Japanese Knives: A Blade for Every Task For all-round and everyday use,
Our Favorite Japanese Knives
The Mac Knife 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef's Knife is our favorite everyday knife for its versatility and ease of use. For the professional experience, we like the Shun 8-Inch Chef's Knife for its razor-sharp blade and outstanding performance across a multitude of tests.
1. Chef's Knife A chef's knife is an all-purpose kitchen workhorse. It's great for so many different uses - chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing. It really can handle just about any larger kitchen task.
All cuts on frozen foods are strictly forbidden. The hard blade of your Japanese knife will not resist well the hardness of the frozen ingredient. Our suggestion: Use a special knife designed specifically for frozen foods, or use a thick blade of an old knife that you do not use that much anymore.
PETTY (Paring/Utility knife)
Petty knife, sometimes also referred to as paring or utility, is a smaller version of the Gyuto (Chef's knife), and is used for all sorts of delicate tasks where a larger knife would be unwieldy.
Gyutou / Chef's Knife
Gyutou, also commonly spelled as Gyuto, are the Japanese equivalent of a typical European chef's knife. They are the ideal all-purpose kitchen knives and can be used for most tasks. The Japanese gyuto knife is typically lighter and thinner than a European knife and is made out of harder steel.
The Santoku knife is an all purpose Japanese knife, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. The name santoku means 'three virtues' for the knife's ability to cut fish, meat and vegetables equally well.
Unmatched Precision and Sharpness: The cornerstone of Japanese knives' appeal is their extraordinary precision and sharpness. Crafted with high-carbon steel, these knives offer a fine edge that makes precise cuts easier, enhancing the chef's ability to execute intricate and delicate dishes.
Do not leave the knife near the edge of counters or tables or in a sink full of soapy water. Use knives only for cutting food. Carry knives with the blade pointed downward. Keep knives sharp.
There are three primary knives that every home cook should have in their kitchen: a chef's knife, a serrated knife (also called a bread knife), and a paring knife.
Japanese kitchen knives don't have to be incredibly expensive. On the contrary, many of the best knives are priced well under $100. Though you can try go even lower, we do not recommend it. Our first pick comes in at just over the $70 mark, and offers a sharp blade and the durability we expect from a Japanese brand.
Japanese cleavers are excellent for cutting vegetables and proteins, thanks to their weight and thin edges. However, they are not meant for butchery. Avoid cutting through bones to prevent damaging the steel blade and to keep your knives sharp.
Both styles provide their own set of benefits. German knives are thicker and heavier to provide added strength and durability for your heavy-duty chopping, while Japanese knives are made of carbon-rich steel for a lightweight blade and razor-sharp edge that offer edge retention and ultimate control and precision.
As a general rule of thumb, you should sharpen your Japanese kitchen knives every 1-2 months, while you should hone every week to ensure a sharp edge. However, how often you sharpen your Japanese knives largely depends on your usage frequency.
These knives are worth the price because they offer top-notch quality and durability. A Japanese knife isn't just a kitchen tool; it's a long-lasting investment that makes cooking easier and more enjoyable.
Gordon Ramsay is known to have a deep love for Japanese steel knives. These lightweight knives are well known for their sharp edges and ability to cut through vegetables, meats, and herbs easily. They can handle any chopping, slicing, or mincing tasks with ease.
Two common shapes in the US are the gyuto (which means “beef sword”) and the shorter santoku knife. Pat Alfiero likes and uses both single and double bevels, but his chef's knives, paring knives, and butchering knives are all 50-50. “It's just easier to maintain and sharpen,” he says.
Not only is there an increased possibility of the blade rusting, but it will almost always cause the handle to degrade. In addition, most stainless-steel blades result in microscopic loss of metal when left to soak. Leaving a knife in water may cause the blade to dull more quickly.
Concealed carry of a knife is generally legal unless it's a dangerous weapon like a switchblade, and intent to use it unlawfully can make possession illegal.
Each has its rhythm: the Santoku, with its slender blade, makes precision cuts ideal for slicing veggies or dicing onions; while the chef's knife, with its curved edge, is perfect for quick chopping tasks. Your preference might hinge on cooking style or hand size.
They feature a straight square blade, like a small cleaver and are ideal for vegetable centric cuts such as julienne, brunoise and allumette. Nakiri are ideal for precision vegetable cuts and is a great option for cutting into dense, hard skinned veggies like pumpkins, squash and root vegetables.