How To Use A Santoku Knife

Spending time in the kitchen is one of the most fulfilling and exciting moments I have.

You can do a lot of things while in the kitchen to bring a smile to people’s faces.

With years of experience in kitchen activities, I have learned that people have lots of challenges like using the Santoku knife. I am here to help!

At first glance, you can easily confuse Japanese Santoku knives with western chef knives.

Learning how the Santoku knife works is one of the greatest but confusing things you can do.

It is always vital to make use of this versatile blade.

The difference in design between chef knife and Santoku knife means that they should be used differently.

Many homes don’t use Santoku knives; hence a lot of people have no idea how it works.

That is disappointing considering that Santoku knives are the most versatile blade in the market.

Below is a guide on proper use of the Santoku knife to get the most out of it.

Tips for using Santoku knife

Santoku knives come in different varieties, just like any other knife.

Therefore, you can use a suitable grip on the Santoku knife, which would work better on a chef knife set.

The difference between the two blades is how they cut.

The fact that Santoku knives have a flat belly makes it easy to lay the blade on your cutting board and still avoid rocking it.

Therefore, the rocking chop that would work with the chef knife set cannot work with Santoku knives.

Trying to rock with a Santoku knife is a waste of time since you will be moving up and down a lot across the chopping board without chopping anything.

The primary Santoku cutting motion is straight down and up.

You need to use enough force when cutting with Santoku to make a noise with the chopping board when cut is complete.

However, you should not use too much force to damage the cutting board or the blade.

You can have a slight forward motion when using a Santoku knife, but it is not necessary since the blade is sharper and thinner.

If forward, sawing, and back motion are more with a Santoku knife, it means that you need to sharpen it. Santoku knives are sharp and thin, which is idea to make incredibly thin slices with minimal forward or backward motion.

That is not possible if the blade is dulling. Therefore, you need to regularly hone and sharpen your knife to achieve a perfect cut.

Requirements for using santoku knife

There are three main things required to use Santoku knives: cutting board, Santoku knife, and what is being cut.

It is simple to use a Santoku knife, but you should take habitual knife safety precautions to reduce accident risks. The sharper knife is safer.

Ensure your cutting board is stable and completely flat to avoid movement when cutting.

Use the right-hand posture when cutting using a Santoku knife and avoid cutting toward yourself.

The fact that Santoku knives are sharp makes them very dangerous if misused.

Essential facts about Santoku knives

Santoku knives are thought to be some of the best Japanese knives and are known for three common use that is:
• Chopping
• Mincing
• Dicing

It doesn’t matter what you are dicing, mincing, or chopping; you can achieve it with Santoku.

When looking for the best Santoku knife to buy, you need to feel its weight and balance since there is no perfect knife unless you hold it.

Knives play an essential role in the life of a chef. Therefore when buying Santoku knives, you need to look for the best.

Follow all the safety regulation when using Santoku knife since there are sharp hence chances of causing a severe accident is high.

There are several models of the Santoku knife that can be used in different meal preparation.

Getting the right Santoku knife and understanding its works is the most crucial step in having an easy time in the kitchen.

Also, proper cleaning of the Santoku knife will increase the blade’s useful life.