KNIFE SKILLS

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KNIFE SKILLS

• vegetable cuts and mise en place

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Agenda

• Quiz
• Quiz Review
• Intro to Knives
• Self IntroStandard Breading
• Knife Skills Demo
• Knife Skills Review
• Discuss Standard Breading

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Knife construction and configurations

• Material and configuration of the knife blade
  makes the difference in how a knife functions,
  how sharp and clean it stays, and how it handles
  in the heavy use demanded in a professional
  kitchen.

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Materials Used

• Obsidian, Bone, and Ceramic
• Carbon Steel
• Stainless surgical steel
• High carbon stainless steel

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Holding the Knife

• There are many different ways a knife can be
  held. The way you hold the knife depends on how
  your knife and your hand fit together, and
  according to the task you must complete.
• The four basic grips are as follows

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Holding the Knife
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Holding the Knife
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Sharpening Steels
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Classic Cuts
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Classic Cuts
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Classic Cuts
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Classic Cuts
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Mise en Place

• French term literally meaning everything in its
  place
• Organize and plan your work!
• Set up your work area safely and completely
  before you start to work
• Gather items necessary to keep your work area
  safe and clean
• Gather the appropriate portioning and storage
  materials
• Use scales properly
• Keep food at the best possible temperature
• Stand in a natural position, facing the cutting
  board squarely
• Arrange your work so it flows in a logical
  direction
• Use gloves properly

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On vegetables

• What are they?
• What are heirloom vegetables and why are they
  important?
• How should fresh vegetables be cared for ?
• How should they be prepared for cooking for the
  lab exercises?
• Cutting-
• Blanching-
• Parboiling-
• Shocking/refereshing-

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Standard breading/battering procedure
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On deep-frying

• What equipment is needed for deep-frying
• How is food prepared for deep-frying?
• What safety precautions should be taken?
• How is the equipment cleaned after using it?

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Preparation and Knife Skills

• Knife Construction

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Obsidian, Bone, and Ceramic

• Predates metal work
• Very dense/brittle
• Unsanitary
• Ceramics coming back

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Carbon Steel
Pros Cons
hard alloy darkens with use
sharpens easily and well easily stained and rusts
health codes restricting
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Stainless Surgical Steel

• Resist corrosion, however, most are only mediocre
  knives because they are very difficult to sharpen

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High Carbon Stainless

• A combination of the best of both worlds. It is
  relatively expensive. Molybdenum, chromium, and
  vanadium are added to high carbon steel and the
  resultant alloy is easily sharpened, keeps an
  edge and is stain resistant.

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Shape of the Blade

• The shape of the blade More expensive knives are
  hand-shaped as opposed to stamped out on a
  machine stamped knives have no bolster or collar.
  Consequently, they are not likely to feel as
  well-balanced in ones hand

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Tempering

• The tempering of a knife Heating and chilling
  between grinding, strengthens makes a knife blade
  more flexible as opposed to brittle. The
  sharpness and durability of the cutting edge is
  dependent on proper tempering.

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Beveling

• Beveling of knife-edge The angle of the bevel,
  and the manner in which the beveling is done
  depends on the thickness of the blade. A thin
  blade requires a flatter angle than a thick one.
  A sharp angle on a thin blade dulls quickly as
  does a long angel on a thick blade. Hollow
  grinding allow a stout blade to be sharpened more
  easily and effectively.

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Serration

• Serrated or smooth? Since slicing involves a
  back-and-forth-sawing motion, serrated knives
  often seem more effective than smooth-edged ones.
  But the rough edge is likely to tear or shred
  delicate foods. Most professionals prefer smooth
  blades for this reason, using serrated only for
  cutting breads, and soft fruits or vegetables
  such as tomatoes.

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Handles

• Sanitation is KING
• Then Comfort

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Wood Handles

• Natural rosewood or walnut handles look and feel
  great, however, water can damage them, and they
  may deteriorate with age. If cracks develop,
  germs can hide in the wood fibers. Natural woods
  impregnated with plastic resins seem to have it
  all - durability as well as good looks and feel.

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Sani Handles

• Plastic or composite sani handles are made to
  last. They can be washed in commercial dish
  machines, and are easy to keep sanitary. The down
  side is they do not feel as comfortable in the
  hand.

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Purchasing Tips

• pick up the knife and feel how it fits the hand.
  Is it plastic or wood? Is the handle attached to
  the tang?
• tang running through the handle, gives the knife
  balance needed for good cutting and handling.
• do blade and handle work together? ample
  clearance under its handle so the knuckles do not
  touch the counter
• hand cannot easily slip onto the sharp blade.

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The Ideal Knife

• durable construction
• takes an edge easily
• maintains sharpness well
• easy to keep it sanitary
• safe and comfortable in hand
• Generally, hand-forged knives will fill the bill
  for a lifetime.

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Types of Knives

• Chef or French knife
• Probably the most popular all-around knife in the
  kitchen. It is particularly well designed for
  general cutting and chopping.
• Paring knife
• This knife is small and easy to handle for
  peeling and coring fruits and vegetables.
• Boning knife
• this knife is designed to bone out meat, poultry
  and fish. It is available with varying degrees of
  blade flexibility to allow for the most delicate
  fish bone and the harder, more resilient bones of
  large cattle.
• Carving or slicing knife
• this is a finely edged knife designed for slicing
  and carving meat.
• Utility knife
• This is an all-purpose knife- the one you reach
  for when you need something larger than a paring
  knife but smaller than a chefs or French knife.

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Using knives safely

• The primary 1 rule of knife safety is a simple
  one
• KEEP YOUR MIND ON WHAT
• YOU ARE DOING!!
• The right knife for the job

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Using knives safely

• A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife
• When carrying a knife, announce yourself!!
• Hold it point down parallel to and tight against
  your leg as you walk
• The handle of a knife should always be kept dry
  and clean
• Always cut away from yourselfunless that
  endangers others

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Using knives safely

• No hidden knives
• Never attempt to catch a falling knife
• Use secured a cutting board
• Never cut on metal, glass or porcelain
• Wash and dry immediately after use
• Never wash knives in commercial dish machines
• Store knives in a safe place. Dont toss them
  into drawer
• Make use of racks or guards when storing knives
• Never miss use knives
• Dont use a knife to taste food

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Keeping Knives Sharp

• The knife, as a tool, is of little use unless it
  is sharp
• Honing
• Sharpening
• Proper use
• Proper storage

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Cleaning of knives

• Need careful cleaning to prevent cross
  contamination of foods being prepared
• Deserve careful hand washing and drying
• Never see the inside of a dishwasher
• Dishwasher detergent is corrosivedull knife
  surface and edge and damage its rivets
• Water spray bounces the knives around and causes
  damage to the blades
• Wood, or a wood compositesthe chemicals, water
  and heat will eventually cause it to deteriorate
  and crack.

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Manual or mechanical cutting

• based on the time available
• quantity needed
• exactness of the cut desired

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Food Processing
Pros Cons
FAST Expensive
Consistent Addl Training
Safe Imprecise
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Lab Work Today

• Demonstrate and Practice Knife Skills