What is a Santoku knife used for?

Santoku knives or to give them their full name Santoku bocho knives, which translates as 'three uses', are ideal for mincing, dicing and slicing, as they feature a straight edge with a narrow sheep's foot blade. These knives have evolved from the traditional Japanese vegetable knife which has a rectangular blade.

What's the difference between a Santoku knife and a chef's knife?

A Chef's Knife features a blade tip which naturally causes the chef to 'rock' the blade forward as they complete their cut. The absence of a tip on the Santoku knife means one can slice in a single downward cut. While many chefs successfully employ the rocking method, the Santoku way is faster and more efficient.

Do chefs use santoku knives?

Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef's knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs.

Can I use Santoku knife to cut meat?

As the most popular multipurpose kitchen knives, both the Santoku knife and the chef's knife can be used for a variety of meal prepping tasks, from slicing meats and fish to chopping fruits and vegetables to mincing herbs and spices.

Why do Santoku knives have dimples?

These depressions, called kullenschliff or a Granton edge, reduce friction and help prevent food from sticking to the blade. As a result of the santoku's popularity, manufacturers have started adding the dimpled edge to other knives, too. Now you can get a kullenschliff edge on all sorts of knives.

What is a Santoku? - Master your Japanese knife!!

Are Santoku knives good for cutting vegetables?

The santoku knife, has an edge that's almost completely straight and it does not have a pointed tip. This makes it great for chopping small bunches of vegetables and mincing herbs easily and quickly.

Do I really need a Santoku knife?

If you cook a certain type of food, for example a menu heavy on fish, fruit and vegetables, but with less meat, then a Santoku knife would be the better choice. If you're looking for a robust all-rounder which can carve meat and cut small bones as well as fruit and vegetables then a chef's knife is best.

What does Santoku mean in Japanese?

borrowed from Japanese santoku-(bōchō), literally, "three-virtues (knife)," from san "three" + toku "virtue" Note: The Japanese word supposedly refers to the multiple functions of the knife (an adaptation of Western kitchen knives), though its precise origin has not been illuminated.

Can a Santoku replace a chefs knife?

Nope! Santoku and chef knives are meant to complement each other rather than replace each other. It's great to have both so you can take advantage of the unique advantages each offers.

What is the best knife for chopping vegetables?

The best type of knife for cutting vegetables would be the chef's knife. It is an all-around kitchen knife that can handle just about anything – chopping, slicing, mincing, and dicing. The chef's knife is especially useful with larger and sturdier vegetables.

Can a Santoku knife replace a chef's knife?

Chef's knives can be used in place of Santoku knives but not vice versa. Chef's knives are much better at chopping vegetables, mincing garlic, and slicing meat because the blade is wider and thicker than a santoku knife which makes it better-suited for these tasks.

What knife does Gordon Ramsay use?

Gordon Ramsay uses both Wüsthof and Henckels branded knives; the brands are known for quality products, and they are two of the best knife manufacturers in the world.

What is the most important knife in the kitchen?

A chef's knife (sometimes called a cook's knife) is the most important knife to have in your kitchen. It has a wide blade between six and ten inches long and is used primarily for chopping, though it can be used for anything you want to do. The blade of a classic, French-style chef's knife curves upward toward the tip.

What should I look for in a santoku knife?

It is also important that your knife has a very sharp cutting angle. Anything over 20 degrees will be much too large of an angle. Try to find a blade with an angle of between 15 and 20 degrees. You are in even better shape if you are able to find a blade which is sharpened to less than 15 degrees.

What is the difference between Santoku and Gyuto?

Gyuto has a more curved edge profile and a less turned down spine than Santoku. As a result, Gyuto has a slightly sharper tip. These make cutting into a meat and rock cutting motions a little easier. Santoku's turned down spine is known as a sheep's foot blade, or sheep's foot tip.

Should I get a 5 or 7 in santoku knife?

Santoku knife blades typically range from 5 to 7 inches in length, and should loosely correspond with the chef's height. As for knife's height, a taller blade is also useful for scooping up ingredients, while a narrower blade is better suited for precision cuts.

What is the best size santoku knife?

Blade length

The blade on a santoku knife will vary in size between about 5 inches and 8 inches. A 6- to 8-inch blade is an ideal size for most kitchen tasks. However, a shorter blade provides more control, especially for less-experienced cooks.

Are Santoku knives double edged?

A double bevel knife, such as the Santoku Ganjo, has many uses. Generally speaking, it can be used for a wide variety of tasks that to do not involve extremely intricate work such as cutting fish to make sushi or peeling long, unbroken pieces of thin vegetables.

What knife is best for cutting onions?

Selecting the best knife for cutting an onion depends on its size, but generally a sharp chef knife or santoku knife work best for dicing medium to large onions. Their hollow ground blade design allows the knife to move smoothly through the onion when using a forward and down motion.

What type of knife is best for cutting meat?

A semi-flexible knife is the best for cutting meat around bones. Curved end blades are excellent for trimming and slicing. The boning knife can serve other functions like skinning for sheep and goats or slicing for loins. It can also be used for breaking leg joints and a trimming knife to take away the hide.

What knife does Jamie Oliver use?

A favourite among the Jamie Oliver food team, the santoku knife is great for slicing, dicing and chopping. Japanese in origin, the flat edge and sheepsfoot blade not only looks beautiful, but is super efficient, too.

What 3 knives do you need?

If you think about the knives that you use again and again, it comes down to three essentials: The chef's knife, the serrated knife, and the paring knife.