Handling and Caring for Knives
I'm not completely sure, but I personally think that the first cooking implement created by man was the knife. Ages ago, man used knives to hunt and gather their food, and when he learned how to make fire, the knife was a major tool in food preparation as well. Today, the knife remains as one of the most important tools you could have. Everywhere you go, from homes to cafes and restaurants, you will find all sorts of knives being used for almost every food preparation and cooking task.
But although we can all agree about the importance of this versatile tool, the fact remains that still a lot of people don't know how to handle and take care of their knives correctly. Perhaps it's because knives don't have manuals when we buy them.
One of the things that really annoy me is watching people use knives incorrectly. But then, no one showed us how to use knives properly whe we were little. All we knew at that time was that knives were dangerous and better kept away from us kids. There may be no instruction manuals for knives, but that's not a reason why people shouldn't learn to use them properly.
First, learn how to hold the knife properly. Basically, there are three ways to hold a knife, but it depends on the kind of knife and what is it going to be used for. For cutting against a board, a knife should generally be held with the thumb and forefinger gripping the blade. Grip the handle with your other three fingers. When cutting hanging meat, for example, the knife should be held like a dagger to get proper leverage. When using a small knife to turn or peel, it should be held with one or two fingers gripping the blade, with the othersthe rest around the handle.
There are also several ways to properly care for your knives. A wooden board should be used for chopping and cutting. Plastic boards require more cleaning, and they are not quite as gentle on the edge of a knife as wooden boards. It's also better to use one where the cutting surface is end grain, rather than side grain. End-grain surfaces are the smoothest, least abrasive surface to cut against, so your knife's edge will last a longer time.
When storing knives after use, it's better to use paperboards or plastic sleeves. Clean a knife after using it, then dry and store. Never wash knives in a dishwasher, or just throw it in the wash basin. Always protect the knife's edge against other hard objects. It's more dangerous to use a dull knife than a sharp one, so always keep your knives as sharp as possible. To truly sharpen it, an abrasive surface that is harder than the knife must be used, such as a diamond honer. Using a whetstone needs lots of experience to achieve a fine, razor's edge.
Azlan Irda is the co-founder of AfterKnife.com, which provides high-quality knives and supplies. Visit our website to get all the knives and supplies you need.
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