Who Knew? Kitchen Knives Decoded

Who else stands at their butcher block, blindly grabbing for a knife you have no clue what the [...]

choppinglettuce

Who else stands at their butcher block, blindly grabbing for a knife you have no clue what the proper functionality is?  Long, angled, straight, serrated, chopping, slicing, sawing. What do they all mean?

Chef's Knife: For chopping, experts suggest a chef's knife. The broad blade of a chef's knife curves upward for chopping to fine mincing. Longer blades can be more difficult to control, but make for faster cuts. Shorter blades allow for greater control, and are generally suited to chefs with small hands.

Serrated Knife: For slicing bread, you want a blade with a serrated edge to saw through thick crusts. These types of knives have deep serrations which make it difficult to cut fruits or vegetables. Translation, they make a big mess when you try to cut a tomato with them. Not saying we have done that. Just saying.

Straight Edge Knife: Straight edge knives are used for cutting raw meat, slicing salmon, and chopping vegetables alike. These are multi-purpose and likely the most prevalent in your knife drawer.

choppingfruit

Paring Knife: There are several versions of the paring knife and their primary use is to peel or cut through skin. Primarily used for fruits, vegetables, and potatoes.

Granton Edge: This type of blade has hollowed out grooves on the side which are meant to fill with the fat or juices of the product you are slicing. This allows for a thin even cut without shredding the meat by helping the blade to reduce sticking.

Cleavers: The cleaver is used for cutting through meat or poultry bones. The side of the large blade can also be used for crushing garlic or seeds.

And there you have it. You no longer have to experience a knife standoff when faced with which knife to choose for what. Embrace your knife- savvy and get ready to go practice your skills!

In need of a new butcher block? We love this affordable, durable and versatile KitchenAid Stamped Set from Target!

kitchenaid butcher block from target0comments