In this article we will examine the advantages of Santoku Knives with a careful look at benefits and use.
You must have heard the name of the Santoku Knife. Because of its splendid benefits, people are getting quite excited over this trendy kitchen essential. But what really is a Santoku knife? Where did it come from? What are the uses and how to use them correctly? Don’t worry, we’ve all the information you want. So let’s dive into the fun analysis of Santoku Knives.
What Is A Santoku Knife?
Santoku is a Japanese word that means Three Virtues or Three Uses. It’s used for general kitchens in Japan. People prefer Santoku knives over other conventional knives because of their unique design and multiple uses.
Commonly, its blade comes between 13 and 20 cm, along with a flat edge and a sheepsfoot blade going down an angle of 60-Degrees. Santoku becomes a successful kitchen essential, replacing a causal cook knife excellently. Even some top-level chefs prefer to use it instead of premium knives. But why? To answer this ,first, let’s dig into the history of the Santoku knife.
Where Did Santoku Knife Come From?
Santoku knife or All Purpose Kitchen Knife originated in Japan. The word Santoku shows its three major uses for kitchen. When they introduced it in the market of Japan, it changed the history of knives. Because they did not make it with casual techniques. Japanese use the Traditional Forging Technique by blacksmiths and swordsmiths.
Before santoku, Japanese people were using three specific knives to do three major jobs.
- Gyuto knife for cutting meat.
- Nakiri knife for cutting vegetables.
- And Deba knife to cut fish.
Once santoku was introduced, people found it an extremely restful kitchen utensil. Why buy three knives when you can just use one for all purposes? That’s the exact reason for the Santoku knife’s renowned image.
What Does “Three Uses” Mean?
Most often people who aren’t aware of the Japanese language, wonder what santoku means. Is there any reason for which they name this knife Santoku? As we said earlier, santoku means Three Virtues or Three Uses. Because you can use this all-purpose knife for Mincing, Dicing, and Slicing. The straight edge with the foot blade does the job perfectly well, beating the best chef’s knives effortlessly.
Mincing
Mincing is the procedure of cutting thin layers. In mincing, people cut a possible tiny amount of food to make it almost disappear into the sauce. Here santoku knife comes in the food game, the Straight Edge acts as a major hero in the mincing process.
Mincing the boneless meat and cheese with a santoku knife comes very handy. And needs some time for your valuable day.
But: Don’t cut frozen meat, santoku doesn’t work effectively on frozen items.
Dicing
We all love decorating cooked food because presentation matters in every aspect of life. Customizing food requires cutting vegetables, meat, and fruits in specific manners. A Santoku with a 18 to 20″ blade is the perfect choice for the job. It keeps the dicing process straightforward.
But: Don’t peel off vegetables with it, as it takes exceptional effort and increases kitchen work.
Slicing
Slicing depends on the task you’re doing, whether you want thick slices of meat or vegetables to cook an extra variety of foods or you’re trying a new dish, comprising thin meat slices. Using a santoku knife comes with Various Pros. It helps you in cutting and slicing fish and meat into precise pieces.
But: If you’re making sushi, it’s quite different. It’s recommended to use sushi knives.
What Are The Best Advantages Of Santoku Knives?
Although this All-Purpose Knife holds amazing features to be suitable for every task. But what are some particular uses of a santoku knife? Following are some of the best uses of a santoku knife, according to the expert’s opinion.
- Cutting Thin Slices Of Meat
- Slicing Cheese
- Best For Slicing, Dicing, or Chopping Various Vegetables, Fruits, And Nuts
- Mincing Meat And Herbs
- Scooping The Vegetables Off The Cutting Board
- Cutting Fine Slices Of Seafood And Vegetables
Some Do’s And Don’ts Of Santoku Knife
Do: Always Dry Out The Knife
Whether it’s a santoku knife or a chef’s knife, keeping the knife dry extends the shelf life and improves the performance. Don’t forget to dry the knife once you wash it, excess water on the blade degrades the quality of the blade.
Don’t: Cutting Frozen Food
Undoubtedly Japanese blade is extraordinarily strong, but it’s not designed to contact frozen food, hard bones, and ice. Always keep the knife away from such tasks, as it can crack the blade, making the knife incapable of use again.
Do: Keep The Blade Covered
Covering the knife with a protected piece prevents the unfortunate situations of rust. Experts recommend covering the blade with a wonderful quality sheath, that way your santoku knife will be protected from harmful elements.
Don’t: Put The Santoku Knife In Dishwasher
We can’t emphasize enough on this point. Never put your knife into the dishwasher. You must wonder about the reasons. Here they are:
- Extremely Harsh Chemical In Dishwasher Detergents
- Intense Heat
- Unlimited Water Pouring On Wooden Element Of The Knife
Using mild soap and some warm water to wash the germs out of the knife is pretty effective.
Do: Sharpen The Blade
Some people neglect this factor as they think sharpening the blade will remove metal. It’s a bizarre myth. Even sharpening the blade realign the apex of the blade, resulting in a fast action of the edge.
Don’t: Use Glass Or Plastic Boards
Don’t cut vegetables, meat, and fruits on the glass or plastic cutting board with a santoku knife. It can harm the blade greatly. Prefer using wood or cork cutting boards.
Some Words
Hope you’ll have the perfect vision of the Advantages Of Santoku Knives. Indeed, advantages are unlimited. From mincing, cutting to slicing and dicing, you can do a lot with santoku knives. That makes it necessary to have in our kitchen. What do you think?
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