If you love cooking, you know how important it is to have the right knife for the right job. Different types of kitchen knives are designed for different purposes, and using the wrong one can make your task harder or even ruin your food. In this blog, we will introduce you to some of the most common and useful kitchen knives and their uses.
Chef knife: This is the most versatile and essential knife in any kitchen. It has a large and slightly curved blade that can be used for everything from chopping vegetables to slicing meat. You can use it with a rocking motion to cut quickly and evenly. A chef's knife comes in different sizes, usually ranging from 15 to 36 cm, so choose one that fits your hand and comfort level.
Pairing knife: This is a small and sharp knife that is perfect for peeling, trimming, and cutting small or delicate items, such as garlic cloves, strawberries, or herbs. You can use it in your hand or on a cutting board, depending on the task. A paring knife usually has a blade length of 8 to 10 cm.
Serrated knife: This is a knife with a jagged edge that can cut through foods with a hard crust and a soft interior, such as bread, tomatoes, or citrus fruits. The serrated edge grips the food and prevents it from slipping or tearing. A serrated knife can also be used for slicing cakes or pastries. The blade length can vary from 15 to 25 cm.
Boning knife: This is a knife with a narrow and flexible blade that is used to remove bones and connective tissue from meat, poultry, or fish. The blade can bend around the bones and cut close to them without wasting any meat. A boning knife usually has a blade length of 12 to 17 cm.
Carving knife: This is a knife with a long and thin blade that is used to slice cooked meat into thin and even pieces. It can also be used for carving poultry or ham. A carving knife has a smooth edge that glides through the meat without shredding it. The blade length can range from 20 to 38 cm.
Santoku knife: This is a Japanese-style knife that is similar to a chef's knife but shorter and thinner. It has a flat blade that lends itself to more of an up-and-down chopping motion instead of a rocking one. It is ideal for precision cutting, such as mincing, slicing, and dicing. It can also have hollows along the edge that create air pockets and prevent food from sticking to the blade. A santoku knife usually has a blade length of 13 to 20 cm.
Nakiri knife: This is another Japanese-style knife that is specialised for cutting vegetables. It has a flat and rectangular blade that can slice all the way to the cutting board without rocking or sawing. It is also good for scooping up the chopped vegetables and transferring them to a bowl or pan. A nakiri knife usually has a blade length of 16 to 18 cm.
We hope this list of different knives helps you understand their uses a bit more and if you ever have any questions on which knife would be the best choice for you, please feel free to get in contact and we will be more than happy to help.
All the very best Dan at Pareusi,