Knives that are used in the kitchen are not always the same. Often a well-known brand can be caught selling not very high-quality knives at an increased price, although you can easily find a set of better quality knives for relatively little money, but not a branded company. Since a kitchen knife may well become a purchase that will be used every day for various culinary recipes, it is imperative to select knives of acceptable quality that will be durable, strong, reliable and easy to cut.
What set of knives should be in the kitchen
People who are far from cooking are sure that there can be only two knives in the kitchen - a large one and a small one.But the knives themselves can be of various types and applications, which can perfectly help in cooking. On sale you can find the following types of knives:
- for fruits, herbs and vegetables;
- for processing tomatoes;
- slicing bread products;
- universal action;
- for more comfortable processing of products (slicer);
- for deboning;
- hatchet for cutting and chopping vegetables (Nakiri);
- chef knife (usually with a wide and elongated surface);
- hatchet for processing meat, heavily frozen foods.
Some kitchens also buy knives designed for roll and sushi. This is a small hatchet Santoku and an elongated knife with a narrow blade Yanagiba.
Steel quality
The most optimal basis for a kitchen knife is stainless steel with a carbon content. Carbon contributes to the hardening of the surface of the knife, but it is important to strike a balance here. A high content of this element can lead to blade brittleness and rust, a lower one gives the metal flexibility, but at the same time quickly dulls.
Knife selection
A steel knife can often become dull and the blade will need to be sharpened once a month. But in turn, steel has sufficient strength and reliability. The surface of such a knife is not very sharp, so its use will be quite safe. In addition, there are quite a few varieties of models of steel products. Ceramic knives are lighter in weight, which makes them more comfortable to use. When cooking, arms and shoulders get tired less.
Ceramics does not absorb foreign odors and tastes of products. It may not grind for a long time and will last for about a year without periodic sharpening. Ceramic does not rust and is less prone to scratches.Ceramic knives are easy to clean and can be washed in the dishwasher. You can lightly wash the blade with water and there will be no dirt and aromas from the products on it.
Important! The main disadvantage of ceramics is fragility, so you need to use such a knife with caution. It cannot be used for cutting meat and frozen foods, butchering bones. In addition, a ceramic knife is more difficult to sharpen.
Professionals advise using several steel knives and one or two ceramic knives in home cooking. Next, consider how to make the right choice of a knife for the kitchen.
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