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A chefs knife will do for everything. Keep it sharp enough and it’ll even slice bread. As for the onion horizontal cuts are unnecessary. Offset radial cuts are fine (as you move away from the centre vertical cut you angle it more). Image
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Submitted 4 weeks ago by Trex202@lemmy.world to youshouldknow@lemmy.world
Comments
Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
idiomaddict@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
What’s the x axis on those graphs? I can’t zoom in enough on this picture to read it. I did look it up, but I only found versions with the exact same resolution
Psythik@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
It’s not your fault; even if you could zoom in, there’s not enough resolution to make out any details.
Your Lemmy app is probably preventing you from zooming images beyond a 1:1 pixel ratio, preventing you from zooming them past their native resolution. Voyager doesn’t have that issue, if you were considering a different app.
Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I have absolutely no idea. I grabbed the first illustration that showed what I described (poorly).
milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
I see the diagram: the first knife is for cutting bread. The second is for cutting fillets. The third is for cutting… chefs?
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I will add another bullet point to the list above, specifically regarding cutting boards. Poly cutting boards are also acceptable and primarily what I use. However, if I see you using a glass cutting board or a plate as a cutting board, or chopping directly on your granite countertop, I am afraid I am going to have a hurt you.
I am, as you can imagine, the default knife sharpener within the circle of my family and friends. However for quite some years I would not sharpen any knives for my sister anymore because she refused stop using her stupid 1980s glass cutting boards. (I believe they were probably actually intended to be serving trays, but good luck making people understand that.) She kept complaining that my sharpening was “no good” because her knives dulled so quickly.
I was eventually able to coordinate with my brother in law who was also sick of it, and we located all of the glass boardlike objects in the house and surreptitiously threw them away.
RecursiveParadox@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Doing the lord’s work here.
Zwiebel@feddit.org 4 weeks ago
Is “poly” local american slang for plastic? Anyway I prefer wood because I’d rather have some wood fibres in my food than microplastic. Not that anyone knows if it’s actually harmful or not
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Sort of. Polymer, actually. It’s a common end-run around calling something “plastic” outright because that in and of itself is typically a shorthand for “cheap” or “flimsy.”
Anyway, the plastic cutting boards in commercial use (i.e. the ones I use because I am that kind of nerd) are made of high density polyethylene.
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Wood for most stuff, plastic for meat and fish because I don’t want meat juice soaking into the wood.
walktheplank@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
There are but two necessary knives. A chef’s knife and a paring knife. Sharpened appropriately. Usually not even a paring knife but sometimes the small size is beneficial.
Pulptastic@midwest.social 4 weeks ago
Bread knife would like a word. Chef knife technically works but bread knives are usually longer and work much better at cutting without smooshing.
walktheplank@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Sharpen your knife. If it’s not able to cut bread or tomatoes it needs sharpening.
Psythik@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
Scissors too. A good pair of kitchen scissors makes slicing small vegetables like green onions much easier.
Mic_Check_One_Two@reddthat.com 4 weeks ago
I’d include a santoku in there, and probably some scissors. Sometimes you just need the straight edge of a santoku, instead of the curved edge of a chef’s knife.
overload@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
Cleavers are really nice to have for chopping and transferring vegetables though.
verdigris@lemmy.ml 4 weeks ago
The chopping/grip advice is missing a critical component: your two farthest forward knuckles on your non-knife hand should be contacting the knife blade at all times. This gives you precise control and you know exactly where the cutting surface is. It takes a lot of practice to do properly, but that is how the pros do it. I recommend this video from Jacques Pepin for an example: youtu.be/nffGuGwCE3E
ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Chinese chef knife is missing. It’s not a meat cleaver, the blade isn’t nearly thick enough for it, but it does make quick work of veg. It’s also one of the only knives used for Chinese cooking. Learned about it from Martin Yan.
gofsckyourself@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
The chopping technique is not really that necessary. It’s great for chopping lots of veggies at speed, but if you’re just cutting veggies for a single meal then there’s not that much benefit unless you’re already highly practiced and that’s your default.
What’s far more important is just being cognizant for each cut you make. Walk don’t run.
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
The chopping technique is about eliminating risk, mostly. Sure for a single meal and being aware you’ll be fine. But getting into the habit of a good technique means you’ll be fine even when you’re tired or distracted
gofsckyourself@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
If you want to spend the time and effort to practice that technique, go for it. But the benefits don’t really make it worth it for most people.
into the habit of a good technique means you’ll be fine even when you’re tired or distracted
The technique described in the image is not the only “good technique”. A person could reasonably develop their own “good technique” simply by being cognizant of their cutting.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
I just use a small knife and a big knife. This covers all use cases. Yes they also cut bread because I keep them sharp.
Omega_Jimes@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
“Pick the right blade.” Santoku. The answer is Santoku.
BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I don’t like the curved point of mine, I think I’ll go for a chef knife instead
randombullet@programming.dev 4 weeks ago
I’m a bunka kind of fella.
Lazhward@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Nah chef’s knives are better, more versatile.
Akasazh@feddit.nl 4 weeks ago
It might be a matter of preference/taste?
Agent641@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I use a couple of damp paper towels under the chopping board to hold it still, then when I’m done I use the damp paper towels to wipe the knife, board, and bench
Psythik@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
Have you never heard of cross-contamination? Using the same towel that touched the counter to wipe the knife and cutting board as well is disgusting as fuck.
For your sake (and the sake of any guests you have over), I hope you’re talking about a workshop knife, not the kitchen. I hope you never get a restaurant job, either.
Mic_Check_One_Two@reddthat.com 4 weeks ago
Some people regularly wipe down their counters, or just fucking disinfect their work surfaces before they start cooking. Non-toxic disinfectants like Mean Green will work in 2 minutes, and you can spray it before you start pulling out your pots and pans. Then just wipe the counters really quick, and you’re good to go.
Feathercrown@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
No, you are wrong. Countertops can be cleaned just as well as your kitchen utensils can. People make dough on them all the time.
Agent641@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Not with meat, or course. When chopping vegetables.
M137@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Of course this is done in idiocy imperial. Fuck your 'Murican “we need to be special so we use this objectively shitty thing to be different”. Only 3% of the world has a use for this, while the rest 97% are fucking tired of having to do extra work to convert.
Trex202@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
What the fuck are you on about? What do you need to convert in this?
klemptor@startrek.website 4 weeks ago
I guess things like dicing = 1/4" cubes
who@feddit.org 4 weeks ago
If you use wooden cutting boards / blocks, rub some mineral oil into them every once in a while. This will limit how much water they absorb and make them less likely to warp or split.
ninjaturtle@lemmy.today 4 weeks ago
This should be noted that the knife part is only for western style knives. Same with the cutting technique. That’s only for a curved type blade.
jagged_circle@feddit.nl 4 weeks ago
I can’t even find a proper curved blade in most western kitchens I’ve visited…smh
ninjaturtle@lemmy.today 4 weeks ago
Are you saying that the chef knives they have are too straight for your liking? As you want more rocking motion. Probably best bet is a custom knife.
Pieisawesome@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 weeks ago
Well this doesn’t even list all of the western style kitchen knives
tomi000@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
- Why is this a jpg?
- No need for the horizontal onion cuts
- Nice guide nevertheless
Psythik@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
This chart is missing a knife that I have. The blade hooks forward instead of backwards, like a bird’s beak.
Since it’s small and the tip extra pointy, I use it for precision cutting. I’ve also found it useful for thin slides of cheese, since the blade is also not as thick as the other knives in my set. Still, I’m wondering what its actual purpose is for.
13igTyme@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Santoku knife. I was just about to comment the same thing.
Psythik@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
I have that one too but that’s not the knife I’m talking about. It’s about the size of a pairing knife and it hooks forward. (When I get home from work I can upload a picture if anyone cares to help out.)
rekabis@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
There is one knife I find absolutely essential that is missing:
Bec Oiseau. Sometimes also known as a sheep’s foot knife.
It’s a paring knife, but one where the blade is absolutely straight and it’s the spine that curves over near the tip. It works far better than any curved paring knife at cutting apart small items in the hand, like fruits.
Akasazh@feddit.nl 4 weeks ago
rekabis@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
Not all of them. Sabatier (with the elephant mark) made a Bec Oiseau with a straight blade. It was marketed with that knife-type name in Canada, specifically through Lee Valley, for a good two-plus decades.
Balthazar@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
For an onion, I’ve never diced it by making the cuts indicated by number 1, figuring the layers essentially do that for you. Am I doing it wrong?
toomanypancakes@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Not wrong per se, but you’ll end up with more inconsistently sized pieces if you don’t do those initial cuts in my experience
Duranie@literature.cafe 4 weeks ago
I radially dice my onion. To me it seems like the horizontal and vertical cuts leave more uneven bits considering the layers already present. I angle my “vertical” cuts towards the center, then start chopping.
M137@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
That makes uneven bits too though. Each layer will be of different sizes. There’s no truly perfect way that’s quick and easy but the best is what’s shown in the image.
theherk@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
No, people do it both ways and you’ll even find both techniques by the pros. But anybody claiming it makes them more even I really don’t think is thinking it through. By adding the extra cut across those natural layers, you’re actually making to very small bits when the crosscut is near the layer boundary.
That’s why I think it is not only easier but superior not to add the crosscut.
Akasazh@feddit.nl 4 weeks ago
You can do number one, but when you reach the last four cuts, you flip the onion cut side down and dice from there.
This prevents wrangling the piece with the nails of your claw grip, as the base gets smaller and more difficult to keep up right.
It also prevents the more elongated cuts that so hurt (arguably, I’ve never had problems) the symmetry.
general_kitten@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
they help with getting a nore consistent cut but in my opinion only case when it really matters if you really care about the presentation being perfect
toy_boat_toy_boat@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
in my experience, granton blades just make the food stick more. i always figured it was just a lazy way for companies to save on materials.
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
It doesn’t help them save on material since the knife is ground from an originally flat slab of steel. The amount of material they remove from that bar is irrelevant to their materials cost, although it does add a bit of machine work.
The scallops in the blade are effective at preventing some foods from sticking only if you are using a long slicing motion. When chopping down from above they accomplish nothing.
toy_boat_toy_boat@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
that settles it - i’m just a bad choppa
androidul@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
darn I need to save this 🔖
unknown@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
I use a bred knife to slice cheese off a block every day. Line it up and push down, one hand on handel the other on the spine at the top. It works better than any other knife to slice cheese blocks.
This post makes it sounds like I am committing a war crime.
priapus@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
Buying a nice nice and sharpening stones making cooking so much more enioyable
randombullet@programming.dev 4 weeks ago
If you want a cheap cutting board because you can’t afford end grain, look into hinoki boards. They’re cheap and very soft wood.
As with all wooden boards, make sure you seal it first with a neutral oil such as mineral oil.
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
[deleted]NielsBohron@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I think that’s a “santoku” knife, but I’m not an expert. And I think it’s the style of knife, not a brand, but it works pretty much just like a chef’s knife as near as I can tell (as a home cook that pays attention to techniques but hasn’t sought out training on knife styles before)
j_overgrens@feddit.nl 4 weeks ago
Santoku, maybe?
Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
As a chef, the only inaccuracy I see here is that bamboo cutting boards are good for knives. They are a great, cheap, sustainable option, but the silica content makes bamboo incredibly hard, and it will dull your blades faster than wood or plastic cutting boards.
Valmond@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
What about using the bread knife for meat?
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
“Produce” is presumably fruit and vegetables, although that’s a pretty broad category to lump together given that so many vegetables behave differently. Consider a tomato versus lettuce or a yam, for instance.
Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
American for fruit and veg.
Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
I don’t see this suggesting a bread knife for meat, but a dull serrated blade beats a worn plain edge for any purpose. And produce is anything grown like fruit and veg.
OrganicMustard@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
I never understood why people use serrated knives for bread, it gets crumbs everywhere. I use a sharp chef knife instead and it’s much cleaner. I use it for 95% of stuff, there’s no much need for any other.
InquisitiveApathy@lemm.ee 4 weeks ago
Mic_Check_One_Two@reddthat.com 4 weeks ago
The best cutting boards use end-grain for this exact reason. It’s not just a decorative thing. The direction of the wood grain directly determines how quickly the board will dull your knife. Wood is made of two main parts: A hard fiber, and a soft filler in between each fiber. The hard fiber is what dulls your knife when you cut.
Imagine cutting on a tightly packed bundle of really tiny straws. If you cut across the bundle, your knife will be cutting into each straw, dulling in the process. But if you cut on the end of the bundle, the knife blade will slide between the straws instead of cutting them.
Image
The straws will last longer when you’re cutting on the end (because you’re not cutting them) and your blade will last longer (because it isn’t cutting the straws). And an end grain cutting board is essentially cutting on the end of the straw bundle.
acockworkorange@mander.xyz 4 weeks ago
Did you just make that illustration? It’s really neat!