Dice, Chop, and Slice: A Guide to Knives

I DICE, CHOP, SLICE A Guide to Knives THE KNIVES COOK'S KNIFE (CHEF'S KNIFE) Multi-purpose Wide, triangular blade and curved belly for an easy rocking motion Uses Typically ranges from 6–14 inches Chopping Ślicing 8-inch blades are most popular Mincing Dicing UTILITY KNIFE Comes with a straight or serrated edge Versatile Has a narrower blade than a cook's knife Typically ranges from 5–7 inches Uses Serrated utility knives offer better handling of: Tomato Sausage Cold cuts Crusty bread KITCHEN KNIFE Versatile Straight back edge and gentle curve close to the tip Uses Meats Vegetables Fruits Typically ranges from 6-8 inches SANTOKU KNIFE Typically ranges from 5–7 inches Uses Multi-purpose Has a slightly curved edge for easy mincing Scooping Crushing Thin cuts Generally offer lighter, thinner, and sharper blades than many Western-style knives SLICING KNIFE Typically ranges from 14–18 inches For carving, with straight and sharp edges designed to prevent juices from escaping meats Uses Slicing Carving PARING KNIFE Typically ranges from 2–4 inches For small and intricate tasks, with short, sharp blades Uses Mincing Coring Removing eyes in potatoes Peeling BONING/FILET KNIFE Typically ranges from 4-7 inches Usually flexible For intricate meat cutting Long and narrow profile that curves in at the base and up near the tip to follow contours of bones and cartilage Uses Cutting through sinew and tendons Trimming fat Removing meat from bone CLEAVER For heavy-duty cutting Large, rectangular blades Typically ranges from 6–10 inches Uses Splitting poultry Disjointing meats Cutting through ribs Smashing garlic or olives Scooping BREAD KNIFE Typically ranges from 8–10 inches For tough crusts and skins Serrated blades, either with fine and close-together serrations or wide and wavy low-frequency Uses Fruits and vegetables Cutting through thick bread crusts with tough outer skins KNIFE EDGES WAVY (SERRATED) EDGE: The teeth of a wavy-edged knife allow greater pressure to be exerted on the object being cut Generally thinner than a plain-edge blade Uses Cutting soft products with a hard crust or tough skin, such as: Bread Sausage Tomato STRAIGHT EDGE: A straight edge can be sharpened with a sharpening steel Should be razor sharp for best performance Uses For making precise or clean cuts for: Raw meat Fish Vegetables GRANTON EDGE: Also known as the kullenschiff edge Has hollowed-out grooves on the sides of the blade The grooves help keep food from sticking to the blade Uses For thin cuts without tearing or shredding food Thin cuts KNIFE MAINTENANCE Do not put knives in the dishwaser Blades are generally made up of one of four materials: 1 CARBON STEEL 2 STAINLESS STEEL To keep blade shiny: Don't soak They use hot water and harsh detergents Clean with soap and hot water Dry Dry Lightly oil Tarnishes easily Higher-grade steel is prone to rust 3 TITANIUM 4 CERAMIC Wash cycle vibrates blades, dulling edges Easy to maintain Scrub with hot soapy water Dry with a towel or drain board Drying cycle uses hot heat and air, - which can pop handle rivets Blades will not rust Knife Storage Basic cuts Crowding is dangerous and can cause nicks and chips Medium dice: ½ inch x ½ inch x ½ inch Small dice: 4 inch x Use wooden block with horizontal ¼ inch x 4 inch slots instead of vertical. Keeps blades from dulling Chopped: coarsely cut into irregular shaped and sized pieces Make sure knives are clean before returning to block to combat bacteria build-up Julienned: 4 inch x 4 inch Use blade protectors on knives in drawer x 1-2 inches Minced: chopped into very fine pieces Slicing, dicing, and cutting don't have to be so confusing with the right knife, some basic knife skills, and proper cleaning and maintenance. BROUGHT TO YOU BY: FIX .com chefproknives.com kniveskitchen.com