Kitchen Knives

1. Kitchen Knives Foods II Obj. 4.01

2. Knife Construction • Quality Knives • Made of a single piece of metal that has been cut, stamped, or forged into its desired shape • Metals used include stainless steel and high carbon stainless steel

3. Knife Construction • Stainless Steel • Made of iron, chromium, and other metals • Won’t color or rust • Won’t transfer a metallic taste to foods • Difficult to sharpen and keep an edge

4. Carbon Steel • Alloy of iron and carbon • Can hold its edge very well and stay sharp • Blade can rust and stain • Requires maintenance

5. High-Carbon Stainless Steel (the best knife material available) • Mix of iron, carbon, chromium, and other metals that combines the best features of stainless steel and carbon steel • $$$$ • Doesn’t rust or discolor • Can be sharpened easily and holds an edge.

6. Parts of the Knife • Tang • Part of the blade that continues into the knife’s handle • Gives the knife stability and extra weight • Full Tang—long as the whole knife handle • Gives knife extra power and strength • Ex: Breaking down bones • Partial Tang—does not run the entire length of the knife • Used for knives that do light work • Ex: Paring veggies

7. Parts of the Knife • Handle or Scales • 2 portions of handle material that are attached to either side of the tang • Made of several types of materials (woods, plastic, vinyl) • Make sure the handle is comfortable in your grip • Too large a knife and handle can cause hand cramps

8. Parts of the Knife • Rivets • The metal pins (usually 3) that hold the scales to the tang • Due to comfort and sanitation, rivets should be smooth and lie flush with the handle’s surface

9. Parts of the Knife • Bolster • The thick metal portion joining the handle and the blade, which adds weight and balance and keeps the cook’s hand from slipping onto the blade • At the point where the blade and handle come together • Very strong and durable

10. Western vs. Eastern • Western (European and American) knives generally have a bolster. • Eastern knives (China, Japan and across Asia) generally do not have a bolster.

11. Point The very end of the knife, which is used for piercing Tip The first third of the blade, which is used for small or delicate work Edge The cutting surface of the knife, which extends from the point to the heel Heel The rear part of the blade, used for cutting activities that require more force Spine The top, thicker portion of the blade, which adds weight and strength Finger Guard The portion of the bolster that keeps the cook’s hand from slipping onto the blade Return The point where the heel meets the bolster Handle Guard The lip below the butt of the handle, which gives the knife a better grip and prevents slipping Butt The terminal end of the handle Other Parts of the Knife

12. Parts of the Knife Name all the parts by letter.

13. End of notes for today. • Applause please.

14. In the kitchen you are not a Boy Scout or in the Swiss Army • Kitchen knives are designed to do specific jobs and to do those jobs very well. • Chefs and line cooks who are serious about cooking have their own knife kit. Your knife is your friend. Get to know it well.

15. Types of Knives A must have knife for any serious cook • Chef’s Knife • Also known as the cook’s knife or a French knife. • All purpose knife used for slicing, chopping, dicing and mincing. • Curved to allow the cook to rock the knife on the cutting board • Blade is generally 6 or 8 inches. Some are 10 and 12 inches. Average is 8 inches

16. Types of Knives A must have knife for any serious cook • Paring Knife • Only other knife a cook MUST have • Small, rigid, plain knife that is 2 to 4 inches long • Ideal for peeling and other small intricate work (deveining shrimp, cutting small garnishes, carving melons) • Used to pare • Trim off a thin outer layer or PEEL

17. Types of Knives • Slicing (nonserrated) • Long stiff blade for slicing meat and carving. • Good for carving whole chickens and roasts.

18. Types of Knives • Boning Knife • Thin angled 5-7” blade • Used to remove bones from cuts of meat • Used to trim fat • Stiff boning knife • Good for beef and pork • Flexible boning knife • Preferred for poultry and fish

19. Types of Knives • Tournee Knife • Similar to paring knife • Curved blade that looks like a bird’s beak • Used to trim potatoes and veggies into shapes that resemble footballs

20. Types of Knives • Serrated Slicer • Long, thin blade that is ideal for cutting soft foods without tearing or mashing it • Slice coarse foods such as bread and cake without tearing • Cut soft foods like tomatoes

21. Types of Knives • Fillet Knife • 8-9” very thin and flexible blade with pointed tip • Allows blade to easily move along the backbone and under the skin of fish • Used mainly to fillet fish

22. Types of Knives • Utility knife • Medium-length blade will do light work of a chef’s knife and heavier work of a paring knife. Since it is in between the two most used knives, it has declined in popularity

23. Types of Knives • Butcher Knife ( aka Scimitar) • 6-14” rigid blade whose tip curves up at a 25° angle • Called a scimitar because it resembles a sword of that name • Used for heavy work and to cut meat, poultry, and fish

24. Extra Knives • Cleaver • Cut through bone with shear force • Soft Cheese Knife • Holes in the blade to prevent the cheese from sticking • Hard Cheese Knife • Sharp blades to cut exact slices and forked tip to allow to be used as serving utensil • Ceramic Knife • These knives stay sharp longer than steel knives. They are also extremely brittle and will shatter or crack when used to pry. They chip on the edge if used roughly.

25. Extra Knives • UsubaBocho • Japanese knife used for chopping veggies • Tomato knife • Small knife with serrated blade • Oyster knife • Short thick blade used to pry open oysters • Grapefruit knife • Small, slender blade ideal for separating the grapefruit from the rind • Santuko • current fad in trendy cooking circles – Asian knife with no bolster and large squarish blade.

26. End of knife skills notes • Hurray!