| If you are starting out, or planning on upgrading | | | | you really need these? It might be better for you |
| you knife collection, here are some tips on what | | | | to buy a single, quality knife that you really need. |
| to look for. | | | | Or, spend the money on a knife sharpener. If |
| 1. Start with a basic set of preparation knives: | | | | someone else is buying knives for you, then tell |
| Usually, 3 or 4 knives are a good basic collection. | | | | them the type you want. |
| The knives that we use all the time are; a couple | | | | 7. Learn how to use a steel: |
| of 4" utility/paring knives, a small 6" chef's knife, | | | | A steel is the round thing that you see in almost |
| and a large 8" chef's knife. These are the knives | | | | all knife sets. They are used to maintain an edge |
| that are used most heavily throughout all cooking | | | | as you use the knife during food preparation. It |
| preparation. | | | | helps to keep a good edge between the times |
| 2. Add additional knives if you need them: | | | | that you have the knife professionally sharpened. |
| You can add to your basic collection as necessary. | | | | Make sure that your steel has a large guard that |
| Additional options may include a carving knife, | | | | prevents the knife from slipping towards your |
| bread knife, and thin bladed boning knife. These | | | | hand. |
| knives are used for specialty purposes and we | | | | 8. If you want, wear a fillet glove: |
| use them less frequently than our preparation | | | | We use a product, called a fillet glove, made |
| knives. | | | | mostly for people slicing up fish or shucking |
| 3. Buy knives that fit your hand and feel good in | | | | oysters. You often see the staff at raw bars |
| your hand: | | | | using them. These gloves are made out of some |
| You will get a lot of suggestions to buy this brand | | | | kind of metal and fiber that prevents the knife |
| or that. Friends will say "I have those and they | | | | from slicing your hand. If you are afraid of |
| are good knives". It really doesn't matter if they | | | | working with knifes or want to protect yourself |
| have a knife that they like, if it will not fit you! Go | | | | as you use or sharpen a knife or special cutting |
| to a store and actually hold and test all the knives | | | | tool, wearing a fillet glove is an excellent safety |
| in stock, even the expensive ones. If the knife | | | | precaution. |
| doesn't feel balanced in your hand, or the handle is | | | | 9. Keep a small first aid kit in the kitchen: |
| shaped funny for you, or you just don't like it for | | | | Knives are sharp and the kitchen can be hectic at |
| some unknown reason, don't buy it. You are going | | | | times. It is quite likely that you will receive your |
| to use these things a lot, so make sure that you | | | | share of knife cuts, nicks and stabs. Keep some |
| buy ones that you can live with for a long time. | | | | Band-Aids nearby. You will need them. |
| 4. Keep them sharp! | | | | 10. It is a price/sharpness balance: |
| Any knife, regardless of the price, works poorly if | | | | A single good knife may cost between $50-100, |
| it is dull. Make sure that your knives are well | | | | while a complete set at a department may cost |
| maintained. You can keep them sharp by using | | | | the same. The knives are different. They are |
| stones, steels, electric sharpening appliances, or by | | | | made from a different kind of steel, with |
| taking them to a professional site. If you can't | | | | different manufacturing techniques. These |
| easily slice a tomato, and instead squish it, you | | | | differences increase the cost and the quality of |
| really need to have your knives professionally | | | | the knives. The primary difference between |
| sharpened. | | | | "good" knives and less expensive knives is that |
| 5. Store knives properly: | | | | the good knives hold their edge longer and are |
| There are many different approaches to storing | | | | easier to sharpen. |
| knives, but the one that we like is one of those | | | | So buying and using knives comes down to a |
| knife blocks. We prefer ones that keep the blades | | | | choice of what type you need, how they feel in |
| horizontal, not vertical ones since you can place | | | | your hand, and how often you want to sharpen |
| the knife sharp end down and dull the edge. | | | | them. What you buy will have an effect on your |
| 6. Buy only the knives that you will use: | | | | cooking experience, so balance what you want |
| A lot of knife sets come with steak knives, often | | | | between costs and the experience you want. |
| 6 or 8 of them. If you don't eat a lot of beef, do | | | | |