The king of all tools in the kitchen is a knife. Not a single culinary process can do without it, and different types of kitchen knives help to create real masterpieces. There are over 30 varieties of the instrument, and each has its own purpose and features.
How many knives do you need for complete happiness?
Most housewives in everyday life use three knives: a universal, bread and small knife for cleaning sliced vegetables. This is the very minimum that is needed in the kitchen. Of course, you can have only one universal tool. But there is one “but.” The higher the versatility of the knife, the less suitable it is for individual operations. In addition, with one knife it is difficult to observe hygiene standards. According to the rules, the tool must be washed after each use. You will have to visit the sink too often, especially during the holidays: after cutting meat, potatoes, greens, fish, sausages, cheese and so on.
"The kitchen three"
Some housewives have large sets of knives in the kitchen - over 15 units. However, most species often remain dusting in a drawer awaiting a special occasion. In daily cooking, three knives are used:
- universal kitchen or chef knife;
- bread;
- for peeling vegetables.
Chef knife vs universal
The two most popular multi-purpose knives are a chef-knife and a versatile “kitchen man”. They do an excellent job with most types of kitchen work:
- cutting;
- cutting;
- shredder;
- cleaning up.
A chef-knife and a universal one are suitable for working with any kinds of products: meat, cheese, sausage, vegetables, herbs, fruits, bread. They both have a relatively wide blade and medium length. Consider the features of each tool:
- Chef knife
Large, has a wide rounded blade 20-25 cm long. Its blade is very durable, which allows you to work even with frozen food. The tool is also distinguished by its impressive weight - about 200 g. But, despite this, they are comfortable working, especially shredding. The hand practically does not get tired. With light and short movements, you can chop vegetables and herbs in literally seconds. And also the butt of a knife can be used to smash the shell of crustaceans and beat meat. The side is convenient to crush the garlic. The only thing that will cause difficulty is peeling vegetables.
Popular Manufacturers: Wusthof, Samura, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Fackelmann, Victorinox, Arcos, Tramontina, Opinel.
- Universal
It is something between a slicer and a chef-knife. It has a shorter length - approximately 13–16 cm. The blade is thinner than that of a chef-knife, and less rounded. It is convenient for them to carry out any kind of cutting, cut meat, fish, vegetables. True, the "kitchen" cuts bread not so perfectly as a special knife.
In the market, the following companies compare favorably with quality: F.Dick, Wusthof, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, BergHOFF, Arcos, Victorinox, Trupperware, Tramontina, Opinel.
This is not to say which of these types of kitchen knives is better. Both of them are universal and equally well cope with the tasks. The choice between them is rather a matter of taste, convenience and ... gender. As practice shows, men give preference to cook knives, and women - "kitchen". Most likely, the reason for this is the different size and weight of the tool.
Take the choice of a universal (cook) knife with all seriousness. The product must be high quality, safe, convenient. You will do 80% of the work in the kitchen. Therefore, do not save. This is the case when the saying "avaricious pays twice" works.
Bread
The bread knife is easily recognizable thanks to its serrated blade. It usually has a length of 20–26 cm and resembles a saw in appearance. The teeth of the bread knife are in the same plane, thanks to which it perfectly cuts layered and fibrous products, without forming crumbs. Few people know that its purpose is more extensive than just slicing bread. It is ideal for slicing such products:
- bun;
- layered pies;
- other bakery products;
- vegetables and fruits.
Small sharp ledges allow you to quickly penetrate the surface of the products. Bread does not crumple, and vegetables and fruits do not let juice in. The knife delicately cuts the thin skin of tomatoes, peaches, plums.
Professional chefs advise you not to spend a lot of money on this tool. The main thing is to choose a knife with an optimal tooth height. They should not be too large or small.
For peeling vegetables
The vegetable knife has a short blade 8-10 cm long for convenience when performing small jobs: most vegetables and fruits are still small in size. It is inconvenient to peel and cut them with a long knife (except for watermelons and melons). The second distinguishing feature of this variety is the thickness of the blade. It is very thin, because the cut products have a fairly loose structure. Strong pressure and extra hardness are useless. The purpose of such knives:
- peeling vegetables and fruits;
- peeling;
- cutting.
It should be noted that knives for peeling vegetables come in different shapes and sizes:
- Universal. They have a straight blade, suitable for both slicing and peeling all kinds of vegetables and fruits.
- With a rounded blade. The people are called "claws" due to the characteristic rounded profile. Better for peeling round vegetables and peeling.
- With notches. Designed for slicing soft fruits.
- Multifunctional. They have a Y-shape and in common people are called "vegetable peelers." The device allows quick and economical cleaning. Also its advantage is the safety of use. Some housewives manage to use it also for cutting, but still this knife is better for peeling.
- Specialized. There are zigzag knives for decorative cutting of vegetables and fruits, tools for cutting apples, tomatoes, melons, grapefruit, cucumber, for cutting the zest. All of them have a modified blade, which is ideal for processing certain types of fruits.
Meat knives
A very popular group of knives. Meat is a rather specific product in processing. It contains bones, skin, connective tissue, veins. To qualitatively cut it, use different knives: hatchet, cutting, loin, for cutting meat from bone. This is a standard set for home cooking.
Loin
It has a thin, long (20-30 cm) and very flexible blade. Designed to separate meat and fish fillets from bones and skin. Thanks to its flexibility, the knife glides over the bones, as it were, without leaving a single gram of pulp on them. And with a fillet knife it is very convenient to strip meat and offal from films.
For cutting meat from bone
The purpose of the knife is clear from its very name. It is also called a boning knife. Boning is the preparation of meat for sale:
- separation from the bone;
- vein removal;
- connective tissue removal.
The knife blade is thin, but relatively strong. The cutting line is located on the axis of rotation of the knife, making the tool easy to control. It is necessary to turn the brush - and the knife will take the desired angle, remaining in place. He easily bypasses the bones, but does not bend as sirloin.
It is very good if the knife for cutting meat from bone has a small protrusion at the base of the blade (guard). It serves to protect the brush. After all, working with meat on bones and veins requires some effort, and the emerging blood, juice and fat increase the likelihood of palm slipping.
Chopping
Another boning knife. It is distinguished by a relatively large size - 20–26 cm and a durable blade. A cutting knife is a station wagon among meat tools. Thanks to the double-edged end of the blade, it has excellent penetrating properties. It can be used for different purposes:
- separate meat from bones and cartilage;
- remove veins;
- chop meat into portions.
Hatchet
Hatchets are used to cut meat that contains bones. The tool features a massive, thick blade. Moreover, its sharpness is less important than the severity and thickness of the blade. With a heavy hatchet with an average degree of blade sharpening, you cut meat faster and better than small and sharp. It is important to note that they do not cut with an ax, but only work inland.
The hatchet is useful in a family that has its own farm. If the meat is purchased in a supermarket, without this tool it is quite possible to do.
Specialized knives
There are many types of kitchen knives designed for a single operation. They are not so popular among ordinary people and are usually used in the production or professional kitchen. But if your family is an avid apple or pizza lover, a highly specialized knife will serve you well.
What to look for when choosing a knife?
Before buying any knife, it is important to carefully familiarize yourself with all its characteristics. Ease of use will depend on the right choice. And that means the speed of cooking, as well as the appearance of the dishes.
- The right blade. The universal knife is smooth, and the bread knife with notches. A serrated blade may also have a vegetable knife. Pay attention to the notches on the blade. They will save you from the problem of food sticking, which is very convenient, for example, when slicing cheese.
- Blade material. The best material is middle alloyed and high alloyed steel. It does not get dull for a long time and does not deteriorate from water and chemistry.
- Coating. Some knives have an additional anti-corrosion coating. This is undoubtedly a useful option, because the instrument has been in a humid environment for a long time.
- Material and shape of the handle. Before buying, you need to twist the knife in your hands. It is important that it rests comfortably in the palm of your hand and does not slip. You should feel as if the instrument continues your hand. Pay attention to the handle of medium size anatomical shape. The best choice would be knives with a wooden handle or with a rubber coating.
Steel or ceramic?
Ceramic knives are slowly but surely gaining popularity. The advantages of ceramics are difficult to dispute:
- environmentally friendly;
- does not enter a chemical reaction with products;
- odorless;
- light
- significantly longer than steel, keeps sharpening;
- stylish look - can be painted in different colors.
But there are significant disadvantages:
- Despite its hardness, the ceramic blade is fragile. It can break when falling or while cutting meat if it bumps into a bone.
- A ceramic knife will cost more than an average single-layer steel knife.
- It is impossible to sharpen a ceramic blade at home.
- The ceramic blade does not bend, so it cannot be used to separate the fillet.
In total, we have that ceramics is not able to fully replace steel. Such a knife can be a great addition to the main set. It is convenient for them to cut vegetables, herbs, bread, fruits, cheese, meat and fish fillets. But for cutting something solid, and especially cutting meat, it is better to use a classic tool with a steel blade.
A quality, well-sharpened knife is the key to safety in the kitchen. Contrary to popular belief, most cuts occur due to a blunt knife: when using it, you have to apply more force. The tool slides off and everything ends with an injury.
The speed of cooking and the accuracy of the dish largely depend on the correct choice of knife. A good tool even in the hands of an amateur is capable of miracles. Agree, slicing matters. It is much more pleasant to see in your plate of ideal shape fish fillet or neat meat with vegetables than shredded pieces and sticks of greens. Be sure to use the knowledge gained. Culinary success and grateful tasters!