Chapter 8 Knives and Hand Tools in the Professional Kitchen.

Chapter 8Chapter 8

Knives and Knives and Hand Tools in Hand Tools in

the the Professional Professional

Kitchen Kitchen

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

ObjectiveObjective

• Explain the elements of knife construction and how they relate to quality


KnivesKnives

• The knife is the chef’s most important tool

• The cutting task seems almost effortless with a sharp, well-constructed knife

• An aspiring chef should invest in a good quality chef knife


Choosing a KnifeChoosing a Knife

• Factors to consider– Type of metal used for the blade– Length of tang– Handle material and weight– Bolster



• Metals used for knife blades– Carbon steel

• Benefit–easy to sharpen• Drawbacks–discolors quickly; rusts if left wet; may

transfer metallic flavor to foods



• Metals used for knife blades (continued)– Stainless steel

• Benefits–does not pit, rust, or discolor; no affect on flavor of foods

• Drawback–more difficult to sharpen and keep sharp

– High-carbon stainless steel• Benefits–easier to sharpen and maintain; does not

rust or discolor



• Length of the tang– Full tang: one continuous piece of metal that

extends to the end of the handle– Rattail tang: thin piece of metal that extends

into the handle of the knife



• Handle– Handles can be made from hardwoods,

plastic, rubber, or composite materials– The weight of the handle should be balanced

with the weight of the blade



• Bolster– More expensive knives are constructed with a

bolster that strengthens the blade at a stress point where knife blades often crack or chip


Cutting BoardsCutting Boards

• Cutting boards can be made from synthetic composite or hardwoods

• Synthetic boards may be color-coded to specify their use

• Cutting boards must be cleaned and sanitized after each use to avoid cross-contamination


ObjectiveObjective

• Recognize various knives and hand tools used in the professional kitchen


Knives and Their UsesKnives and Their Uses

• Chef Knife– Used for chopping,

slicing, and most other cutting tasks

– Lengths vary between 8 and 14 inches

• Slicers– Use a light sawing

motion to cut cooked meat, poultry, and other foods into thin, even slices



• Utility Knife– 5 to 7 inch blades– Blade is more flexible

but not wide enough for chopping tasks

• Serrated Slicer– Useful for cutting

breads and pastries



• Boning and Filet Knives– Blade is approximately 6 inches long and

narrower than a chef or utility knife– Boning knives are used for separating muscle

from bone on meat or poultry– Filet knives are often used for filleting and

portioning fish



• Paring Knives– Designed to cut away

skin or peel, also useful for cutting intricate garnishes and other detail work

• Tourné Knife– Used for cutting

vegetables into tournés



• Scimitar– Excellent for cutting

steaks from large cuts of meat

– Sometimes called a butcher’s knife

• Cleavers– Used for chopping– Heavier cleavers can

chop through bones



• Oyster Knife– Blade is not sharp, but

the pointed tip is used to pry apart the top and bottom shells of oysters

• Clam Knife– Blade tapers to an edge,

but is not honed sharp– Blade is wedged

between the top and bottom shells of the clam to pry it open



• Palette Knives and Spreaders– Come in various

lengths and widths– Have flexible blades,

but are not sharp– Designed to spread

coatings on foods and also used to turn food


ObjectiveObjective

• Apply techniques to sharpen and maintain a good edge on a knife using a steel and whetstone


Sharpening KnivesSharpening Knives

• Knowing how to keep a knife sharp is very important

• The tools used to sharpen knives are the steel and the whetstone


Using the SteelUsing the Steel

• The steel is designed to remove very small, rough metal irregularities on the edge of the blade

• When using the steel,– hold the blade at the proper angle to the

steel– use only moderate force when stroking the

steel


Technique: Using a SteelTechnique: Using a Steel

Method One1. Hold the steel in front

of you parallel to your body. Place the heel of the blade at the top end of the steel with the knife at a 20-degree angle to the steel.



Method One (continued)

2. Rotate the wrist of your knife hand downward and gently draw the length of the blade across the steel, ending with the tip.



Method One (continued)

3. Repeat the process several times on each side of the blade until the edge has a fine finish.



Method Two

1. Place the tip of the steel on the cutting board and grasp the handle so the steel is vertical, butt side up.



Method Two (continued)

2. Place the heel of the blade at the top of the steel keeping the edge of the knife at a 20-degree angle to the steel.



Method Two (continued)3. With even pressure draw the blade across the

steel to the tip maintaining the 20-degree angle.



Method Two (continued)

4. Repeat the process several times on each side of the blade until the edge has a fine finish.


The WhetstoneThe Whetstone

• Whetstones can be made from a variety of abrasive mineral materials that act to grind and hone a knife to a sharp edge

• Most stones have a rough side, used first to grind an edge on the blade, and a fine side, used to hone it


LubricantsLubricants

• Lubricating a stone makes sharpening easier and helps remove the filings of metal created during sharpening

• Water or mineral oil is commonly used


Technique: Using a WhetstoneTechnique: Using a Whetstone

1. Place sharpening stone on a wet towel or rubber mat to prevent it from slipping. Begin with the coarsest side of the stone.



2. If using a lubricant, saturate the surface of the stone with an even layer of water or mineral oil.



3. Hold knife at a 20-degree angle to the surface of the stone.

4. Maintain 20-degree angle as you begin with the heel of the blade in the upper left-hand corner of the stone.



5. Draw knife down and across the stone until the tip of the knife is on the lower right-hand corner of the stone. Maintain even pressure on all parts of the blade.



6. Repeat process on other side of the blade. Begin with the heel in the upper-right corner of the stone and finish with the tip in the lower-left corner.

7. Repeat the process 5 to 10 times depending on the dullness of the blade. Apply equal pressure to all parts of the blade and an equal number of strokes to each side of the blade.



8. Turn stone to its finer side, lubricate it, and repeat steps three through six.

9. To finish the edge, hone it on the steel.


ObjectiveObjective

• Recognize various knives and hand tools used in the professional kitchen


Hand ToolsHand Tools

• Peelers– Used to remove the

skin of fruits and vegetables

– Stationary peeler has a slit blade that does not move

– Blade on a swivel peeler swivels or rocks



• Whips and Whisks– Used to incorporate air

into a mixture or blend ingredients

– Wires may be flexible for incorporating more air into a thinner substance, or rigid for mixing thicker substances



• Meat Fork– Used to turn large

pieces of meat during cooking and test for doneness

• Tongs– Act as an extension of

the hand for handling food items



• Parisienne Scoops– Used to scoop a

variety of foods into small balls

– Available in a variety of sizes

• Spiders– Used to strain items or lift

them out of liquid– Mesh disc at the end of

the handle resembles a spider’s web



• Skimmer– Designed to remove

impurities that form scum on the surface of simmering liquids

– Can also be used to perform the same tasks as a spider



• Ladles– Used for portioning

liquid products; come in a wide range of sizes

– Volume capacity is usually imprinted on the handle



• Kitchen Spoons– Sturdy stainless steel

spoons can be solid, slotted, or perforated

– Slotted and perforated spoons are used for draining wet products



• Offset Spatulas– Used to lift, turn, and

carry food items– Available in a variety of

sizes and thicknesses– Some models are

perforated to allow for draining a food product



• Spatulas– A flexible rubber or plastic

blade on a long handle– Used to remove food

product from containers– Heat-tempered spatulas

are also used for cooking in nonstick pans to avoid scratching their finish



• Scrapers– A plain plastic blade

without a handle used by bakers and pastry chefs

– Particularly useful for scraping down large mixing bowls



• Zester– Designed to remove

fine strips of the outer rind of citrus fruits

• Channel Knife– Cuts a decorative

groove in the surface of fruits and vegetables



• Garnishing Knives– V- or U-shaped

chisels used to carve decorations from fruits and vegetables


ReviewReview

• Explain factors to consider when choosing a knife

– Metal used for blade: carbon steel, stainless steel, high-carbon stainless steel

– Tang size: full, rattail– Handle materials: hardwoods, plastic, rubber,

or composite materials– Bolster


ReviewReview

• Name and describe the two tools used to sharpen knives

– Steel: a rod designed to remove very small, rough metal irregularities on the edge of the blade and to realign it

– Whetstone: used to sharpen the edge of a blade that has become dull


Knives and Hand Tools Knives and Hand Tools IdentificationIdentification

Palette knives Tongs



Parisienne scoop Utility knife



Boning knife Meat fork



Scraper Slicer



Tourné knife Skimmer



Whisk Oyster knife



Scimitar Serrated slicer



Spatula Paring knife



Filet knife Cleaver



Ladles Clam knife



Garnishing knives Chef knife



Channel knife Peelers



Offset spatula Zester



Spoons Spider

Chapter 8 Knives and Hand Tools in the Professional Kitchen.

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Transcript of Chapter 8 Knives and Hand Tools in the Professional Kitchen.