A kitchen knife is a cook's best friend in the kitchen, but have you ever felt you're not using the right one for your current kitchen task?
While those knife blocks with 10 different knives look pretty on your counter, they're often more confusing than they are helpful. Often stuck figuring out which knives to use and what they're good for. That's why we want to share our knowledge on the five must-have knives: a chef's knife, carving knife, bread knife, utility knife, and paring knife. These five knives will take care of all of your cutting needs in the kitchen!
Here's our helpful guide about each of these great knives and how they can help make your life easier!
The Chef's Knife
The first knife you should consider is the chef's knife. This large, all-purpose blade will often be your go-to choice for most cooking tasks that doesn't require a specialized blade. Most chef's knives are between 6 to 10 inches long. The larger blade means you can use it to cut anything from fruits and vegetables to meat and poultry.
The chef's knife is great for all of your chopping, slicing, and dicing needs. Whether you want to chiffonade some herbs, break down a chicken or slice through a big watermelon. It's great for any tasks that need a little more power and force than what your paring knife provides.
The Carving Knife
The carving knife is a staple when it comes to prepping meat. Its narrow blade allows it to cleanly slice through different kinds of meat in just one slicing motion. It’s the perfect knife to use when trimming out the excess fat from your juicy steaks or thinly slicing cold cuts for your charcuterie board.
It’s a versatile option that comes with a comfortable ergonomic handle. Serving food during holiday parties won’t be a problem at all. Your carving knife will make slicing juicy roast beef, or carving a turkey easy and hassle-free!
The Bread Knife
The bread knife, also known as a serrated knife, has serrated edges that looks like the teeth of a saw. Best used for slicing through your favorite loaves of bread, in addition to slicing soft fruits and vegetables without tearing or squishing.
When cutting tomatoes, it's best to use a serrated knife to get clean slices without squishing all the juices out.
The Utility Knife
The utility knife is a useful kitchen tool that every home cook will surely need. It features similar functions as the multi-purpose chef’s knife, but comes in a smaller size. It’s a handy knife to use for meal preps and everyday kitchen tasks.
You can count on this knife to handle the slicing and dicing of smaller food items. It’s the perfect fit for whipping up colorful fruit platters, appetizing salads, and ingredients for fresh smoothies.
These five knives will have any home cook feeling prepared, safe, and confident in the kitchen. You'll have the best knife for every task, and you won't don't need 10 different blades cluttering up your counter space!
We hope you feel inspired to cook after learning about these must-have knives and when to use them. You can even grab your very own set today!
The Paring Knife
The paring knife is perfect for the more delicate, precision jobs wherein a larger blade would normally tend to get in the way. These paring knives are commonly 2 to 4 inches long, making them the ideal size for peeling vegetables like potatoes or onions and cutting up smaller fruits. The paring knife can also be used to devein shrimp, and trim off skin and tough fatty bits of different types of meat.
German Stainless Steel (1.4116)
German 1.4116 stainless steel is very well-known in the knife industry for its durability and lasting performance. The 1.4116 is a relatively high carbon stainless steel with a carbon content of 0.45% to 0.55% and is balanced by a chromium content of 1%, which offers good resistance to corrosion that makes it ideal for tools that are used in humid environments like kitchens.
There are a various types of stainless steel knives available in the market. Overall, at Famco we prefer the German 1.4116 Stainless Steel. Known for its durability, hardness and budget-friendly price. Forged from one piece of stainless steel giving the knife a full bolster for more balance and durability that decreases the risk of injury. The ergonomic handle allows for an easy grip. Out of the box, these knives have been sharpened to a 15° angle giving it a sharp edge for precise sharp cuts.
Click here to view Famco's wide range collection of kitchen knives and cutting board.