade's edge is tooth-like and is superb for slicing foods with hard external surfaces and soft interiors. This is the knife of choice for cutting waxy or soft-textured foods such as tomatoes, pineapples, and watermelons. The saw-like blade can grip and cut through these soft and slippery surfaces.
A longer blade makes work easier and minimizes the amount of sawing motions when slicing bread, roasted meat, thick-skinned melon, or even when chopping a pineapple.
When selecting a bread knife, there are several design factors to consider. Blade lengths vary from 7 to 10 inches (25.4 cm), and a 9-inch blade will do better for cutting most sizes of foods. About the shape, some bread knives have a handle with an offset, giving your knuckles a clearance from the chopping board. The majority of bread cutlery are straight, and their blades are on the same level as their handles.
Another essential consideration when factoring in cost is maintenance. A bread knife may require honing after a long period of use, but the process of sharpening it may be not worth your time. You might consider replacing the knife after realizing its blade is worn out and therefore just spending less when acquiring one. In conclusion, a great bread knife needs a thin blade, right size serrations, and a light, comfortable handle.
Choosing the “best” of any type of knife is mostly a personal preference, and what functions best for you might not necessarily feel the same for another person.
