In the kitchen, we can find many different tools and utensils that we use in preparing and cooking food but among all of them, the knife is the most important utensil that we need to carefully select before buying. A knife is used in cutting, chopping or slicing food according to your desired size. It serves as an extension of your hand and requires manual agility. You can slice according to your own pace thus making preparation and cooking easier.
A wide variety of cooking knives are available in the market today for you to choose from. There are European brands like Henckels and Japanese brands like Kai and Shen. They say that the Japanese knives have harder steel, thinner blades and sharper edge thus it is ideal for cooking with precision. The negative side is that it takes time to sharpen and requires more maintenance compared to European brands. European knives are said to be easier to use and are best when it comes to chopping.
Now, how will you know which knife you should buy? Basically, in choosing a knife you should consider what tasks you usually do when cooking. Knives sometimes differ in the functions and at times you cannot use a particular knife for a certain task. Well, here are some things that you should remember when it comes to choosing knives.
1.) Material Used
Knives made of high carbon steel are considered best when it comes to cutting or slicing but then it tends to discolor after a period of time. But still, they are popular because they look great although these knives require maintenance to keep their edge sharp at all times. Knives made from stainless steel are less expensive but are not as sharp as high carbon steel knives. Ceramic knives are very durable and can maintain their sharp edge for months or even years although they are more expensive compared to high carbon steel and stainless steel knives.
2.) Handles
Of course, in choosing a knife you should consider its handle. There are 3 main types of handles: the wood, stainless steel and composition. Most chefs prefer knives with wood handles but nowadays it is not allowed to be used in many commercial kitchens. Composition handles are safer to use compared too stainless steel especially when you are handling wet items. It will not easily slip from your hand. But then, both stainless and composition are easy to clean and maintain.
3.) Type According to Function
When we cook and prepare food, there are several tasks that we need to perform and not all knives can perform all tasks. There are knives that are specially made to perform a special task but in general there are 3 types of knives that are must-haves in the kitchen: the chef’s knife, serrated knife and paring knife.
The blade of a chef’s knife is usually around six to twelve inches long and is used for slicing, chopping, mincing and dicing meat and other food. You can use the side of the blade to crush garlic that you will add to your recipe.
On the other hand, a paring knife is about 3 to 4 inches long and is often used for peeling and trimming fruits and vegetables.
Lastly, the serrated blade is generally used for slicing bread, bagels and the like. These serrated knives have a blade particularly made for slicing loaf bread and cakes.
The above-mentioned type of knives will surely help make cooking and preparing easier for you. If you are low on budget, you can just choose one from among the three because one alone can already perform the tasks you need to do in your kitchen.
Always remember to choose carefully the knives you want to buy so cooking will be easy and fun for you and your family.
