Kitchen knives are a very important partner in the kitchen when cooking. They are basically important for food preparation. Nowadays, there are different kinds of knives designed for specific tasks and functions that make cooking easy.
Knowledge is important that can make better and wiser choices in buying. For your guide, I suggest you go over this write up first before getting a set of knives.
Knives have different types but it is not a simple qualification of sharp or dull though. Knives are categorized according to purpose and design. The first and most common one is the chef’s knife. It is usually used for basic food preparations in the kitchen like slicing meat, chopping vegetables and fruits, and even making mince or dice. It is available in different sizes to match the size of the user’s hand. The next one is the carving knife which is practically larger than the chef’s knife and has similar shape to it. It can be flexible or rigid, depending on the type of meat that it needs to cut. It comes with a carving fork which anchors the meat and helps the cutting easier and less messy to cut.
Next is the paring knife used to create special garnishes and other decorative stuffs, for peeling and coring fruits or vegetables. It has a very short blade (about 4 inches) but must be kept sharp to avoid accidents.
Serrated knife is important in cutting food hard crust and soft interior. Like in bread loaf, the serrated blade made short saw cuts but in regular knives, it will just slide at the hard crust and even compacted the loaf without cutting it. It also helps in cutting fibrous fruits and vegetables.
Another type is the boning knife or the narrow-bladed knife used in deboning meats. It has a tapered point to carve out the bones without wasting the meat. For fish, a filet knife is used to remove the skin.
The last type is the cleaver. It has a very thick blade to cut thick and hard portions of meat and bones. It has secondary function of chopping and dicing and the flat side is used for crushing garlic, spices or even seeds.
It is not just knowing the types but also choosing the right knife before you acquire. It is suggested that you purchase individual knives rather than having one set. Some sets of knives include types that are really not often used. And seldom you can find sets of knife that really satisfies your choices. Though individual purchases may be a little bit expensive as compared to the price of a set of it, you have the advantage of picking good quality and actually making use of what you bought.
The first set that you need to acquire is the chef’s knife, paring knife, and a serrated/bread knife. These three can take charge of most of the basic cutting needs in cooking. Check also the kind of knife that is comfortable for you to handle or grasp and should be balanced. The weight should be right; remember heavier knife requires less effort in cutting for it adds pressure to the meat or vegetables. Finally, consider the type of blades and the needs for caring and maintaining them. Some blades easily get dull and some have specific sharpening tools needed.
With this comprehensive background on knives, you will pretty sure to have a worth rewarding choices in buying knives. Get one now.