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A week or so ago, we suggested a few things to look for when purchasing a worthwhile kitchen knife<\/a> \u2014\u00a0possibly one of the most used tools in any kitchen. So whether you went out to shop for a single blade or are the proud owner of a set of knives<\/a>, one things for certain: nothing\u2019s going to stop your chop.<\/p>\n But, a tool is only as good as the person using it. And we\u2019ll bet dollars to donuts that many folks\u2019 knife skills \u2014 yourself included \u2014\u00a0consist of: \u201cPut on food. Push down.\u201d We can\u2019t refute that the method works. But if you want A) your knives to stay functional and sharp for as long as possible, B) to prepare food that looks as good as it tastes, and C) impress the snot out of anyone watching, then allow us to introduce you to Omaha Steaks Executive Chef, Grant Hon, who\u2019ll learn you a thing or two about how the pros slice, dice, and julienne.<\/p>\n \u201cThe number one thing to look out for when chopping and slicing is a secure work surface,\u201d Grant begins as he slaps a white, non-slip mat on the counter before laying his white cutting board on top. If you don\u2019t have a non-slip mat, a cutting board with rubber grips or even wetting some paper towels will also do the trick, he continues.<\/p>\n Cleanliness is the second important factor in safety. Germs and bacteria can easily make a new home for a billion of their friends within the slices in your cutting board. After every time you use your board, ensure you give it a solid scrubbing. The third and final safety precaution is ensuring your knife is sharp. It will help you cut easier, leading to less accidents. We\u2019ll go into more detail about how to keep your knife sharp and properly cared for in our final piece on knife work.<\/p>\n Now that we have a grip on staying nice and safe, how about we get a grip on the actual knife? A knife is a simple tool, but even simple tools, if held incorrectly, won\u2019t work as efficiently as you need and be uncomfortable to use.<\/p>\n Before even glancing at the washed, but otherwise untouched vegetables that lay out before us, Grant provides a quick primer on what a proper knife grip looks like and why it matters.<\/p>\n This grip gives your hand the best overall control. Usually people want to extend their index finger along the spine of the blade. Doing this will fatigue your hand quicker, and make it easier for the knife to roll left or right when you start slicing.<\/p>\n As for your non-knife hand, you know, the one that\u2019s holding the item you\u2019re slicing, it should look like a claw, fingertips inward. \u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re gripping a doorknob as to keep your fingers away from the blade,\u201d Grant says simply. \u201cThe flat of the blade can run along the backs of your fingers, so your alternate hand is the one guiding the thickness of your cuts.\u201d Well put, Grant, but we can tell that\u2019s going to take some practice.<\/p>\n There is an exception with paring knives, though. Paring knives are used for much more detailed work such as coring strawberries or cutting the tops of tomatoes. As such Grant advised to choke up way on the blade, thumb and forefinger still pinching the blade like before, so your thumb acts as the marker for how deep you need the knife to cut.<\/p>\n You have a safe and clean surface. You have a comfortable secure grip. It\u2019s finally time \u2014 let\u2019s cut!<\/p>\n Grant shows us a variety of different cuts and dices of carrots, potatoes, peppers, and onions, which are all very fascinating, but the most interesting thing we notice is how much noise it makes \u2014\u00a0virtually none.<\/p>\n When we mention this, he\u2019s very quick to respond. \u201cChopping and cutting vegetables should be a quiet activity. It should be a quiet kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n How does he do it?<\/p>\n When you\u2019re done chopping, Grant recommends using a bench scraper to sweep the food from the cutting board to its destination. If you want to use your kitchen knife, remember to use the spine of the knife. Using the blade will, as you can imagine, just wear it down faster.<\/p>\n Before you start cutting, though, Grant challenges us to think about the ingredients \u201cend use\u201d as he calls it. \u201cThink about how the food is going to cook,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to make soup or kabobs, you\u2019re going to cut into your veggies differently. Longer cook time use thicker cuts. Shorter cook time, use shorter, thinner pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n Grant continues, \u201cEverything should have balance.\u201d Makes sense. Have you ever dunked your spoon into a stew and come up with a giant piece of beef and very little vegetables? That bite would be very heavy on the beef with little of the other flavors that make up your dish. But when your meat and vegetables are similar in size, you will have more balanced flavors for a much better eating experience.<\/p>\n So there you have it. A trio of valuable tips straight from our Executive Chef:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” show_divider=”off” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/blogwp_everybody-eats-why-you-should-consider-mail-order-food-gifts-scaled-1.jpg” title_text=”blogwp_everybody-eats-why-you-should-consider-mail-order-food-gifts-scaled” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.21.2″ always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_cta title=”Mouthwatering Gifts For Any Occasion” button_url=”https:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/buy\/Gifts?SRC=RZ0636″ button_text=”Shop Steak Gift Boxes Now ” _builder_version=”4.21.2″ use_background_color=”off” background_layout=”light” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Allow us to teach you a thing or two about how the pros slice, dice, and julienne \u2014 in other words, how to use knives properly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":6978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[2836],"ppma_author":[8165],"class_list":["post-1340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-steak-education","category-butchers-tips","tag-steak-education"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBefore You Start: 3 Safety Points<\/h3>\n
\u201cLook for something NSF certified if it\u2019s a polymer-based cutting board,\u201d Grant says. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to go wood, you want a hard wood \u2014\u00a0great oak, maple, or bamboo.\u201d Not only will a hard surface make it harder for your knife to create new bacteria utopias, but it will also help maintain your knife\u2019s edge because your blade will drag in softer surfaces and wear down quicker.<\/p>\nGetting a Proper Grip<\/h3>\n
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Cutting Remarks<\/h3>\n
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Food for Thought<\/h3>\n
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Join us next time as we conclude this trilogy of knife tips with a piece on keeping your knife shiny and ultra-sharp!<\/h4>\n