Santoku knife: how to choose and use it correctly?

To have in the kitchen a great knife for cooking is dreamed not only by professionals in the art of cooking, but also by housewives. Santoku is what you need. It is so practical that it replaces several knives. The country in which it was invented (Japan) is famous for its thoughtful approach to the cooking process, and this knife is very convenient and sharp.

The word "santoku" in translation from Japanese means "three good things" or "three options for use." This is a universal knife that was invented in the country of the rising sun to replace the French cook knife for cutting beef. You can use it for cutting various products: meat, fish, poultry, vegetables. Some just cut them bread. But the Japanese came up with santoku for the needs of their kitchen, and it was originally intended for making rolls and sushi.

Its shape is similar to a “sheep’s foot”, which helps to minimize the distance between the blade and the board, from the very heel of the knife to its tip. The movements are mostly straight down. In this case, the knife can, smoothly bending, cut into thin slices. According to its purpose he is able to chop, crush and cut into cubes or straws. With this tool, you can quickly cut the vein meat, but it is not recommended to cut the bones, because of this he will quickly fail.

The difference between a chef-knife and a santoku is not obvious for ordinary people, but for a professional it is noticeable. The chef-knife is also universal, but it is heavier, the tip of the blade is narrowed, its length is from 15 to 36 cm.While the cutting part of the santoku has a length of 12 to 18 cm, and in appearance it is similar to a kitchen hatchet, the heel and the tip of it are on the same line. Sometimes the blade is slightly narrowed, but slightly.

An ordinary chef's knife will not be able to cope equally well with slicing chicken and boiled beef and chop finely greens or tomatoes into cubes. But each person and cook has individual preferences for using tools, so it’s easier for someone to use one knife, someone else. A sharp, narrowed chef knife will help when cutting solid foods and eliminate accidental cuts. Therefore, choose the one that suits you best.

Currently, Santoku knives are produced not only by Japanese craftsmen, but also by many other countries. Each brings something of its own to its appearance, but convenience and versatility remain unchanged. There are budget manufacturers that are available to everyone. There are expensive knives that are made of a certain alloy, the handle can be additionally decorated. Let us examine several types of Santoku knives most popular among such a variety of knives.

The kitchen knife Tefal Ingenio White is made of ceramic, has a sharp blade. It is white and stylish with a red edging of the handle and a cover for the blade itself, which protects against possible damage. A great option if you want to make your kitchen special. Such a knife is in no way inferior to steel, but ceramics have some disadvantages:

• this knife is afraid of falls, each of them may be the last for him, since ceramics easily breaks;
• they can’t cut very hard foods, you should avoid small bones, because the blade can break;
• cutting boards for such a knife must be selected from wood or plastic, glass, just as bone can not be cut.

Kitchen knife Rondell 0326-RD-01 falkata relatively inexpensive, only 1090 rubles. It has a simple ergonomic shape, with a straight handle and a steel blade. The blade length is 140 mm, and the total size does not exceed 255 mm. Double-sided sharpening.

Such parameters allow them to work easily, the palm rests very conveniently on the handle, due to which it does not get tired even with prolonged use of the knife. This is true both for the housewife, who decided to chop vegetables for closing salads for the winter, and for the cook, who is cooking all day. The hardness of the blade is 56 HRC, this characteristic determines how much force can be applied to press the knife when cutting something. This tool does not bend, which will allow you to cut even very sinewy meat or small bones.

Kitchen knife Rondell 0687-RD-01 from the Cascara series made in China, this model is cheaper than the previous one (770 rubles). It has hollows on the blade, which creates an air cushion between the knife and the product and prevents the latter from sticking to the cutting surface. Great for home use. Made of stainless steel, has a classic design, blade length - 178 mm, hardness - 52 HRC.

Knife Nadoba ursa European origin, made in the Czech Republic, the blade length is 17.5 cm, the cost is about 899 rubles. Stylish design. The steel from which the knife itself is made passes to the handle, chaining it from two sides. There are recesses on the blade that will help with shredding.

Tescoma Azza 884532, 18cm, is suitable for its laconic appearance and long blade more for men than women, reviews say this. Many men appreciated its ergonomics and noted this as a plus, and women, on the contrary, considered it a minus. This model costs about 2214 rubles, produced in China. The knife is made of a single piece of steel, the hardness of the blade is 55 HRC. On both sides there are recesses, the so-called denticles.

Gipfel Rainbow, 18 cm, we can say, people's choice. Its cost is only 385 rubles, but the reviews are only positive. When using it, no one found any minuses, only pluses.

• The sharpness of the blade. Equally easy to cut chicken fillet and other meat, as well as greens.
• Comfortable rubber gripthat provides ease of use. You can be sure that the knife does not slip out of your hands.
• Stylish design. The knife is available in several colors: red, blue or black. You can choose for every taste.
• The presence of a rubberized cover, which will protect the knife from damage and you from accidental cuts. Convenient to store.

By the way, the low cost and color scheme will help you divide the knives by function. For example, a tool of blue color for cutting or slicing fish, red for raw meat, and black will be a loyal assistant when chopping vegetables. This separation is useful not only for your health, but also for the long-term preservation of the cutting properties of the knife. From the name it can be seen that the length of the blade is 180 mm, it is made of steel. The knife, like many others, is made in China.

Gipfel 6774 It looks the same as its predecessor, but the blade length is only 110 mm. Small and practical. Such a small length and the presence of a cover will allow you to take it with you on a trip or on a picnic. Its handle is also rubberized, which is convenient when using. And it costs only 310 rubles.

Gipfel 8476 with blade length - 170 mm You can buy at a very attractive price - 370 rubles. The knife is made of steel, its blade to the tip is slightly narrowed, this will help with smooth cutting into thin slices of vegetables or meat. Production - China. The warranty period is six months.

Samura SBA-0093 / K 13.7 - another santoku. This is a high-quality aus-8 steel product with a blade hardness of 58 HRC. It looks concise and stylish, made of a solid alloy piece of metal. The handle resembles a bamboo trunk and for good reason, because this model belongs to the bamboo series. The knife is packed in a blister and a cardboard box. It costs 1728 rubles and is made in Japan.

Advantages: beautiful design, small size, high quality. Such a knife will become a real "chef" in your kitchen. Warranty - one year.

An excellent option from the manufacturer Samura - a knife Santoku collection Kaidju from a mixture of steel and mahogany materials. The blade length is 180 mm, made of hammered aus-8 steel, has a corrosion-resistant coating, with a wooden handle. Such a knife costs from 3199 to 5299 rubles. Warranty period is 12 months.

Victorinox SwissClassic Made in Switzerland. The steel blade, 17 cm long, with a polypropylene handle is perfectly balanced and easy to use. The price of such a kitchen product ranges from 2660 to 3000 rubles.

The highest quality rating presented in this review has Samura company and the most popular are knives Gipfel firms. But how to choose the best?

A kitchen knife should be selected for each cook or just a person who cooks at home, individually. But some rules will help you choose a suitable Santoku knife from hundreds of different:

• sharpening angle - 18 degrees;
• blade dimensions can vary from 110 to 200 mm, and the handle itself - 140-160 mm, depending on the size of the blade;
• the hardness of the blade of high-quality knives is in the range from 52 to 58 HRC units, the maximum is 60 units, large numbers will indicate its fragility;
• the handle is better to choose a wooden or rubberized one, such a tool will lie well in the palm of your hand and will not slip out by accident;
• the presence of "air pockets" will help if the product sticks to the blade;
• the knives in the set may be cheaper, but it is better to choose a universal Santoku knife separately.

Learning to use such a knife correctly is an important task, it will save your fingers from cuts and increase the speed of work. Please note that the use of this knife for cutting bones or other similar solid products is not provided. From this, he will at best - quickly become dull, and at worst - will break.

Care for the cook knife should be careful so as not to damage the blade.

• If you go somewhere and take it with you, you need to worry about a durable case. The blade during storage must be inserted into a special case.
• It is best to wash it by hand, but it can also be done in a dishwasher, if indicated on the packaging of the manufacturer. Wipe the knife dry after washing.
• It is worth noting that it is impossible to use a santoku knife on glass and marble surfaces, its blade will either break or become dull. For sharpening, a Japanese water stone is suitable, one can be found in online stores.

It remains to choose the ideal option for you kitchen assistant and start cooking. With such a knife, the quality of cooking will improve several times.

See the next video for a comparison of santoku and chef knife.