Using Knives Intro to culinary

Objectives Identify the different parts of a knife Explain the purpose and function of different knife types Demonstrate the proper way to hone a knife Discuss proper safety when handling knives. Identify different types of knife cuts.

Parts of a Knife http://snagwiremedia.com/delusciouslife/2007/12/06/knife_parts-thumb-300x732.jpg

Parts of a Knife blade: the sharp part of a knife used for cutting tang: the unsharpened tail of the blade that extends into the handle of a knife bolster: the thicker band of metal located where the blade joins the handle rivets: metal fasteners used to attach the tang of a knife to the handle. handle: the part you grasp to control the knife; composed of wood, plastic, steel, titanium, or a number of synthetic materials

Types of Knives Serrated: knife edge that has a row of teeth; works well for slicing foods with a crust or firm skin Chef’s Knife (French Knife): large, multipurpose knife used for slicing, chopping, mincing, and dicing; blade is usually 8 to 12 inches long Paring knife: knife with a stiff blade used for trimming and peeling fruits and vegetables; blade is 2 to 4 inches long

Knife Types French Knife Paring Knife Serrated Knife Most used knife Multipurpose Slicing/dicing/chopping Paring Knife Trimming Peeling Stiff blade Serrated Knife Cutting Bread tps://bluecashewkitchen.com/shop/images/T/36107.jpg

Sharpening and Honing whetstone: A stone used to grind the edge of the blade, used to remove raw meat and fish from bones with minimal waste steel: A steel instrument – usually a round rod – used for honing knives mineral oil: used to keep the whetstone lubricated

Sharpening The proper angle for sharpening a knife blade on a whetstone is between 20o and 25o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU2mbWwVSXU

Cleaning Knives Always hand wash knives Never leave your knives in the sink Unseen knives can cause injury Never wash knives in the dishwasher hot water dulls the blade handles can rot rivets can become loose

Storing Knives Always use a sheath if storing in a drawer; A sheath protects the blade from damage. Knives can also be stored in a knife roll, block, or magnet.

Anchoring Anchor with a non-slip mat or damp towel underneath the board so it does not slip and cause injury.

Types of Cutting Boards Wooden Resilient (they give a bit as the knife hits) Must be hand washed and sanitized Not allowed in most restaurant kitchens Hard rubber and/or plastic Can be sanitized in the dishwasher Plastic isn’t very resilient and can develop grooves traps bacteria slows your knife down Can dull knife blade over time

Holding the Knife https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20gwf7YttQM Pinch the end of the blade near the bolster between you thumb and forefinger. Wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle.

Guiding Hand- The hand that controls the ingredient being cut. Claw Grip- Method of holding food during cutting Fingers curl inward and grip food with fingernails Knife blade rests against first knuckle of guiding hand Blade remains perpendicular to cutting board

Mince To cut into pieces 1/8” or smaller; very fine and even cut, frequently used for garlic, shallots, and herbs.

Julienne and Batonnet Long rectangular cuts (Match Sticks, French Fries) Batonnet – ¼” x ¼” x 1-2 inches Julienne – 1/8” x 1/8” x 1-2 inches Fine Julienne – 1/16” x 1/16” x 1-2 inches

Brunoise and Dice A cut that produces a cube-shaped item with six equal sides measuring Small Dice - ¼” x ¼” x ¼ ” Medium Dice - ½” x ½” x ½” Large Dice - ¾” x ¾” x ¾” Brunoise – 1/8” x 1/8” x 1/8”