There are so many types of kitchen knives to choose from when working in the kitchen and it can be confusing to understand which each knife’s purpose is. If you ever wonder what each is actually for, Dr. Cooker had created this guide to how to use each type of knife and which types of foods can be cut using each. This guide will help you become the best cook you can possibly be!
Chef’s knife
The chef’s knife can be used for virtually anything. The average chef’s knife ranges from 8 to 10 inches, however they do come in larger and smaller sixes depending on your preference. It can be used to chop vegetables into batons or cut up meat for a tasty stir fry. Since this knife can be used to prep almost any food, it is a staple in any chef’s knife collection. Using the chef’s knife can allow you to create so many different meals and is a great all-around knife that will stand the test of time and be a great investment in the kitchen.
Paring knife
The pairing knife is also very important in the kitchen as they can be used for the same as a chef’s knife, but on a smaller and more precise scale. The best way to use a paring knife is on soft vegetables and fruits such as garlic and strawberries, or to create a garnish such as a slice of mint. These kitchen knives make it easier to cut soft foods, however you should avoid hard foods such as carrots due to the risk of hurting yourself. For those harder foods you should stick to the larger and heavier bladed chef’s knife.
Carving knife
A carving knife is perfect for carving meats such as chicken, beef, or pork. This knife has a sharp thin blade to give a clean cut. If you like to roast meat and serve to guests, then this is the best way to cut with ease. It can also be used to cut delicious juicy steaks into thin slices for great presentation. Overall, we recommend these for you to achieve the best cut in your meat cooking experiences.
Boning knife
These knives are very important to those who enjoy cooking meat and fish. The knife is typically between 12-17cm in length, and has a narrow blade and a sharp tip. The main purpose of this knife is to remove the bones from poultry such as chicken, meat and fish. The sharp tip and narrow blade allows for accurate cuts when trying to cut against more delicate bones such as fish bones. The blade is also specially designed to cut through ligaments and connective tissue in the meat. It is important to have a specific boning knife when cutting meat as they are sharp and allow for precision in slicing. If a chef used a more blunt knife, the meat would simply rip which would affect both the preparation of the food and the presentation. With the sharp boning knife, you have full control of the cutting.
Bread knife
If you enjoy freshly baked bread or creating the perfect banana loaf, a bread knife will be a staple in your kitchen. The serrated edge allows for an easier cut on the soft bread and will prevent breaking any fragile bakes. The style of knife it often longer than the average knife which allows them to cut both small and large items. If you want to impress people with your bread making skills, be sure to get yourself a bread knife to give you the perfect presentation with your creations.
Cheese knife
A cheese knife makes cutting your cheese so much easier than an average knife. The round top and edge prevents cheese from crumbling when it is cut and give you a perfect slice every time. If you’re serving charcuterie boards to friends a cheese knife on the board is the perfect addition. They come in sleek classic styles as well as novelty styles which are great for serving with. Having one of these means anyone can cut cheese from your serving board and enjoy as they wish! This is a perfect knife for any cheese lovers.
Cleaver
Although a cleaver may not be a common knife in the household kitchen, if you are into cooking and aspire to cook at chefs’ level, these are a perfect tool. They are heavy duty knives which can be used to cut through meat and bones. They are used in restaurants and in eastern countries such as China, are a commonly used knife and extremely important tool. Many kitchens in China use a cleaver style knife to do most things, including taking the place of the chef’s knife. A western style cleaver is heavier than a Chinese style cleaver so if you want a cleaver which can be used to replace other types of knives, then opt for a Chinese style one. At Dr. Cooker we have explored all types of cleavers to give you the most suitable for your kitchen.
This guide to each knife has been carefully developed to help you understand which you need to cook at home. If you would like to see more available kitchen knives, check out the cookware section of our website.
