The number of kitchen knives that a great cook will accumulate over the course of the years will undoubtedly include
a number of special knives. There are, for example, several special kitchen knives and cutting tools found exclusively in
the bakeshop; still others are required for butchering meats and fabricating fish. The below is intended as a guide to the
knives that may be found in nearly any well-outfitted knife kit.
Chef's Knife or French Knife
This all-purpose knife is used for a variety of chopping, slicing, and mincing chores. The blade is normally 8 to 14
inches long.
Utility Knife
This smaller, lighter chef's knife is used for light cutting chores. The blade is generally 5 to 7 inches long.
Paring knife
This short knife used for paring and trimming vegetables and fruits, has a 2 to 4 inches long blade.
Boning Knife
A boning knife is used to separate raw meat from the bone. The blade, which is thinner and shorter than the blade of
a chef's knife, is about 6 inches long, and is usually rigid.
Filleting Knife
Used for filleting fish, this knife is similar in shape and size to a boning knife, but has a flexible blade.
Slicer
This knife is used for slicing cooked meat. It has a long blade with a round or pointed tip. The blade may be flexible
or rigid and may be taper ground or have a fluted edge that consists of hollow ground ovals.
Cleaver
Used for chopping, the cleaver is often heavy enough to cut through bones. It has a rectangular blade and varies in size
according to its use.
Tourne Knife
This small knife, similar to a paring knife, has a curved blade to make cutting the curved surfaces of tourneed vegetables
easier.
Knives are available in many shapes and sizes. They are designed for specific cutting tasks. The following
list includes the most common types of knives:
1. Chef's Knife – This is likely the most often used knife in the kitchen. It
typically includes a 4 to 12-inch blade that is used for chopping and dicing.
2. Carving Knife –
This includes an 8 to 10-inch blade. It is used for carving slices of meats, fruits and vegetables. It has a pointed tip that
easily cuts around bones.
3. Paring Knife – This knife has a 3 ½ to 4-inch blade and is used for
peeling, coring and slicing small objects.
4. Serrated Knife – This knife includes a sharp edge
and saw-like notches or teeth. The blade is usually 5 to 10 inches long, and is used to slice bread, fruit and large vegetables.
5. Utility Knife – This includes a 6-inch blade that is similar to both a paring and a chef's knife.
It is all-purpose and designed for a variety of everyday cutting tasks.
6. Boning Knife – This
is a knife with a 4 to 5-inch blade that is used to separate meat from the bone.
7. Filet Knife –
This is a 7-inch knife with a long, thin blade that is used to filet fish.
8. Cleaver – This knife
typically includes a thick 6-inch blade that is used to cut through bones and joints of meat. It can also be used to crush
spices.
9. Steak Knife – This knife includes a 5-inch blade and is commonly used in a typical place
setting. It is used to cut through thick pork chops and steaks.
Additional kinds of knives include:
Santoku knife, mincing knife, oyster knife, clam knife, grapefruit knife, cheese knife, chestnut knife, peeling knife,
and slicer.
How to Care for your Knives
- Always wash your knives by hand. This will ensure that they last longer and remain in good condition. Knives that are
washed in the dishwasher are exposed to harsh detergents and scalding temperatures.
- Wipe knives clean immediately after use. This will prevent the discoloration of the blade, and prevent foods from hardening
onto the blade.
- Store knives in a wooden knife block. If one is not available, you can store your knives in a sheath, or at least away
from other utensils, to prevent damage to the sharp edges.
- Use a wood or polyethylene cutting board. These create less resistance to the edge of the knife than other cutting boards
or surfaces.
