The most essential tool in the kitchen is the knife. It is possibly the most important piece of equipment used in the kitchen so much so that some chefs keep their own set of knives and they don't share their knives.
Kitchen knives are generally made by being either forged or stamped (Forged vs Stamped Knives).
The knives in the following picture are, from top to bottom,
Boning knife
Serrated knife
Chef's knife
Utility knife
Paring knife
Types of Knives:
Boning Knife -
It is great for butchery, such as taking apart a chicken, or cleaning a beef fillet. The blade is on the thinner side and often is flexible to allow you to push the knife against something solid, such as a bone so you don't lose any meat in the process.
Chef's Knife -
Also called French knife. It's used for all purpose cutting tasks and the blade is usually 6 to 8 inches long. The knife has a wonderful curve that makes it smooth when you work with it (Western vs Japanese Knives).
Cleaver -
It is not an essential knife for western cuisines but is used commonly in Chinese cooking for cut through bones. Watch out for it can also chop up your cutting board quickly.
Fillet Knife -
It is used for filleting fish and is very similar to a boning knife in terms of a flexible blade, so that you can press it against a bone without leaving any meat/flesh behind. It is handy if you do a lot of fishing.
Paring Knife -
A paring knife is ideal for peeling or other small, intricate work, such as hulling strawberries, de-veining a shrimp, removing the seeds from jalapeno, or cutting small garnishes (what?). A sharp blade in a paring knife is more important than anything else and they usually get dull, chipped and end up in the garbage. In my opinion, it makes more sense to get an inexpensive one and replace it when necessary.
Serrated Knife -
I t has little teeth on it to allow for the cutting to go through tough crust/skin that resist the edge of the knife without pressing and squishing the ingredients. It is ideal for slicing bread and cutting tomatoes.
Slicing knife -
It has a very long, thin blade that tends to be very sharp and doesn't stick to food. It is ideal when you are slicing sashimi or carving a roast beef.
Utility Knife -
Also called Sandwich knife or Tomato knife. The blade is usually 5 inch long.
Note:
Forged vs Stamped -
A forged knife is made by heating a piece of steel to a very high temperature, and forging the shape of the blade and other parts. The heat and shaping process aligns the steel molecules all in the same direction. As the metal cools, these molecules stay aligned in the same direction. This makes the cooled metal less flexible and stronger than before it was heated and shaped.A wood is attached to the handle part at the end of process.
A stamped knife starts with a single continuous sheet of steel that is machine-cut/stamped into the shape of the blade. The blade is then ground, polished and heat treated to make the blade stronger. However, the temperature used to heat treat a stamped knife (400-700 F) is much lower than the temperature used to shape a forged knife (1400-1900 F). Then the handle is affixed and an edge is put on it.
Stamped knives cost much less than a forged knife does since it requires a higher level of craftsmanship to make. In addition, a forged knife is a bit heavier and the steel is harder.
You'll likely find ongoing debates regarding forged versus stamped kitchen knives but it often comes down to individual preferences and hinges on the contrasting food preparation methods used by different chefs.
For example, the blades on forged knives are stronger than the blade on stamped knives. For this reason, forged knives do not dull as fast as stamped knives. Therefore, if a really sharp blade is important to the food prep you do, you may want to opt for forged knives, especially if you like to slice your vegetables and meats in razor thin slices.
The fundamental difference between Western style knives and their Japanese counterparts can be summarized in three ways.
 |
| Western Knife |
1. Double bevel (western knife) versus single bevel (Japanese knife)
The Western knife is sharpened on both sides of the blade. They therefore have what is called a symmetrical bevel. The range of angle is between 18 to 28 degrees, which is far higher than that of the average Japanese style knife, which is sharpened only on one side of the blade.
This obviously has an impact on the way the Western knife is sharpened. When choosing a knife sharpener for western style knives you need to ensure that the tool is able to sharpen both sides of the blade.
 |
| Japanese Knife |
Western style knives also differ to Japanese in that many designs are more curved along the blade. You utilize this design feature every time you rock your knife to and fro in a chopping action. The curve allows you to apply different amounts of pressure to specific areas of the blade.
This curved shape of Western style knives obviously means that when choosing which knife sharpener to buy, you should check that it has the facility to sharpen your knife all the way along the curved edge.
3. The Blade thickness
The blade thickness is another difference between both knife styles. Traditionally, Western style knives are built using softer steel. In order to give the knife the required density and strength, more material is required. As such, you will often find that a Western style knife is more robust.
The softer steel used in Western knives does mean that the edges become dull faster than the average Japanese knife. Heavy use will see imperfections appear along the blade, however, the fact the material is softer, means most Western style knives can be sharpened with great effect.
No comments :
Post a Comment