A knife is the most important item in the kitchen and It is imperative to know how to hold a knife. If you hold it right, your works become easier. Your expertise in using a knife for cutting and paring vegetables and fruits will take you a long way in the kitchen. You can then control style. You will then be in command of the kitchen. To speed up your work and achieve efficiency, you should learn how to hold your knife, at the onset. While holding a knife, you need to focus on two basic grips: the handle grip, and the blade grip. Read the steps given below to learn how to hold a knife.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time required: Fraction of a second
Resources required: A knife
Instructions:
- The way you hold your knife is very important: The method of holding a knife will give you a picture of how to go ahead. If you hold your knife properly it will give you the advantage of doing the work of cutting in a timely manner and then you can proceed with doing other chores. Remember that your skill in holding a knife is very also important for safety in the kitchen.
- Remember that a sharp knife is always better: It reduces your work to half. Whereas, a dull blade requires more force and that in turn consumes a lot of time as well as unnecessary effort. The chef’s way of handling a knife actually allows the completion your preparation work, at a much faster pace. Always remember that it is the blade that does the cutting and not the force of your arm.
- Base of your blade: Actually, it is the thumb and the index finger that do the work. Pinch the base of the blade with these two fingers. Your index finger should hold it firm on one side and your thumb should rest on the other side.
- How to grip: Now, wrap the three remaining fingers of your hand around the handle. Let your thumb and the index finger rest on the base of the knife. Make sure that you hold it firmly.
- Hold the stuff to be cut: Now that you have achieved success in holding the knife, let us be clear that it is necessary to hold the food item that is being chopped, too. Because it is not only the knife that would do the cutting, it is also important to hold the stuff that you need to cut, with your other hand. Curl your fingers under themselves, so as to keep them out of the way of the chopping blade. Though, this style appears to be a bit odd for the first time, it will give you a firm grip and gradually, as you get used to it, your speed will also increase.
Frequently asked questions:
What, if the knife is not sharp enough?
Well, if your knife is not sharp enough, do not worry. If only one edge of the blade is sharp, then place your index finger on the blunt side of the blade while holding the knife with your thumb and the middle finger. Hold the blade in such a way that it does not cut your palm. Do remember to hold the knife so tight that it does not leave your hand easily. But be careful not to apply so much force in holding it, that your hand is cramped.
Quick tips:
- Always use a good quality knife to achieve great chopping.
- Do not try to raise the edge of your knife above your first knuckles; you will surely get a cut on your hand.
Things to watch out for:
Make sure that your knife is properly sharpened. A dull blade requires more force while cutting.
