Basic Knife Skills

Basic Knife Skills

Knives are the most important tools in your kitchen; using them properly is essential. Here are three key points to remember:

Good Technique = Less Risk

If you use proper techniques, you are less likely to injure yourself with the knife. It is crucial to keep knives sharp so that they cut through food with less slippage. It is also important to grip the knife and know how to position your noncutting hand.

Good Technique = Faster Results

If you use proper techniques, you will be able to prepare food faster. This one is pretty simple. Would you rather take two minutes or five minutes to chop an onion? It may not seem like a big difference, but in a recipe with a lot of vegetable or protein prep, all those extra minutes can really add up.

Good Technique = Better Results

If you use proper techniques, you will produce food that is evenly cut and therefore will cook at an even rate. Cooks with poor knife skills end up with unevenly diced carrots or minced garlic with large hunks. Poorly cut food will not cook properly. For instance, those large hunks of garlic will burn and impart a harsh flavor to your food.