Chef's knife

A chef's knife is a larger general-purpose kitchen knife that is used for cutting, mincing and chopping of vegetables, meat and fish.

Variants

International and have traditionally been here several forms with different advantages in handling. Together knives is this category that they usually have relatively long blades from 16 to 25 centimeters, a heavier, counter-balancing the blade handle and a wide -area, more massive cutting blade - wider and more rigid than the blade about similar long filleting knife.

The shape differences are partly based on regional traditions, which in turn are adjusted during the various traditions of cooking culture; they result in the same moment from preferred cutting movements with respect to the board in which to prove themselves basic pattern larger tools in a smaller format. In East Asia, food is chewed much further before the cooking process; in the western crushing by the eater on the plate is made of meat, fish and vegetables. European traditional chef's knife ( Figure 4 above ) are therefore relatively relatively heavy and with 20 to 25 centimeters long, the blade towards the handle massive. A hand adjusted shaped handle makes it possible to keep the blade stable even at higher force. The blade back is almost straight out, pulled the blade at the tip to him, making it suitable these knives to stab into objects with them, among other things and to perform rough cutting movements in them.

The other option offer Chinese cleaver跺 刀, Duo Dao, which consist of a nearly rectangular cutting blade ( above Figure 1), which is usually about twice as long as high and measure 20 x 10 inches. The blade extends hardly bent along the lower longitudinal side. In the form they resemble European choppers, however, are not applied in relatively thin blade sharpened on the heels of gross through bone.

Variants are also flat but in outline more like flat hatchets or baleen shaped Chinese knife with more rounded edges ( above Figure 2), which are designed for cutting and rocking movements and trade in China as切刀, Qie Tao, cutter, of choppers are deferred.

Between them and the Japanese Gyuto that resembles European kitchen knives, is in the shape of the Japanese Santoku ( Figure 3 above ), German " knife of three virtues ". Santoku knife found worldwide distribution in recent decades and are now produced by many Western knife manufacturers in expanding the product range. Often the blade ( the Santoku knife above figure measures about 18 inches blade length ) is somewhat shorter than in the European chef's knife whose standard at 20 centimeters or 8 inches is. The cutting blade is for scale. The back falls forward towards the cutting edge, but it remains still suitable for punctures. The cutting edge is less bent on Santoku, designed for better board contact back.

Handling

Chef's knife are relatively heavy and long to relieve during longer periods arm and hand. The knife exercises with your weight pressure on the cut, underlay is usually a heavier board. Well sharpened chef's knife, a largely divide without further pressure vegetables and meat.

To guide the blade sure you hold, before the handle collectively, the cutting blade between thumb and forefinger. If the blade is well balanced, then the equilibrium point is located at the junction of the handle and blade. The knife falls, balanced, while the work is not ( " top-heavy " ) forward, nor is it overloaded the touch, but maintains a horizontal position for cutting practice. The wide blade allows cuts controlled to perform as a narrow.

The different blades allow different movements against the cutting board. When chopping rapid, almost vertical movements; a cutting action take, each section is easily pushed or taken forward. The many kitchen knives relatively high blades allow to establish contact with the hand that holds the clippings; this differs constantly back and return the corresponding interface with the index or middle finger back in front.

Curved blades are particularly suitable for weighing, the Kleinstzerschneiden, clippings as chives, in which a migratory portion of the blade continuously maintains contact with the board.

In yet another cutting movements reserves of this arched front part of the knife board contact, while the cuttings are processed within reach with the almost straight blade portion.

In the labor process have wide blades leaves, as they are popular in Asian cuisine, the advantage that you can easily pick up and transported them with chopped clippings from the board. It saves here to lead the board to the pot filled, the cutting blade used instead of a both hands to take Sliced ​​.

The advantage of sharp blades and less high, however, lies in the cutting and piercing as to cutting of poultry. Santoku knives are designed here as a compromise.

RMS can be with the different types of kitchen knives, if they are well designed and the proposed use is practiced, almost the entire finishing of food during cooking operation ( only for peeling vegetables and the selective excision of damaged areas is an office, spiking, or paring knife that really necessary complement ). When choosing a chef knife should therefore have a sense of the movement, which is carried out even on the board, and see if the knife is good for about preferred rolling movements, or there has graderen board contact, where to look for him. Handle and weight should be in the hands.

Processing

Cheap knives that are only stamped, ground and hardened Steel strip, do not have a goiter between the blade and tang, and the tang is often not carried through the entire handle. Therefore, they are usually mild and poorly balanced because of excess weight between the blade compared to the handle.

Good chef's knives are heavier and mostly free - form (by hand) or forged. With high-quality European knives by the handle shell pieces from Hartkunstoff or wood are riveted in Asian knives that have traditionally had no goiter, the tang is traditionally surrounded by a cylindrical wooden handle, which is fixed by a clamp. Additions are all-metal knife, the Santoku as shown above. European knives are usually ground out with a wedge angle of 20 to 25 degrees, Asian chef's knife are often ground out sharper with more acute cutting angle of 15 to 20 degrees in order but also more sensitive. For European kitchen knives is also mentioned usually a convex ground blade that is supposed to counteract the adhesion of the material to be cut by the blade.

To solve problems with the conflicting requirements of hardness and elasticity of steel, some multi-layer steel is used in which a cutting edge of hard and thus schnitthaltigerem, but also brüchigerem steel is laminated with outer layers of softer but more elastic materials. In Damascus blades, their grain results from the fact that these are many layers to each other and appear cut in plan view.

Care

Blades become dull over the course of the work. With a sharpening steel, only a will drawn up by the cutting -forming ridge again. For grinding usually sequentially wet stones with increasing fineness are used.

Knives retain their sharpness longer if they are not in water and do not remain suspended corrosive acids. Dishwashers let them dull and its hard plastic handles are dull and brittle. Wooden handles dry out in the dishwasher wash. When careful use washes and dries you knife immediately after use and do not place them with other metal goods together in a tray. Knife blocks, magnetic strips or individually ducted shelves are used for convenient storage.

At work, make sure that the use of appropriate documents. Wooden boards are cut friendly and the food industry safe. Cutting on hard documents such as glass, porcelain or steel makes the blade very quickly become dull and can, for example, outbreaks cause massive damage.