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Why Dull Kitchen Cutlery Can Wreck Your Cooking

A knife that costs a lot isn't necessarily one that'll do the best job. Knives that aren't kept in good condition will be hard to cook with, even if they're top of the line. Having the right knives and keeping them in the best possible shape is an important part of running things efficiently and avoiding accidents in the kitchen.

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.

Remember that not all chef's knives are the same. Their blades come in a variety of different size and are measured by blade length. Be sure not to get a knife that's too small. In fact, the smallest all purpose knife you should get has an eight inch blade, not counting the handle. While a small knife might seem easier to use or safer, they often aren't. Remember that you can use a large knife to cut up something small, but small knives can't cut large objects.

A bewildering variety of blades will present itself when you go knife shopping. There are even a wide variety of eight inch chef's knives, ranging between fifteen and a hundred and fifty dollars. If you're on a budget, the cheapest knives may tempt you, but avoid them. Instead, look for a knife that's about twenty-five dollars and has an overhang below the handle to 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.

Always treat your knife carefully, too. Don't use a granite or glass cutting board, because they'll hurt the edge. Instead, a plastic or wood cutting surface is preferred. Also, wash and dry the knife immediately after use to prevent a sink full of dishes from taking the edge off.

Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com

Robert Cooksey is the developer of several websites covering the art of cooking with emphasis on the tools necessary to attaining success, including About Kitchen Cutlery as well as Henckels Cutlery. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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