A Dull Knife In Your Kitchen Makes You A Bad Cook! |
||||
| By Robert Cooksey | ||||
Every cook should be sure to have a decent chef's knife. This is the familiar large handled knife with a wide base and pointed tip, and it's the knife you'll use for most of your cutting tasks. Because chef's knives are so versatile, you won't even need to invest in a full knife set. All you need is a great, very sharp chef's knife to accomplish almost everything. However, not all chef's knives are the same. They come in a variety of different sizes, which are measured by blade length. The smallest all purpose knife you should buy is about eight inches long (without the handle). While you might think a small knife is easier to handle or safer, it's not necessarily. You can use a large knife to cut smaller objects, but a small knife won't work for large ones. The variety of knives can be bewildering, since even an eight inch chef's knife comes in examples between fifteen and a hundred and fifty dollars. Look for a knife that's around twenty-five dollars if you're on a budget, but more money can get you a more attractive knife. A significant overhang below the handle will help you keep it sharp. You might have been told that expensive knives hold their edges longer, but this isn't really the case. While good steel holds an edge longer than very cheap metal, remember that cutting a parsnip or sweet potato can take the edge out of true no matter what quality knife you have. To straighten your knife's edge, use a steel on a daily basis. A steel is the long stick that comes with many knife sets. Traditionally made of steel, they can also be diamond or ceramic. Using one just requires swiping it down the side of the knife at about a twenty degree angle. However, you can do this wrong, so there are other options for those who aren't comfortable with it. A knife and tool sharpener, which has a built in angle, will help you straighten a knife without a lot of skill. Hold the knife with the edge up, and the tip hanging off the counter's edge. Swipe your sharpener over the edge a few times, and the blade will be a lot sharper. Remember that this kind of sharpener slowly eats away at the blade, and will shorten its life. However, a sharp knife for a shorter time is better than one that is always dull. This is worth keeping in mind if you're unable to have your knives sharpened professionally and aren't comfortable with a steel. However you choose to keep your knives sharp, wash and dry them before and after you sharpen. Once you get used to having your knives sharp, it'll be easy to tell when the edge is going. Cutting will be a lot harder, especially on tough things. Want to test it? Slide the knife along the skin of a tomato or a peach, but don't press down. Sharp knives will cut in right away. Knives should always be treated with care. Don't use glass, granite, or other hard cutting boards. Instead, try wood or plastic. You should also keep the edge from getting damaged by washing and drying with right away after use. This keeps it from being damaged by other dishes and tools. |
||||
| Article Source: http://premierarticle.co.za | ||||
|
||||
|
||||
| © 2010 premierarticle.co.za |