How To Choose a Knife

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A brilliant painter needs just the right brush, a great mechanic needs just the right tool, and a true chef needs just the right knife. Choose wisely and half your work is done.

To complete this How-To you will need:

A wide selection of knives (chef's knife, santoku, serrated knife, etc.)

Step 1: Chef's Knife

For just about any basic kitchen task, choose a cook's "go-to" knife: the Chef's Knife. Its strong, hefty, and relatively wide blade is sturdy enough for heavy jobs, but sharp enough for delicate cuts too. Its size and weight are ideal for everything from mincing to chopping, and the blades rounded shape allows for a speedy rocking motion.

Tip: When buying a chef's knife, hold it in your hand and feel how it is weighted. Women may feel more comfortable with a smaller chef's knife that won't feel overwhelmingly large in their hands.

Step 2: Santoku

For tasks that require a thin, sharp edge, choose a santoku knife. This knife originated in Japan, where its design was adapted from a Western chef's knife. The result: a shorter, thinner blade perfectly suited for cutting vegetables and even fish.

Step 3: Serrated knife

To cut through the skins of juicy fruits like tomatoes and plums without damaging their delicate flesh, choose a serrated knife. Usually about 10 inches long, serrated knives are also perfectly suited to cut bread and cake.

Tip: If you want neat, tidy slices, it is best to use a firm but gentle sawing motion when cutting with a serrated knife.

Step 4: Paring knife

For smaller jobs, choose a paring knife. This 3- to 4-inch shorty is another go-to knife that makes jobs like peeling, carving, or cleaning vegetables like shallots much easier. With its short blade, this knife allows you to maneuver around objects rather than simply slicing through them.

Step 5: Slicing knife

If you love to cook meat, choose a slicing knife. Its long, narrow blade makes it ideal for carving picture-perfect slices. But herbivores find it useful too—it's also is well suited to cutting large vegetables or fruits.

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Category:

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Tags:

• cooking
• cook
• knife
• skills
• chop
• howto
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[88matoko88]

i have one chopping knife....hmm what to choose....

[henrythetuatara]

My mum is so proud of her cheap china made ikea knife. When I ordered an expensive hand crafted Santoku Knive from Solingen (Germany's top knife manufacturers) she wanted to try it out. After she cut herself in the finger while washing it after use..I had a nice Christmas gift... ;)

[ItachiUchiha1611]

if i want to kill somebody and then slice him which knife you recommend..?

[TeamRedz]

this is pretty scary

[stw1396]

no, i use a spoon.

[TheWolvesBff]

how to chose well.....

i think the one that cuts ur finger off first is the best and sharp one! :D *cough-cunts*

[69avocado]

since when do women feel more comfortable with smaller things in there hands? i thought their hands were like their mouths and vags; big and broad

[alifajardo1999]

@henrythetuatara NICE!!! hope can afford one but I'm not that rich

[henrythetuatara]

@alifajardo1999 It's a Wuesthof Grand Prix II with those little chambers. Now it's nearly two years old and still cuts perfectly. you can find it on the internet for about 65 Euros.

[alifajardo1999]

@henrythetuatara and what gift is that?

[AleksM1991]

I use a meatclever for all my cutting needs...

its best not to overcomplicate things!

[DeeJayTimo]

6-12 inches, but average 7 to 8 inches. When buying a chef knife, hold it on your hand and feel how its weighted. Women may feel comfortable with a small knife, that won't feel overwhelming large in their hands. :o)