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Why Dull Kitchen Cutlery Can Wreck Your Cooking

By: Robert Cooksey A knife that costs a lot isn't necessarily one that'll do the best job. Knives that aren't kept in good condition will be hard to cook with, even if they're top of the line. Having the right knives and keeping them in the best possible shape is an important part of running things efficiently and avoiding accidents in the kitchen.

Make sure that you have a quality chef's knife - the one blade every cook should have. This is a large handled knife with a blade that starts out wide near the base. It then tapers to a point. This is the knife you'll use for the majority of your cutting in the kitchen. Since chef's knives are so versatile, a full knife set isn't really worth the cost. Investing in a single, high quality chef's knife and keeping it very sharp will serve you better in the long run.

Remember that not all chef's knives are the same. Their blades come in a variety of different size and are measured by blade length. Be sure not to get a knife that's too small. In fact, the smallest all purpose knife you should get has an eight inch blade, not counting the handle. While a small knife might seem easier to use or safer, they often aren't. Remember that you can use a large knife to cut up something small, but small knives can't cut large objects.

A bewildering variety of blades will present itself when you go knife shopping. There are even a wide variety of eight inch chef's knives, ranging between fifteen and a hundred and fifty dollars. If you're on a budget, the cheapest knives may tempt you, but avoid them. Instead, look for a knife that's about twenty-five dollars and has an overhang below the handle to help you keep it sharp.

Many people think expensive knives keep an edge longer. However, if you cut a sturdy vegetable, chances are the edge will need a touch up, no matter how good your knife might be. On a daily basis, use a steel for edge straightening. This is the long stick that comes with many knife sets, and it was traditionally made of steel, though many are now made of diamond or ceramic. When you use this, swipe each side of the knife down the steel at about a twenty degree angle. If you're not comfortable deciding what that angle looks like, you also have some other 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.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Robert Cooksey maintains a number of websites covering the art of cooking with emphasis on the tools necessary to attaining success, including About Kitchen Cutlery as well as Henckels Cutlery. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.

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