A chef’s or cook’s blade is just a large tool that is massive in planning food. Having its help, you can carry out about 90percent regarding the ongoing work in the kitchen. It’s the element that is fundamental to “chef’s troika” (complete with vegetable and energy knives). It’s used for cleansing, chopping, chopping, and shredding an assortment that is wide of meat, herbs, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, sausages, cheese, bread, and others. Let’s list the characteristics which can be distinctive
- the dimensions associated with the chef’s knife can reach 35 cm in length, of which 16-24 take the blade;
- wide blade by having a butt that is massive to 2mm thick);
- A weight that is large because of which almost no effort is required when cutting;
- the blade is wide during the base, narrow, and pointed at the tip.
Traditionally, the cook is known as a “man’s” knife – because of its size that is impressive is convenient to hold it in a person’s hand. Nonetheless, professional female chefs and housewives who understand a lot about cooking also cannot do without this tool. There could be holes or raised notches on the chef’s blade – this can help stop the sticking of the item that is dense slicing.
HOW TO PICK A CHEF KNIFE
The greater amount of experience the cook, the more often you need to cook, the more expensive a knife becomes necessary for you. The most used are cook knives with a length of approximately 20 cm for home use. Professionals choose items having a period of 25-35 cm. Having an established means of work, you will be in a position to cut more and faster, without much work, if your blade is very long and sharp. A blade with a period of 15-18 cm is optimal for novices, with such knives it is more straightforward to manage with no complete lot of culinary experience, however, their performance is leaner.
When thinking about which chef’s knife to get, take special notice of the sort of metal utilized. Frequently, kitchen blades are made from:
- of stainless;
- alloys with medium carbon content;
- high carbon steel;
- zirconium ceramics.
The percentage of carbon in the hardness is afflicted with the alloy associated with the blade. The more carbon, the longer the blade stays sharp and doesn’t require sharpening. Nevertheless, if this kind of Damascus chef knives can be used improperly, cracks and potato chips may appear regarding the advantage that is cutting. This will happen, for instance, when chopping frozen food or bones. Low carbon metal is more versatile, maybe not damaged, but deformed. This downside can be corrected by you whenever sharpening. This sort of steel has a drawback that is significant the blade quickly dulls, crushes, and will not cut services and products.
Along with carbon, steels are alloyed with improvements of molybdenum, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, and others to increase resistance to damage and chemical that is aggressive.
Blades manufactured from Damascus steel are considered to function as the strongest, most durable, and sharpest. Manufactured using this technology, they contain a few levels – the internal ones of high-carbon metal, the exterior people of more ones being versatile low carbon content. The hardness associated with the steel can be simply identified by the HRc marking. The most flexible and steel being ductile an HRc of 50-55 units. The hardest blades are 60 and above.
Blades made of zirconium ceramics are seen as increased hardness and sharpness; they don’t require sharpening for a time that is long but they have been instead fragile and require careful managing. Ideal for cutting products that are loose meat, fruits, veggies, sausages, cheese. The product is acquired from refined zircon ore by high-pressure molding.
European-made knives are often made from medium-carbon steels with a cutting that is double-sided at an angle of about 30 degrees. Japanese knives are understood all over the worldwide globe for their hardness and sharpness. Old-fashioned blades that are Japanese sharpened on a single side, contemporary people on two. A unique function of Japanese knives is sharpening at an angle that is minimum up to 10-15 levels. These blades, whenever precisely utilized, serve for decades and require sharpening less often, unlike the “Europeans”.
When choosing a chef knife, look closely at the handle. The knife should lie comfortably in the hand, maybe not slip, and not have components that are protruding that will rub the palm during intensive work. The handle itself needs to be firmly linked to the blade shank, be described as a single framework. Otherwise, the proper parts will disperse as time passes additionally the blade becomes unusable. Usually, the handles of this cook’s knives are constructed of the materials which are after.
- Tree. Desire stabilized lumber throughout the regular timber that is polished. Wood addressed with special resins is resistant to dampness and will not accumulate dust.
- Glass dietary fiber G-10. Modern material that is revolutionary a greater analog of synthetic. Unlike an affordable relative, it is not afraid of high temperatures and has high strength.
- ABS synthetic. Affordable material with average performance characteristics. It’s the hygiene that is great – there are not any skin pores within the framework, so germs do not accumulate. It can melt at conditions above 80 levels.
- Metal. This kind of handle is melted alongside the blade, as well as the framework becomes monolithic. Most durable and hygienic product, not low priced, and will slip in an oily hand. It’s worth steel that is selected with an anti-slip coating.
JUST HOW TO CUT A COOK WITH A KNIFE
For the cook to work well with a knife effortlessly, and the hand does not get exhausted, it is vital to carry out the right grip. The optimal hand is if the index and thumb lie at the junction for the blade and handle. The index covers the handle from above, plus the large one lies regarding the general part, combined with the handle. The other three hands grip the handle itself. You don’t need to grip the handle greatly, support the knife without straining, but confidently. Support the meals together with your other hand. Press your fingertips inward to prevent cuts and accidents.
With the aid of the chef’s blade, it is possible to perform fast cutting without lifting the blade. This method is advantageous for shredding greens, loose vegetables, and fruits. The cook’s tip is constantly on the board, only the foot of the blade is lifted, and the item is pushed under the edge that is cutting the freehand. Pay attention to the guidelines which can be after
- utilizing the tip of the knife it is convenient to cut, remove seeds, split fillets from bones, cut into tiny pieces;
- the center area of the blade is usually used for cutting and food that is cleansing
- The part that is widest at the bottom is employed for the laborious cutting of thick items.
Do not strive to instantly learn to quickly cut the cook with a blade, the method requires ability. Into the lack of experience, the rate can damage not merely food but in addition your hands.
HOW EXACTLY TO SHARPEN A CHEF’S KNIFE
Perhaps the best blade loses its sharpness sooner or later, which adversely impacts the product quality and usability. You will find special water stones for sharpening kitchen knives. The larger the grit value associated with rock, the sharper the blade shall be after processing. The grain size is suggested by # and ranges from 100 to 12,000 grains per cm2. To create the side that is cutting of chef’s blade to your level of a safety razor, it is sufficient to employ a stone noticeable # 1000. Many knives of European and production that is Chinese such sharpness. It is suggested to hone Japanese knives with stones by having a grain size of # 1000-3000 and higher they regain their initial sharpness since they will be created from difficult steel and after sharpening.
Sharpening starts with coarse-grained stones and ends with all the finest-grained. Water stone is immersed in water for 10-15 minutes before sharpening the cook’s knife. Then they dip it having a towel and begin the task. Pressing on the blade, the stone is carried ahead, then the reverse movement is manufactured without weakening the force.
When sharpening Japanese-made knives, you should observe an angle that is small only experienced users can perform this by eye. To set the optimal angle you need to use a sharpening angle holder or utilize special sharpeners where the sharpening angle was already set.
A properly selected chef’s blade will end up your faithful assistant within the kitchen, which means you should provide choice to a reliable and professional tool. The chef that is Japanese from the Samura brand name is a guarantee of a top-quality cut, an extended solution life without losing the original sharpness of the blade.
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