Sharpen your knives for Thanksgiving
If you are gearing up for Thanksgiving, it’s probably a good time to make sure your knives are sharp and ready. Well-sharpened knives make chopping, carving and peeling foods easier because you don’t have to apply as much pressure to the knife and can make more accurate cuts. Also, because you need to apply less pressure to the knife, it is less likely to slip and cut you instead of your food.
Cooks’ World in Brighton recently hosted a knife workshop with a chef from Wusthof Trident, a popular knife manufacturer. Owner Chris Wiedemer and manager Rebecca Carney gave me a quick tutorial.
How do you know if your knives need sharpening? Wiedemer suggests cutting a piece of paper to find out. If the knife cuts cleanly, then you are good to go. If it catches and makes a ragged slice, then your knife needs attention.
A few strokes on a sharpening rod or steel may do the trick. A steel is a long metal or ceramic rod with a handle that straightens the edges of slightly dulled knives.
To use it, hold the rod’s handle in one hand and put the tip of the rod on your counter, preferably on a cutting board or towel to keep it from slipping. Holding the knife in your other hand, place the edge of the blade closest to the handle at a 20 degree angle at the top of the steel. Gently draw the tightly angled knife down and across the rod several times at a steady, even pressure. Repeat on the other side of the blade. Rinse and dry your knife afterward to get rid of any burrs or shavings that accumulate.
Carney says a steel should be used every time you use your knife, or at least every other time. If you notice it takes too much pressure to cut food even after using the steel, then it’s time for a thorough sharpening.
Professional chefs often prefer a sharpening stone to sharpen their knives, but Wiedemer and Carney have found most home cooks don’t hold the knife at the correct angle and end up scratching their blades.
“Most people are intimidated by knife sharpening,” says Carney.
That’s why Cooks’ World staffers usually recommend a manual or electric knife sharpener, which removes the guess work.
Manual and electric sharpeners typically have two sets of slots or stages to sharpen blades. One is for European-style knives, which are beveled at about 20 degrees, and the other for Asian-style knives, which are beveled at about 15 degrees. (Take note: To compete with the growing demand for Japanese cutlery, some European manufacturers are putting tighter bevels on their products. Be sure you know your knife’s angle.)
With manual sharpeners, you pass your knife blade through the correct sharpening stage. A manual sharpener is quieter but may take 25 to 100 passes to put a new edge on a knife while an electric sharpener is more efficient, taking 5 to 10 passes.
Sharpeners then have a third stage that hones or polishes the edge, getting rid of burrs. Pass the blade through that stage a few times and your knife should be ready.
You can also get your knives professionally sharpened (Cooks’ World offers these services). Carney says most home cooks need to have their knives sharpened once or twice a year.
“Smokin Knife Works offers Knife Sharpening Services on Long Island”
Store your knives in a place where the blades won’t bang against other objects, which can put dings and scratches on them. If you use a knife block with vertical slots, place the knife in upside down so you don’t dull the blade against the wood as you pull the knife in or out. Newer knife blocks now put the slots horizontally to avoid this pitfall, Carney says.
Never put good knives in the dishwasher. Harsh detergents will damage blades and handles, and you run the risk of dings and scratches. Inspecting a customer’s knife that had gone through the dishwasher too many times, Carney had the edge of the blade literally crumble in her hand.
Also a big no-no is throwing knives in a pan of soapy water. Not only can the blades get damaged by hitting against other dishes, but you or someone else could get cut because you can’t see the knife. The best practice is to wash, rinse, dry and store your knife right away to keep everyone and everything safe.