The Cutting Edge. The knives to choose, and use. There is a quote from George Orwell which goes – ‘The Secret of a successful restaurant is sharp knives’. I think he was right, like any artisan using quality tools and looking after them is an essential part of craftsmanship.
Like any other hobby, cooking is addictive, the urge to create, develop, produce, and ultimately eat food is irresistible and with any dish product is king. But before we start looking at the produce let’s look at the basic tools we need for the job. Don’t go all out and buy everything at once, but do buy the best quality that you can afford. Not only will they do a better job that cheap tools they will last a longer and reduce the amount of money you spend in the long run.
Chopping Boards
Chopping boards should be end-grain. That is blocks of hard wood set with the grain of the wood running from top to bottom not side to side. This format gives the knife more grip and is kinder to the blade. The blade can work between the fibres of the board and is less likely to form deep cuts in the wood.
However, the end grain of wood is very prone to absorbing liquid so ensure your board is regularly treated with chopping board oil. This must be a food – safe oil meant for the purpose, I like Papa Oki chopping board oil, it’s organic and anti-bacterial. The board can be quicky washed to clean it but never leave it soaking in water or pop it into the dishwasher!!
Other considerations
Glass chopping boards are awful, they will damage your knives and may cause an accident if the knife slips. They might make a good cheese board but otherwise useless.
If you intend to work with meat or fish each will require separate boards. meat is usulay cut on a Red Chopping Board, and fish on a Blue Chopping Board. I would recommend you use a polycarbonate material which will not absorb liquid and can be cleaned in a dishwasher to be hygienic.
Kitchen knives, the cutting edge.
Now we have a good surface to work on we need something to work with.
There are endless types, brands, and styles of knife on the market. Most chefs will use anywhere between five and twenty knives in their armoury, some constantly in use, others for very special and occasional use. Every chef will have a preference, but the important thing is that it works for them.
There is no ideal knife and it’s a very personal choice. I would always recommend that whenever possible you hold a knife before purchase. How does it feel? Too heavy or too light? Is the grip suitable for your hands? If the knife feels awkward then it’s unlikely to work well for you. Good knives are an expensive purchase, but the quality of the knife is vital to its performance and life span, with the best quality knives offering value for money in the long run.
Good manufactures include:-
Zwilling – https://uk.zwilling-shop.com
Wusthof – https://www.wuesthof.com
F. Dick – https://www.dick.de
Global – https://globalknives.uk/
Knives should be stainless steel and constructed of one piece of machined steel. If fitted with wood handles riveted right through the steel. Plastic handles must be robust and securely bonded to the blade.
For the home cook five knives will perform most tasks in the kitchen, but the quality of the knife is just as important for home cooks as it is for the professional. It’s often cheaper to buy knives as a set but be sure that all the knives in the set are what you need. You are buying a knife to use not to look at!
A knife block or magnetic rack are the best options for storage, but of course keep them well away from children. Don’t leave your good knife rattling around in a draw, it’s dangerous and will damage the blades. Sharp Knives are the safest knives, blunt knives make you put force behind the knife. This will cause the knife to jump and jerk through the food cutting anything in its way. Possibly your fingers.
Cooks Knife
The king of knives and the one you will be using more than any other. As to size 24cm to 30cm overall is a good start. Weight is important here; it must feel right in the hand and not too blade heavy. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of the kitchen, a knife that will chop, slice, crush and even act a small cleaver all in one.
The key factor here is the shape of the blade, while all are similar there are different profiles on the market. I would recommend that to start that you look for a blade where the curve at the front of the knife is nether too flat or exaggerated. Its this curve that allows the classic chefs slicing movement, one of the first skills to learn
Slicing Knife
Does what it says on the tin, used for slicing This could be vegetable, fish, or meat and generaly performs slightly more delicate work than the cook’s knife. Aim for a blade length of about 18cm and it will be suitable to carve small cuts of meat. Don’t be afraid of longer blade lengths, they allow you to have long smooth cutting strokes avoiding steps in the cut.
Vegetable Knife
This and the fruit knife are where you can save a little money if needed. The handle needs to be comfortable in the hand so it can’t slip. A blade length of about 9cm is fine. Useful for a thousand and one jobs but don’t use it for slicing. The blade is too short which will make you press down on the food. The knife suddenly jerks down, and a cut finger is the result.
Serrated Fruit Knife
Very handy for soft or citrus fruit. This can be of a basic construction with a plastic handle and thin blade. Difficult to sharpen so generally just replaced when blunt.
Vegetable Peeler
Yes, this is a knife, the blade should be of the same steel as your other knives and kept sharp. I always prefer a fixed blade peeler as its more flexible in its uses. Have a swivel peeler as well if you must, it can be quite handy for some jobs. The key in usage is like all knives to slice and not push. If your peeler jams or digs in, you are pressing into the product to hard. And remember it’s not just a peeler but a slicing tool as well.
I would also expand this selection by adding in a good pair of kitchen scissors. Choose a strong pair made for the job. High quality stainless blades and a robust hinge. They should be capable of cutting through a chicken carcase. If you like to do lots of roasts a good carving knife is a benefit.
As your cooking expands so will your selection of tools, the choice is endless. I think at one point I had over 30 knives, total overkill. Of the 30 I probably only use 6 on a daily basis.
This is my traveling knife kit for demonstrations.
This will cover just about everything I might come up against, but total overkill for home cooking, so don’t get carried away. On one occasion back in my 20s I bought a cooks knife with a 20”- 50cm blade. It was on sale and great value, of course, when I came use it, I found out why, it was lethal. Anybody working near me was in danger of losing an ear! I still have it somewhere, useful for chopping firewood.
Setting yourself up with a good set on knives and learning how to use them properly and safely will both improve the quality of your cooking and your enjoyment of the process. Take your time and practice, practice, practice.
Further in the series I will cover the techniques in using the knives and the most common question of all. ‘How do I sharpen a knife ?