Tips to Choose Japanese Knives and German Knives
A knife is one of the most used and important chef's tools. Decide on a knife that feels comfortable in your hand, as you will be using it on a daily basis. You can choose from Japanese knives and German knives. Besides a chef's knife, you need a paring knife, a boning knife and bread knife for all your daily cooking needs.
Japanese knives and German Knives have their own distinct set of advantages, so choose knives according to your cooking style and needs. The main difference between a Japanese knife and a German knife is the blade. Japanese blades are only sharpened on one side. The other side remains flat while German blades are sharpened in equal angles from both sides.
Japanese blades are made from harder alloys while German blades are made from stainless steel. The result is that Japanese knives have sharper blades that deliver perfect, precise cuts. A Japanese knife is more prone to chipping than a German one, so it's suitable for slicing perfect cuts of sushi and sashimi. German knives have flexible blades, so they are perfect for chopping and slicing meats where they might encounter a bone.
Choose knives according to your cooking technique. Some chefs like to plant the tip of the knife on the chopping board and move the handle up and down to chop food, while others like to draw the knife blade across the food in a slicing motion. If you like the chopping technique, German knives are an ideal choice for you, as they are well-balanced. If you prefer the slicing motion, Japanese knives are perfect for you, as the sharp blade slice cleanly through food.It's very important to regularly sharpen your knives. Besides improving performance, a knife's sharpness also affects the nutritive value of the food. A dull knife damages the cellular structure of food and affects the food's taste and appearance. Japanese knives can be sharpened with the help of Japanese waterstones while German knives can be sharpened with honing steel. The sharpening stones need to be soaked in water before use. Carefully rinse the knife after using a honing steel to get rid of the tiny metal filings.
You can choose appropriate knives with the help of these tips.
Japanese knives and German Knives have their own distinct set of advantages, so choose knives according to your cooking style and needs. The main difference between a Japanese knife and a German knife is the blade. Japanese blades are only sharpened on one side. The other side remains flat while German blades are sharpened in equal angles from both sides.
Japanese blades are made from harder alloys while German blades are made from stainless steel. The result is that Japanese knives have sharper blades that deliver perfect, precise cuts. A Japanese knife is more prone to chipping than a German one, so it's suitable for slicing perfect cuts of sushi and sashimi. German knives have flexible blades, so they are perfect for chopping and slicing meats where they might encounter a bone.
Choose knives according to your cooking technique. Some chefs like to plant the tip of the knife on the chopping board and move the handle up and down to chop food, while others like to draw the knife blade across the food in a slicing motion. If you like the chopping technique, German knives are an ideal choice for you, as they are well-balanced. If you prefer the slicing motion, Japanese knives are perfect for you, as the sharp blade slice cleanly through food.It's very important to regularly sharpen your knives. Besides improving performance, a knife's sharpness also affects the nutritive value of the food. A dull knife damages the cellular structure of food and affects the food's taste and appearance. Japanese knives can be sharpened with the help of Japanese waterstones while German knives can be sharpened with honing steel. The sharpening stones need to be soaked in water before use. Carefully rinse the knife after using a honing steel to get rid of the tiny metal filings.
You can choose appropriate knives with the help of these tips.
Source...