How to use a Chef’s knife to prepare for Thanksgiving

August 22, 2023 in Food & Drink - Micaela
chef knife

It’s the Thanksgiving season folks! And needless to say, the pressure is building up! There’s the ultimate need of preparing a lip-smacking and sumptuous Thanksgiving meal for friends and family. And you are at a loss because as we know, every person cooking during the holiday times are at a time constraint. But, your prayers have been answered.

As this Thanksgiving, you can use a multi-tasking chef knife that can be used for different purposes such as for dicing, mincing, chopping vegetables, slicing etc. And yeah, it helps you save up on time. A lot of it! And using it will make you feel nothing less than a chef at a Michelin star restaurant. And that’s exactly the feeling that we need when we are preparing a huge, Thanksgiving meal for all our near and dear ones.

This knife generally has a blade which is eight inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Due to the broad blade, symmetrical sides, and the pointed tip, it’s considered to the best knife for all your large chopping jobs. It’s so designed that it rocks on the chopping board, as it cuts food using easy, effective motions.

By now it might have been very clear that this knife will make you work faster with fruits and vegetables, meat etc. But this article isn’t just about that. So first, let’s tell you where you can get yourself some nice and sharp chef knives this Thanksgiving. Perkin Knives is just the place for you. They offer you a wide variety of all kinds of custom, handmade knives and their accessories. Perfect for both purchasing as well as gifting purposes during the holiday season.

How to use a chef knife in the most efficient manner

So yeah, where were we? Yes, we were trying to explain what this article is all about. Having known how talented this knife is, it’s very important that you make the correct use of it. And let’s not even get started on the criticality and stressful vibes of preparing a Thanksgiving meal. So, knowing how you can use your knives in the best possible way can save you a lot of preparation time. Not to forget the improvement in your food presentation skills and reduction of waste. So, shall we head to the important part of the story?

Holding rules for the non-knife hand

The fingers should be curled under to protect the fingertips. The thumb and the little finger should be behind the other fingers. The side of the blade, not meaning the edge, should be rested against the middle knuckles of your non-knife hand. This will avoid the knife from coming down on the fingers. The cuts are made using a downward rocking motion from the tip till the end of the blade.

Holding rules for the knife hand

The thumb and the first finger should grip the blade just beyond the knife handle. This gives you better control and precision during cutting. When finely chopping, you can hold the handle in one hand while the other hand rests on top of the blade. The blade tip is kept in contact with the chopping board while the blade is rocked up and down to chop the food into the required size.

The correct size

An 8-inch chef knife is the one recommended by most chefs, as they are easy to handle and manoeuvre. Though large fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe need a 10-inch serrated chef’s knife, as they are much safer to hold. You have to make sure that whether you are comfortable holding the knife, or if the blade feels solid and not lightweight and flimsy, prior to choosing your knife.

The Thanksgiving cut

This Thanksgiving, you can definitely try a classic Batonnet cut using your new or old chef knife. Using the knife, cut your sweet potatoes into equal batonnets. The basic knife cut shall measure to be 1.5 inches * 1.5 inches * 2.5-inch cuts. Then you can use the hearty and colourful strips along with carrots, to make roasted sweet potatoes and carrots salad. And voila! You have your entrees sorted for the Thanksgiving lunch.

So, these were some great tips using which you can give your own chef-knife touch to the upcoming Thanksgiving meal. Make use of this all-in-all knife to the maximum extent, and it will make working in the kitchen an absolute breeze. And needless to say, the knife will be worth the money. So, are you up for it? Coz we definitely are!

chef knife

Micaela

Micaela combines her love for all things digital and all things creative with a career in digital marketing alongside running three blogs. Micaela has been blogging since 2012 and loves sharing new experiences, products and her passions with her readers.

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