"A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen."
You can prepare any recipe you want if you have the necessary tools for your kitchen. If you want to improve your cooking skills, you'll need to assess whether or not your knives are up to the task.
Every kitchen requires a good pair of knives, whether you're a seasoned chef or just getting started. It's critical to have the correct blades on hand, especially if you want to cook from scratch, grow your own produce, or plan your meals. Cooking will be much easier if you use sharp, well-balanced, and comfortable knives.
Types of Kitchen Knives
We've put together this list of different sorts of kitchen knives to help you get a better understanding of what's available.
Anatomy of a kitchen knife
A kitchen knife appears to be a simple tool at first glance, but they are deceptively complicated.
Even a standard chef's knife has some distinct sections, the design of which can have a significant impact on how the blade handles and what it is used for.
Point: The blade's most extreme point. This knife is frequently sharpened to a fine point and can be used to puncture or score food.
Blade: The blade refers to the portion of the knife that is utilised for cutting. It's commonly made of steel, but it could also be made of ceramic, titanium, or even plastic.
Edge: This is the sharpened portion of the blade that does the majority of the cutting. The fineness with which the knife's edge is ground determines its sharpness, which is determined by both the knife's quality and how often it is sharpened. It can either be serrated (like bread knives) or straight.
Tip: The front part of the knife’s edge, just beneath the point, is called the tip. It’s the part of the blade which is normally used for delicate chopping and cutting work.
Spine: The spine is the blade's blunt upper side, opposite the cutting edge. The blade's strength is determined by the thickness of the spine.
Heel: The heel is the blade's lowest edge, closest to the bolster and furthest from the tip. It's usually the blade's broadest portion. When the chef needs greater strength or pressure to cut through thicker or tougher meals, this area of the edge is most usually used.
Tang: The tang is the section of the blade that is not sharpened and joins the blade edge to the handle. The tang is essential to the knife's overall balance, weight, stability, and strength. Knives with a 'full-tang,' or one that extends from the blade's end to the butt, are frequently thought to be the best. The tang can also be used as a handle in some designs.
Handle or scales: The handle, often known as the ‘scales,' is the part of the knife that the chef grips while using it. It comes in a variety of materials and can be straight or have finger grooves and other ergonomic characteristics to make it easier to grip.
Bolster: The raised area between the blade and the handle is known as the bolster. It creates a little gap between the chef's hand and the blade, preventing the chef's fingertips from slipping onto the blade when cutting. It also adds weight to the knife, which helps it balance.
Handle fasteners, or rivets: The rivets or screws that secure the handle pieces to the tang are known as tang rivets or tang screws. In less expensive designs, the handle may be attached to the tang with resin or epoxy instead of rivets.
Butt: The name given to the end of the handle, at the very bottom of the knife.
Before we get into further detail about the various sorts of knives, it's important to understand the differences between forged and stamped blades. These phrases pertain to how the knife is created, and each process has advantages and downsides.
Forged knives vs Stamped knives
Forged knives are strong, durable, and easy to sharpen knives that will last a lifetime.
Stamped knives - Affordably priced knives for those on a tight budget. Normally, they are flexible and do not have a bolster. When it comes to sharpening, consider investing in an electric sharpener.
What are the different types of knives?
Kitchen knives come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it's no surprise that people have trouble deciding which ones to buy.
It's tempting to buy a knife set when you're just starting out, and you can certainly get some nice cutlery that way.
Here's a rundown of the major sorts of knives, what each one is for, and, most crucially, if you actually need it to help you navigate the world of kitchen cutlery.
- Chef knife
A chef knife has a long, broad blade with a straight edge, and is also known as a chef's or cook's knife. The heel is the broadest part of the shoe, tapering to a highly pointed tip.
A chef knife's curved blade allows it to bounce back and forth on a chopping board, making it ideal for chopping and dicing a large number of vegetables at once. You're seeking for a knife that allows you to cut with a smooth and rapid rhythm.
- Utility knife
The shape of a utility knife is similar to that of a chef knife, although it is smaller and slimmer. To allow for more intricate work, certain utility knives feature a sharp tip that tapers up towards the spine.
This knife is a multi-purpose utility knife, as the name implies. Smaller foods and vegetables, such as shallots, can be chopped with a utility knife. It shares many characteristics with a chef knife, but it is more useful for cutting smaller food items because the utility knife allows for more precise cutting.
- Paring knife
The blade of a paring knife is short, slender, and equally proportioned, with a sharp tip. It's usually light in weight to make delicate tasks easier. Paring knives are used to cut, chop, and slice fruits and vegetables, but they can also be used for a variety of other activities in the kitchen.
- Bread knife
A bread knife, like a saw, has a long, equally sized blade with a sharp serrated edge. This knife is made to be used on softer materials. A bread knife's long blade and sharp serrated edge make it ideal for sawing through a variety of breads, including crusty bread, baguettes, bagels, and bread rolls.
Cakes with soft, fluffy textures can also be sliced using bread knives, as they can cut through them without knocking the air out of the sponge or harming the overall shape.
- Meat-preparation knives
- Carving knife - A carving knife is a long, slim blade with a sharp point. A carving knife, also known as a slicing knife, is one of the longest kitchen knives. Because of its narrow width, it produces less drag as it cuts through food, resulting in cleaner, more uniform slices. When it comes to serving meats such as poultry, pork, lamb, or beef, the best tool for the job is a carving knife.
- Cleaver or butcher knife - Cleavers, also known as butcher knives, have a flat, rectangular blade. Depending on their intended use, they come in a variety of sizes. They're one of the broadest and heaviest knives, with a hole near the spine of the blade that allows them to be hung up when not in. A cleaver is used to cut up raw meat as part of the butchering process or to divide it into smaller portions before cooking. Because of its large, heavy design, it can even cut through bone, making it one of the best knives for raw meat preparation.
- Boning knife - A boning knife has a thin blade with a razor-sharp edge that taper upwards to a fine pointed tip. It's usually fairly short (around six inches) and rigidly built, though more flexible blades are available for delicate meat.A boning knife is the best knife for cutting meat bones and trimming cartilage before cooking to create the perfect joint or cut.
- The best fish knives
- Filleting knife has a long, slim blade that is flexible. It has a razor-sharp edge and a finely pointed tip for piercing skin and performing intricate bone removal work. It resembles a boning knife in appearance, but the blade is thinner and more flexible. The slim, flexible blade is ideal for removing bones from fish without damaging the delicate flesh.
- Salmon knifes are designed to fillet larger fish and have a long, flexible blade with a double edge. Salmon knives are slim and sharp to allow for precise filleting and skin removal, and many designs include indentations along the blade's side.
- Santoku knives also known as santoku bocho knives (meaning "three uses"), are excellent for precise cutting, dicing, and mincing. Santoku knives, which are one of the most popular types of kitchen knives in their native Japan, have long, slightly tapered blades with a drop point to allow for more precise, intricate cutting work. Dimpling is usually found along the blade to prevent food from sticking to the metal.
- Vegetable knives
- Nakiri knives,also known as Japanese vegetable knives, resemble smaller, slimmer versions of meat cleavers. They have a broad, rectangular shape and almost always have a sharp, hollow ground edge. Nakiri knives are an excellent vegetable chopping tool.
- Tomato knives The blade is typically 6–7 inches long and is designed to be lightweight and easy to handle. The blade of a tomato knife is rounded and serrated. Tomato knives are made for cutting and slicing tomatoes, which have delicate skin and soft, fleshy centres and necessitate the use of a specialised cutting tool.
- Peeling knife is primarily used to peel vegetables, potatoes, and fruit, but it is also sharp enough to cut through tough skins. They have a rigid blade and sturdy, ergonomic handles, which help prevent the knife from slipping while peeling, making the process much safer.
- Dinner knife
- Steak knife is a serrated-edged table knife with a sharply pointed tip. This allows the diner to easily cut through tough cooked meat, such as steak, at the dinner table. They're also frequently served with burgers and other large meaty foods these days. Steak knives are a must-have for any restaurant that serves a variety of meat dishes. They are sharp, lightweight, and versatile.
- Fish knife has a broad, flat blade with a curved, sharp edge. This shape facilitates the removal of skin from cooked fillets, and a pointed tip is frequently included to aid in the removal of small bones.
- Butter Knife has a soft, blunted edge and a broad paddle-like shape that allows the diner to spread butter without scraping up crumbs or cutting the bread. Butter knives are ideal for buttering scones, English muffins, or bread for sandwiches, making them a must-have for any afternoon tea enthusiast.
SELECTING A HYGIENETIC AND KNIFE-FRIENDLY CUTTING BOARD
A sharp knife is a chef’s best friend
A sharp chef's knife is the most important tool in any cook's arsenal, whether you're a home cook or a professional. Your knife is an extension of your arm, and more importantly, an extension of your brain, used to bring the art of food to life on the plates of your loved ones.
A well-maintained knife not only makes chopping easier, but it also helps prevent accidents by requiring less force to cut through ingredients than a dull knife.
There are numerous ways to protect your blade, but one that you may not have considered previously has nothing to do with the knife itself. It all comes down to the cutting board.
Many people choose a cutting board based solely on an emotional response, either to misplaced concerns about sanitation or to the board's appearance and how well it matches their existing décor.
However, there are some serious ergonomic concerns that must be addressed during the selection process. More importantly, think about how a cutting board will treat your most important cooking tools – your set of kitchen knives.
Why Do Some Cutting Boards Cause Knives to Dull?
We primarily consider the aesthetics of a butcher board when purchasing one to match our kitchen decor. However, some serious concerns suggest that you do some research before purchasing a slicing/dicing board. Several times a day, the knife blades strike the cutting board surface at random. A sharp knife's edges are too thin. Forceful hitting on a stony surface destroys the evenness of the edges, causing them to dull quickly.
The knife's edges can become rolled over time (due to bending). With bare eyes, the uneven, rounded, or bent edges are difficult to see. As a result, the general rule is to select the best chopping board to protect the sharp cutters from damage.
Let's take a look at which cutting boards can ruin your knives.
#1. Glass Cutting Board quickly dull your knives
Kitchen boards made of glass are particularly popular among purchasers. The amazing shiny appearance is one of the reasons. But they are not designed for chopping and slicing jobs.
Knife blades can become blunted after a lengthy period of use. When you repeatedly apply force to the tool, the edges of the blade bend faster.
#2. Are Marble Cutting Boards Knife-Safe?
Marble, like glass, is not a good material for cutting boards. Marble is a non-porous stone with a hard surface. It's aggravating to have to put up with the loud noise of chopping vegetables, fruits, or meat on a marble chopping board.
#3. Can Granite Cutting Boards Blunt Knives?
Granite is the most popular countertop material in modern homes. Granite's sheen surface, admirable design, and sophisticated appeal make it an excellent choice for kitchen remodelling.Again, granite chopping boards can destroy knives as quickly as marble and glass chopping boards. Furthermore, acid erosion can cause the material to lose its zeal.
#4. Do Bamboo Cutting Boards Ruin Knives?
Bamboo, like all of the other options, is hard enough to round the edges of knife blades. It is 19% harder than maple chopping boards due to the high silica content (best wood cutting board for knives). Bamboo is the best option for buyers looking for environmentally friendly kitchen items. However, it is only suitable for light prepping tasks. If you're kneading dough on it, you'll need to use oil.
#5. Are Plastic Boards Good for Your Knives
Cutting boards made of plastic, especially high-density polypropylene, are softer than glass or stone. The surface is soft enough not to quickly dull your knives, but strong enough to hold its shape for multiple uses.
You can mark the boards or just remember what they're for, but the most important thing is to keep the meat board separate from the fruit and veggie board.
Cutting Boards That Are Knife-Friendly
Pro chefs all over the world advocate wood as the best chopping board material.
Knife lifetime is one of the most compelling reasons to use a wood cutting board over a plastic or bamboo one.
Wooden butcher boards have softer surfaces that allow knife edges to glide smoothly across surfaces. The process eliminates the possibility of bending issues, allowing your knives to function for a longer period of time.
Best Wooden Cutting Board Materials
Maple is one of the most popular woods for cutting boards. Both soft and hard maple wood make excellent dicing boards. The impact-resistant wood is safe for food contact, does not stain, and inhibits the growth of germs.
The Kitchen Board Maniacs brand was created out of love. Cooking, family, and the environment are all important to me. So we created a maple wood cutting board that is perfect for your kitchen! It is made of American maple wood that has been sourced sustainably and with great care. It has a lovely appearance and is ideal for cooking for your loved ones.
GENTLE ON YOUR KNIFE –Unlike bamboo, maple wood is gentler on your knife and prevents it from dulling. Because it is made of robust and strong maple hardwood, this board will not crack, splinter, or warp. We also apply mineral oil to the wood cutting boards to give them a nice finish and to help them last.
ANTIBACTERIAL, HYGIENENIC, AND CLEAN - The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has approved Maple for use in commercial kitchens. Because it absorbs leftover bacteria and kills them by depriving bacteria of oxygen, maple wood is self-healing. Unlike other standard carving boards or butcher blocks, which can contaminate your kitchen board and harm you and your family. Get a Maple Wood cutting board to keep your loved ones safe!
The natural wood grain on each of our cutting boards adds to the beauty of maple wood. It is simple to care for; simply hand wash with soap and water and towel dry.
WOOD HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE NATURALLY ANTIBACTERIAL
Well-maintained wooden cutting boards with reversible ends can keep you safe against the risk of bacterial contact.
WOOD VS. PLASTIC COMPARISON
Plastic has long been regarded as a non-porous, easy-to-clean substitute for wood. Many people believe that because plastic cannot absorb liquids, it is not prone to bacterial growth.
Plastic cutting boards, on the other hand, quickly become knife-scarred. The rough surface that results makes cleaning your cutting boards increasingly difficult, even with bleach or an extra-long dishwasher cycle. As a result of the tiny indentations in your plastic cutting boards, bacteria can accumulate, putting your hygiene at risk, as plastic boards can have thousands of scars after just a few months.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin discovered that 99.9% of bacteria placed on a wooden chopping board die within minutes. The next day, after being left at room temperature overnight, there were no living bacteria on the wooden boards. Cheaper plastic cutting boards, on the other hand, had very little effect on dangerous microbes.