Four Essential Knives for Every Kitchen

Have you ever heard that using a knife with a dull blade is riskier than using a sharp one? That's accurate, yet it's also a terrible idea to use the wrong kind of knife for the task. You don't even need to buy the same brand of kitchen knives when purchasing the right ones for your needs; you don't need to purchase a whole boxed set at once. There is a knife that is ideal for every task, whether it is boning fish, slicing tomatoes or peaches for a summer salad, or mincing garlic. For a well-stocked kitchen, you'll need four different types of knives in addition to one additional tool to keep them sharp.

Chef's Knife

By far the most significant and practical knife in your collection is an 8- to 10-inch chef's knife. Although such a large knife may make you uneasy, the longer edge increases the knife's effectiveness and versatility. Given that you have more blades to deal with, a longer blade may be safer than a shorter one. Most of your kitchen duties, such as slicing and dicing fruits, vegetables, and meat, will require a chef's knife. It is not appropriate to use a chef's knife for peeling vegetables or for butchering or cutting birds. A chef's knife is awkward for jobs that are better suited for a smaller knife due to its broad blade.

Paring Knife

Where a chef's knife stops, a paring knife continues. With a blade length of approximately 3 1/2 inches, paring knives are perfect for dishes that need precise handling. Using a paring knife, you can peel and slice fruits and vegetables, hull strawberries, and slice or chop garlic and onions. Carrots, celery root, and parsnips are examples of hard vegetables that should not be cut with a paring knife. Because these smaller blades are not heavy enough to cut through meals readily, you will have to apply more pressure or tighten your grip when cutting, which could lead to the knife slipping. If you are using the incorrect blade for the task, it will show up as a forced cut.

Sharp Edge Knife

A serrated knife can be used for much more than just slicing bread. A serrated knife, with an average blade length of 6 inches, works well on items like watermelons, tomatoes, peppers, and citrus that have slippery or waxy surfaces. Cutting cake layers is also made easier by using a serrated knife. For example, a chef's knife with a flat blade would slide across a slippery surface and cause an accident, while one with a jagged edge could grip and pierce as well. Fresh herbs, berries, garlic, and onions are examples of small objects that should not be chopped or sliced with a serrated knife. Instead, employ a sawing motion with the knife to enable the teeth along the blade to grab and cut through components.

Boning Knife

Use a boning knife if you intend to cut or debone fish, meat, or poultry. A boning knife allows you to cut around bones but not through them, whereas most knives are made to cut straight lines. A quality boning knife should be flexible enough to cut through cartilage and joints while also separating meat from bone.

Sharpening Steel

Even though honing steel isn't a knife, it's nevertheless a valuable addition to any collection because it helps to prolong the sharpness of your blades. By guiding your knife along the honing steel, you can realign the blade's teeth and get a cleaner cut and sharper edge. Once a year, have your knives properly sharpened. Sharpen your knives every time you use them. Any straight-sided knife, like a chef's knife or paring knife, can be sharpened using a honing steel; however, serrated knives should not be sharpened with a honing steel since the teeth will not slide smoothly over the steel.