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Kitchen Knives
Material
Carbon Steel is a metal alloy that combines two elements, iron and carbon. As a rule of thumb carbon steel is harder than stainless steel and will make a sharper edge. It is also easier to sharpen. However, unlike its stainless steel counterpart, it is more prone to rust and stain. Moisture is the main cause of rust and so ensuring your blade is thoroughly dried after washing is imperative.
NOTE: As a result of oxidation it is perfectly normal for grey stains to appear on a carbon steel blade over time. Oiling your blade on a regular basis helps prevent oxidation damage.
Stainless Steel knives tend to be more expensive than carbon steel knives as they are ‘rust proof’. It is important to understand that the term ‘stainless’ does not mean that the knife is fully stain-proof or impervious to rust. For this reason it is essential that stainless steel blades are kept free of moisture when stored. Despite carbon steel knives being easier to sharpen, stainless steel knives maintains their edge for longer.
NOTE: Stainless steel does not require regular maintenance but nonetheless will eventually stain and rust if overexposed to moisture.
High-Carbon Stainless Steel combines carbon steel and stainless properties to get the best of each alloy. The result is that it is resistant to stains and rust and that its blade will hold its edge with minimal maintenance. It is generally considered to be a more practical metal for domestic use than both carbon steel and stainless steel.
Ceramic knives retain their cutting edge for much longer than their forged metal counterparts and will not rust. However they lack versatility since although suitable for cutting fruit, vegetables and boneless meat they cannot be used for chopping through bones or frozen foods. Additionally they may break if dropped onto a hard surface and should not be placed in a dishwasher as this can cause chips or cracks.
Cleaning Your Knives
Never place your kitchen knives in a dishwasher, regardless of material it is always better to give them a quick wipe down by hand with regular detergent and to dry immediately before storage.
Do not keep your kitchen knives loose in a drawer as this is more likely to dull the blade’s edge.
Types of Knife
| Cook/Chef's | |
| A Cook/Chef’s Knifeis the workhorse in any kitchen. Excellent for chopping, dicing and slicing it's the first knife any keen cook should own. They are typically available with blade lengths between 20 to 30 centimetres. | |
| Bread | |
| A Bread Knife has serrations on the blade enabling it to cut bread without crushing it. They are typically available with blade lengths between 15 to 25 centimetres. | |
| Carving | |
| A Carving Knife has a long thin blade, designed to create clean slices of meat. Much thinner than a chef’s knife it enables thinner, more precise slices to be cut. You'll also find speciality slicing knives such as Salmon, Ham and Sashimi knives, often with scallops along the knife edge. Often a carving knife will be sold with a two pronged carving fork as part of a set. The fork is used to keep the meat steady while it’s being carved. | |
| Boning/Filleting | |
| Boning/Filleting Knife. A Boning knife has a semi-flexible, thin blade that allows you to remove bones from meat or poultry. If you fillet your own fish then a filleting knife is critical. Filleting knives resemble boning knives but have blades that are even more flexible. This flexibility allows you to cleanly release the fillets from the bones without leaving behind much flesh. | |
| Scalloped | |
| A Scalloped Knife, also known as a granton knife, has semi-circular scallops ground into the edge that alternate on either side of the knife and extend from the edge to the middle of the blade. This helps keep moist foods from sticking to the blade and makes the cutting and separation of meats, cheese and vegetables easier. | |
| Kitchen Cleaver | |
| Kitchen Cleavers are often used in Chinese cooking for chopping vegetables. In the West, they're popular for cutting meat. Their size and weight means they can cut through bone. Typically rectangular in shape, the flat side can be used to pound meat or chicken into flat medallions. | |
| Paring/Vegetable | |
| Paring/Vegetable Knife. Paring knives have short, narrow blades and are essential for paring and trimming vegetables and fruits. They usually have a straight knife edge but can also have a curved blade, also known as a Bird’s Beak, which is used for turning vegetables. | |
| Santoku/Nakiri | |
| Santoku/Nakiri Knife.The Santoku is originally from Japan where it's used as a multi-purpose cook's knife, the difference being that it has a straighter edge. In particular, it's a favourite for slicing, dicing and mincing (Santoku translates into 'three good things'). The Nakiri has a thinner blade and is used for cutting vegetables; its full Japanese name translates as ‘knife for cutting greens’. |
