If you’re into cooking and basically spent most of your time in the kitchen, learning how to handle a knife properly can benefit you greatly. Maintaining safety and efficiency in the kitchen starts with holding your knife properly. Improving your knife skills with more practice and care will let you achieve quicker and more controlled cuts and lesser to no accidents in the kitchen. Here are some tips for you.
The Basics of Gripping a Chef’s Knife
Besides keeping your fingers safe and intact, learning how to hold the knife properly will give you speed, efficiency, and better control. Plus, proper knife handling will lessen the risk of hand strains, leading to a bloody sink if handled improperly.
If you’re prepping for a party, finishing your chopping and slicing tasks safely and swiftly is a skill that will come in handy. This will also lead to better cooking. Mastering your knife skills can give you similar ingredients, which is essential for a well-cooked dish.
Here are some tips for you to learn to master the basics of handling a chef’s knife.
Check out: Best Knives For Slicing Brisket
Gripping the Handle
As its name suggests, this technique lets you grip the chef’s knife through its handle.
Grip the knife’s handle and tuck all your fingers at the bottom, behind the blade. Let your hand cover the bolster of the knife so you can have good control over the knife. This is where the blade meets the handle. Most people use this technique as it is the most comfortable and convenient way of holding the chef’s knife. But, when it comes to precision cutting, it can be a bit of a challenge. Thus, we recommend the next technique.
Gripping the Blade
Don’t be intimidated by this technique, as some might think it can be dangerous. This technique is popularly known as the pinch grip. Although professional and skilled chefs usually use this method, this can be easily mastered with more safe practice.
Unlike gripping the handle, this technique only uses two of your fingers on the blade. Set your thumb and index finger carefully inverse the bolster but above the blade. This will give you greater stability when you cut finer parts.
As you practice this technique more, you will find that this technique will give your more stability and control when you chop, dice, mince, or chunk your ingredients. Though it may take more time to perfect, you can master it with more practice and perseverance.
Cutting While Guiding the Knife
While one hand holds the knife, the other (non-dominant hand) guides it. Here are some tips on how:
- Curl your fingers into a claw (of the non-dominant hand). To do this, put your hand flat on the chopping board, or countertop palm’s down. Push your fingers up and lift up your palm. Curl your fingertips, and your hand should look like the letter C. Do not extend your fingertips past your first knuckles as you might cut yourself.
- Keep your fingertips in a claw position and put your wrist parallel to the cutting board’s edge. Press your fingertips into where you want to cut and make sure that your knuckles are in front of your fingertips so you won’t cut yourself. Remember that the flat side of the ingredient you are slicing should be on the bottom, so it will be unlikely to move around when you cut. Cut in half if you have a round or irregularly-shaped ingredient.
- Hold the knife properly, so you have better control, and move the side of the blade, touching your first knuckles to serve as a guide. Keep your fingers curled so they stay safe from the blade. Your knuckles will keep the blade straight and will guide your knife as you cut.
- Press into your ingredient so it won’t slip or move. With a 45-degree angle, push the knife forward using a single motion as you cut down. Be careful and don’t lift the knife too much over your knuckles, and avoid lifting the blade straight up and down, or you won’t get cleaner cuts.
- Every after cut, slide your guide hand further back and reposition. Continue cutting until you’re done. It’s okay to take it slow and cut or slice at your own pace. Once you feel more comfortable with the knife, you’ll pick up your speed.
Conclusion
Prepping your ingredients for cooking might be a challenge, especially if you are not comfortable with the knife. However, with some techniques and more practice, you can be able to handle and perform chopping, slicing, mincing, or dicing with speed and accuracy. Plus, learning how to hold a chef’s knife properly will keep your hands and your kitchen safe. So take your cooking to the next level with some of your knife skills and techniques.
For more cooking guides and yummy recipes, check out the Cranberry Island Kitchen blog at cranberryislandkitchen.com.
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