#KitchenHacks Practice Your Knife Skills!
Hello Kitchen Lovers! Today we want you to become a knife expert, and we’re bringing some useful tips for all of you.
We know developing good knife skills is a matter of practice, and then practicing some more, and then again! But that doesn’t mean that you have to sit down with a pile of onions to perfect your small dice. Instead, as you go about your cooking session this weekend, pay special attention to exactly how you're wielding your knives.
Good knife skills start with a sharp knife, if your knife still feels dull, you probably need to get it sharpened. You can do it yourself using a sharpening stone or you can take it to a knife or kitchen store to get it professionally done.
The next step is making sure you’re holding your knife correctly while you’re cutting. For maximum control, you want to be gripping the handle close to where the handle meets the knife. It can feel awkward at first, but that’s why you’re practicing.
When cutting anything, use the fingers of your non-cutting hand to help stabilize what you’re cutting. Curl your fingers into a claw and rest just the very tips against the food you’re cutting with your wrist parallel (or resting on) the cutting board. If your knife does happen to slip, this way it will only hit against your fingernails instead of doing worse damage. And keep your thumb tucked away!
It’s also important to create a stable cutting base, particularly when cutting round objects like potatoes or onions. Cut the ingredient in half, put the cut surface on the cutting board, and work one half at a time. If you can’t cut the food in half because of how it’s being prepared, slice off a thin layer from one side just to create an even surface.
As you’re cutting, notice how you’re using different parts of your knife. For most chopping, you should primarily be using the back half of the blade closest to the handle. The front part is better for fine work like trimming fat off meat or segmenting an orange.
Even the greatest chefs were not born knowing how to use a knife properly. They all had to practice to get to where they are today. So, like all the other skills in life, you have to practice to get better. Don’t get discouraged, though. Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to chopping like a pro!
What other kinds of knife skills would you like help on? Let us know in the comment section.