| Kitchen Knife |
Article Index for Kitchen |
Website Links For Kitchen |
Information AboutKitchen Knife |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT KITCHEN KNIFE | |
| knives | |
|
A kitchen knife is any Knife that is intended to be used in food preparation. While much of this work can be accomplished with a few general-purpose knives, there are also many specialized knives that are designed for specific tasks. Kitchen knives can be made from several different materials. ANATOMY MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION Material Knife blades can be manufactured from a variety of materials, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.
Blade Steel blades can be manufactured either by being forged or stamped.
Edge The edge of the knife can be sharpened to a cutting surface in a number of different ways.
Handle The handles of kitchen knives can be made from a number of different materials, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.
TYPES General Chef's Knife See Also: Chef's knife Also known as a Cook's Knife, the chef's knife is an all-purpose knife used for slicing, chopping, dicing, mincing, and many other functions. The blade is curved to allow the cook to rock the knife on the cutting board for a more precise cut. Chef's knives are most commonly available between 6 and 12 inches, though 8 inches is the most common size. Most chefs recommend using the largest chef's knife that is comfortable in the cook's hands. Larger knives can cut more and are more versatile, but can be more difficult to handle. Bread Knife Bread knives are a type of serrated knife, though unlike other serrated knives they are often simply called a Serrated Knife. Bread knives are usually between 6 and 10 inches, with 8 inches being a common length. The serrations on the blade make it ideal for cutting bread (and other things that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside). Offset Serrated Similar to a bread knife, and arguably a type of bread knife, an offset serrated knife is a knife with a serrated blade and an offset handle that ensures the cook's knuckles will not touch the cutting surface when the blade has cut all of the way through the food. These knives are particularly popular with chefs, though they have not become very popular with home cooks. Some manufacturers refer to them as Deli Knives. Paring A paring knife is a small knife with a plain edge blade that is ideal for peeling and other small or intricate work (such as deveining a shrimp, removing the seeds from a jalapeno, or cutting small garnishes). It is designed to be an all-purpose knife, similar to a chef's knife, except smaller. Paring knives are usually between 2½ and 4 inches, as anything larger than about 4 or 5 inches is typically considered a utility knife (although the distinction is somewhat vague). Utility A utility knife is a medium size knife that can be used for a myriad of tasks (although many chefs will claim that a cook with a chef's knife and a paring knife can achieve these tasks just as well). Utility knives can either have a plain edge blade or a serrated blade, some of which are considered tomato knives. They are usually between about 4 and 7 inches in length. Steak A steak knife is used at the table (as opposed to the kitchen) to cut through especially tough foods, such as meat. It is somewhat like a serrated utility knife, though its purpose is different. A steak knife is usually about 4 to 6 inches long and usually serrated, though some are not. Most are also decorative, since they are set on the table with the silverware. Meat Knives Carving A carving knife is a large knife (between 8 and 15 inches) that is used to carve poultry, roasts, hams, and other large cooked meats. A carving knife is much thinner than a chef's knife (particularly at the spine), enabling them to make thinner and more precise slices. Carving knives occasionally have granton edges, and they are generally shorter and wider than slicers. Slicer A slicer serves a similar function to a carving knife, although it is generally longer and narrower. Slicers are often more flexible and as such are better suited for slicing ham or fish. Slicers are occasionally serrated. Cleaver A cleaver is a large, rectangular knife that is used in cutting meat. The blade, approximately 6 inches long, is very heavy, enabling the knife to cut through bone and joints with shear force. Many cleavers have a hole in the end to allow them to be hung up easily. Cleavers are an essential tool for any restaurant that prepares its own meat. However, most home cooks do not need cleavers as in most home meat preparation the bone is removed with a boning knife. Boning See Also: Boning knife A boning knife is used to remove bones from cuts of meat. They have a thin, flexible blade, usually about 5 or 6 inches long, that allows them to get in to small spaces. A stiff boning knife is good for beef and pork, but a flexible boning knife is preferred for poultry and fish. Fillet A fillet knife is like a very flexible boning knife that is used to fillet and prepare fish. They have a blade that is about 6 to 11 inches long, allowing them to move easily along the backbone and under the skin of fish. Ham Slicer A ham slicer is a special type of slicer, with a long blade and rounded tip, that is offered by some manufacturers. They are specially tailored to cutting ham, as they are generally thinner and more flexible. Small Knives Peeling Also known as a Tourne Knife or '''Bird's Beak Knife''', a peeling knife has a pointed tip that curves downward (towards the blade). They are often used for many of the same tasks as paring knives. They can be used to cut decorative garnishes (such as rosettes or fluted mushrooms), slice soft fruits, or peel skins or blemishes. They are also used to make a cut known as a tournée cut in vegetables such as carrots. Decorating A decorating knife is any knife with a decorative blade. The most common pattern is a simple zigzag. Decorating knives are used for making fancy cuts for garnishes and presentation. Trimming Usually about 2 to 3 inches long, a trimming knife has a small, curved blade that is shaped somewhat like a boning knife. Trimming knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling. Fluting Usually about 2 to 3 inches long, a fluting knife has a small blade that is very straight. Fluting knives are ideal for small tasks such as decorating and peeling. Cheese Knives Soft Cheese Soft cheese knives are specially designed for slicing soft cheese. They generally have holes in the blade to prevent the cheese from sticking. Hard Cheese Hard cheese knives are specially designed for slicing hard cheese. They are sharp, so they can cut exact slices, and often have a forked tip, allowing them to be used as a serving utensil as well. Parmesan Cheese Parmesan cheese knives are specially designed for slicing very hard cheeses. They have very short, thick blades that allow the user to put weight into the cut. Asian Knives See Also: Japanese knives Santoku See Also: Santoku A santoku knife is often called an Asian chef's knife. They have a straighter edge than a chef's knife, and a more rounded spine, particularly near the point. They are also generally lighter and thinner, allowing them to more easily chop vegetables. It is common for them to have granton edges, and they generally come in 5 or 7 inches. They have become very popular in recent years, especially with women chefs, who generally have smaller hands. Chinese Cleaver A Chinese cleaver is a square shaped knife that is traditionally used in Chinese cooking to prepare vegetables. They can also be used for cutting meat and other foods, but should not be used for cutting bone or joints as the blade is much thinner and sharper than a western cleaver. Due to its large, square shape it is also used to scoop up chopped food for transport to the stove or elsewhere. Sashimi Bocho See Also: Tako hiki Sashimi knives are Japanese knives that are used to prepare , the blunt-tipped Takobiki is used, whereas the pointed '''Yanagiba''' is used in Osaka . Usuba Bocho See Also: Usuba bocho Usuba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for chopping vegetables. Both the spine and edge are straight, making them resemble cleavers, though they are much lighter. Deba Bocho See Also: Deba bocho Deba knives are Japanese knives used primarily for cutting fish. They have blades that are 7 to 12 inches long, have a curved spine, and are surprisingly heavy. Specialty Knives Tomato A tomato knife is a small knife with a serrated blade. Typically about the size of a utility knife, tomato knives are ideal for cutting through the tough skin and soft flesh of tomatoes. Oyster An oyster knife has a short, thick blade that is used to pry open oysters and separate their meat from the shell. Some models have a shield built into the handle that prevents the knife (and hand) from slipping and going too far into the shell. Clam A clam knife is essentially an oyster knife, and is used to pry open clams. Devein A devein knife is a small knife used to remove the vein from the back of shrimp. Grapefruit A grapefruit knife has a small, slender blade that is ideal for separating the meat of a grapefruit from the peel and inner membranes. The blade is usually serrated, and some knifes even have a different blade style on each end of the handle. Chestnut A chestnut knife is used to score a chestnut with an "X" cut prior to roasting, so that steam does not build up inside and cause the nut to explode. They have very shallow blades so that they can cut through the shell without cutting through the nut inside. Mincing Also known as a Mezzaluna (Italian: "half moon"), a mincing knife is a uniquely designed knife comprised of a semicircular blade within a similarly shaped handle. Because they have a highly curved blade, they make a good rocking motion and are ideal for mincing. Many mincing knives come with a wooden cutting board with a circular bowl-shaped indentation that matches the curvature of the knife. Some models have two blades that are parallel to each other to increase their mincing power. Accessories Carving Fork See Also: Carving fork A carving fork is a long, two-pronged Fork used to hold meat steady while it is being carved. They are often sold with carving knives or slicers as part of a carving set. Honing Steel A honing steel is a steel rod, generally about a foot long and a quarter of an inch thick. It is used to hone a knife blade after sharpening or to reinvigorate a blade and extend the life of the last sharpening, but contrary to what many believe it is not a sharpener. Shears See Also: Kitchen scissors Shears are essentially Kitchen Scissors , though they can be used for many of the same jobs as knives, such as chopping herbs. Users should be very careful not to cut food with shears that do not separate, as they cannot be properly cleaned and may harbor bacteria. PROMINENT BRANDS EXTERNAL LINKS
REFERENCES
|
|
|