There’s no “best knife” or perfect knife for the kitchen. If you’re in the market for a good set of knives, consider investing in a single good knife and other cheaper subsidiary knives. You can do most important cutting jobs in the kitchen with a basic kitchen knife, about 5 inches (12. 7 cm) long, triangular, and made of stainless steel or other material.
Kitchen knives can be made from ceramic, steel or polycarbonate blends in a variety of styles. Western-style kitchen knives tend to be broader and more chopping-oriented, while Japanese-style kitchen knives are sleeker and typically stronger steel.
Paring knives are good especially for fresh fruits, useful for cutting up an apple, pear, or stone fruits.
When you’re holding the knife, keep the tip and the blade pointed down at all times to be on the safe side. Kitchen knives should be kept extremely sharp, so be careful around them. Many inexperienced cooks, when picking up a knife, will use a “hammer grip,” in which all four fingers are wrapped around the handle, and the blade sticks straight out, perpendicular from the body. You shouldn’t look like Jason from Friday the 13th when you’re holding a kitchen knife.
In the tip-fulcrum method of chopping, the tip of your knife will never really leave the cutting board. You’ll use the tip as a fulcrum, to raise the blunt end of the blade up and down, firmly pushing the knife downward into the food you’re chopping. In the wrist-fulcrum method, the black side of the blade, near where you’re gripping, will never leave the cutting board, and the point will go up and down from the back pivot point, to cut through the food. This is commonly used when slicing onions or other vegetables. Never slap your knife onto the cutting board through a vegetable. There’s no reason to do this, it’s dangerous, and you’ll dull the blade.
Many chefs like to make a show of being able to do this very quickly. It looks dangerous and seems fancy. While it is the “proper” method of chopping, having your guide fingers so close to the knife makes many cooks nervous. It is safer than having your fingers out and exposed, but it takes some practice to get used to. Do what feels comfortable and go slow until you get more experienced.
Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and other rounded fruits and vegetables all should be topped and tailed before you get started. Hold the vegetable firmly on its side, and slice the ends off, then discard them. It’s usually then common to cut a tomato, say, in half from flat side to flat side, then chop or dice up each half individually.
Score vegetables in two directions, at an even interval, then dice by working your knife through the food at a perpendicular angle to your scoring.
To chiffonade, you’ll roll up each leaf of the vegetable you’re cutting into a tight little roll, then chop at an even interval. It should result in pretty, even strips of green that you can use to top your dish.
Cut the food into 1/8th inch-thick planks of an even length, then stack the planks on top of one another and slice into thin strips. Each slice should be about the length of the space between the rivets on your knife.
Wash knives individually, using hot soapy water and lots of care. Don’t toss a big kitchen knife into the bottom of a wash basin so you’ll have to fish around for it. Knives shouldn’t need to soak for any reason. Don’t wash kitchen knives in the dishwasher, especially if the handle is made of wood, or some other kind of material that could become water-logged.
If you’re using your knife more often, it may be more appropriate to sharpen your knives regularly. If you’re chopping up carrots with your kitchen knife every day, you should be able to keep it usable by honing it regularly, but you might need to have it sharpened every couple of months. A sharp kitchen knife should be able to cut through a piece of paper easily. If your knives are dull, the risk of glancing off of slippery vegetables and into your hand is much higher, making it important to work only with sharp knives. Dull knives are still sharp enough to cut your finger, which makes them a lot more dangerous. Always use a sharpener specifically designed for the material your blades are made from.
