Why Dull Kitchen Cutlery Can Wreck Your Cooking

by: RobertCooksey
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Expensive knives might not be the ones that are the best in the kitchen. That's because any knife that's not maintained in good condition will be hard to use, no matter what the price. Keeping the right knives and making sure you take care of them is a vital part of keeping things running well in your workspace.

Every cook should have a good chef's knife. A chef's knife has a large handle, and blade that's wide at the base but tapers to a point. These can be used for almost all your kitchen tasks, and it's not really worth it to get a full knife set. Instead, invest in a single good chef's knife that will hold an edge, and keep it good and sharp.

Remember that not every chef's knife is the same. These blades come in many different sizes, and are measured by the length of the blade. Don't get one that's too small - the smallest knife you should buy for all purpose use is around eight inches long, not including the handle. Small knives may seem safer or easier to use, but that's not always true. Large knives can be used to cut small things, but the reverse doesn't work.

There's a bewildering variety out there, as even the above eight inch chef's knife can be found in versions costing between fifteen dollars and more than a hundred fifty. People on a budget should avoid the cheapest knives and settle on one that's about twenty-five dollars. Look for a significant overhang below the handle to help you keep your knife sharp.

You might have heard that a costly knife will hold it's edge longer. That's not really true. Good steel does keep an edge better than the cheapest metal, but cutting any sturdy root vegetable will cause the edge to go out of true. It doesn't matter if you're using a mediocre knife or one that's top of the line. To help fix this, use a steel to straighten the edge on a daily basis. Steels are the long sticks you've probably seen with knife sets, and are traditionally made from steel. However, many are not ceramic or diamond. Using a steel is just a matter of swiping it down the side of the knife at a twenty degree angle, but this takes some experience. For those who aren't comfortable with this process, there are also a few easier options.

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.

No matter how you decide to sharpen, be sure to wash and dry them both before and after. Once you get used to a good edge, it'll be more obvious when knife are getting dull. It gets a lot harder to cut, particularly tough objects. If you want to test a knife, slide the tip of the blade along the skin of a peach or tomato without pressure. If the knife is sharp, it'll split the skin.

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.

About the Author

Robert Cooksey is the developer of several websites covering the art of cooking with emphasis on the tools required for successful food preparation, including About Kitchen Cutlery as well as Henckels Cutlery.  

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