Living on a small farm where we grow our own food I end up cutting and chopping a lot of vegetables so I can can or freeze them for the winter. This year in particular the eggplant harvest has been exceptional and I have been freezing eggplant like mad. To do all of this cutting and chopping a good chef’s knife is vital. I have a collection of knives that serve many different purposes and I will admit that it took me a while to find ones that I like. It’s very important when shopping for a chef’s knife to consider several different factors so you have a kitchen tool that will serve you for a long time.
This post is brought to you by Edge Carbon Knives. I was sent a knife for review but all opinions are my own.
Tips for Choosing a Chef’s Knife
I will note up front that every knife is not for every person. It’s a tool you will be using quite frequently in your kitchen so you want to make sure that the knife you buy is one that will work for you for a long time. Some of the features you want to consider in purchasing a chef’s knife are:
- The size of the handle: some are larger than others. Some are thicker than others. You have to make sure that the handle fits your hand. When I was shopping for knife I found that many popular brands were too big for me. I suspect that most are designed to fit a man’s hand and mine are small in comparison.
- The weight of the knife: especially if you are going to be chopping a lot. For example; when the onions come in I end up chopping anywhere from 20 to 4o lbs of onions to go into the freezer. I want a knife that isn’t going to start to feel heavy. One year I chopped 80 lbs of carrots for the freezer. Obviously weight isn’t as big a factor if you aren’t going to be using your knife as heavily but it still does need to be a comfortable weight for you.
- The balance – this is rather in the hand of the beholder. Trust me, you will know when you are working with a badly balanced knife. You won’t be able to chop quickly or smoothly. Bad balance will slow you down.
- The size: chef’s knives come in different sizes, most commonly 8″ or 10″. You can also find a 6″ chef’s knife. Each of these serve their purpose and I will be honest; I have one of each and then some. Until recently my go to chef’s knife was an 6″ but then I was sent the Edge Carbon Steel 8″ Chef’s Knife and I find that I am using it more often than the smaller knife.
Using Your Chef’s Knife
Obviously the most important thing to remember is to keep your fingers out from under the blade. It’s sharp. All kidding aside, learn how to chop whatever food it is you are looking to chop. Check out this video for some tips. I was sent a beautiful 8″ Chef’s Knife from Edge Knives. It has a lovely balance and I have been giving it a workout.
In addition to all of the eggplant I have also chopped chocolate, cut up a pineapple, several melons and quite a few romanescos for the freezer. My new chef’s knife from Edge sailed through everything like a dream. I really learned to appreciate the larger size compared to my existing 8″ knife.
As you can see from the video above, the knife cut through eggplant quickly and easily. This beautiful knife is of German design, made with Asian steel and is $79 shipped in the US.
I have great news – readers of Broken Teepee can received 20% off by using the coupon code Brokenteepee at checkout.
A Great Holiday Gift
The Edge Carbon Knife would make a great holiday gift for the cook in your life. You can learn all about the company on their About Us page. This chef’s knife has a lifetime guarantee and ships free in the US. In addition to making a great holiday gift it would be a marvelous shower present for a new bride!
I have been cooking and have had quality knives for many years but I am very happy to welcome the Edge chef’s knife into my kitchen. I have used it almost every day since I received it.
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