Four Basic Knives

By Timothy M. Baran

Steve’s third cooking lesson with Brian might have sounded like this:

“By now, Brian, you know how to sharpen a knife, and you know about some of the materials that make a knife. Here is a little information about some knives.”

Not all knives, of course, but the ones that might have been important for Steve.

Chef knife: This knife is your “work horse.” It will be your best friend in the kitchen. Almost all of your chopping and cutting will be done with this knife. So find one that is easy and comfortable to your hand for you to use.

Boning knife: This knife along with the chef knife will help you fabricate meat. It is smaller and can get in areas that the chef knife cannot. This knife will help you get precise cuts (some skill is needed, but a good knife helps) and will help get all the meat off of the bone.

Filet knife: This knife is useful to fabricate a fish. You can use your boning knife, but it might not always be flexible enough. This knife will bend, not in half, but definitely enough to help you get up close to the bones of the fish to get all the meat off of them.

Paring knife: This knife will help with cuts that are in a small area that other knives would not be able to reach safely. Like paring an apple, to do that with a chef knife is not smart, or safe. If you are skilled enough, you can use it to peel away the skin of fruits and vegetables. A peeler works well, too.

Remember, keep your knives SHARP.