Knife Skills

STANDARD 5 Apply proper procedures for knives and knife cuts. Objective 1: Identify types, use and care of knives. a. Cutting board -- designation of use, stabilization and sanitation b. Types of knives (Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Serrated Knife) c. Sanitation and storage of knives Objective 2: Identify and demonstrate different knife cuts a. Batonnet b. Julienne c. Brunoise d. Dice e. Chiffonade f. Diagonal Performance Objective: Set up a knife work station correctly and demonstrate 4 of the 6 knife cuts.

Work Area Set Up: 1. Sanitize work area. 2. Stabilize cutting board by placing a damp dish cloth under it to prevent movement. 3. Set up bowls to use for waste and for useable product.

Cutting an onion: Cut off the top first. Cut off the roots, close to the bulb. Peel and prepare for dish. Paring Knife

Cutting Boards and Knifes After using a cutting board and knife, both the cutting board and the knife need to be washed in hot soapy water before moving onto the next task.

Rules for Using Cutting Boards: 1. Be sure to stabilize the cutting board 2. Clean well to prevent cross-contamination.

Holding a Chef’s knife: Hold knife with fingers around the handle, thumb and index finger on the metal of the blade. No fingers under the blade!

Holding a knife When cutting use the claw grip.

Using a Chef’s knife When using a chef’s knife, a rocking motion is best.

Which is best – a dull knife or a sharp knife?

Knife Safety: Write 5 on the back of your listening guide.

Basic Knife Cuts -Julienne Measurements – 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch by 2 ½ inches in length. Method of cutting: Trim the vegetable so sides are squared. Slice the vegetable into 2 ½ inch lengths. Slice the squared vegetable into 1/8 inch slices Stack the slices and cut into 1/8 inch sticks.

Brunoise Measurements: 1/8 inch cubed Method of cutting: Trim the vegetable so sides are squared. Slice the vegetable into 2 ½ inch lengths. Slice the squared vegetable into 1/8 inch slices Stack the slices and cut into 1/8 inch sticks. Cut sticks into 1/8 inch cubes

Batonnet Cut Measurements – ¼ inch by ¼ inch by 2 ½ -3 inches in length. Method of cutting: Trim the vegetable so sides are squared. Slice the vegetable in 2 ½ to 3 inch lengths. Slice the squared vegetable into ¼ inch slices Stack the slices and cut into ¼ inch sticks

Small Dice Measurements: ¼ inch cubed. Method of cutting: Trim the vegetable so sides are squared. Slice the vegetable into manageable lengths. Slice the squared vegetable into ¼ inch slices Stack the slices and cut into ¼ inch sticks. Cut sticks into ¼ inch cubes.

Medium Dice Measurement: ½ inch cubed. Method of cutting: Trim the vegetable so sides are squared. Slice the vegetable into manageable lengths. Slice the squared vegetable into ½ inch slices Stack the slices and cut into ½ inch sticks Cut sticks into ½ inch cubes.

Chiffonade Step 1: Wash and dry vegetables well. Step 2: Carefully remove any stalks. Step 3: Stack and roll the leaves into a cylinder. Step 4: Slice crosswise into 1/8 to 1/16 inch strips. Step