|
|
What comes in a cutlery set?
Home » Kitchen » Cutlery » What comes in a cutlery set?A cutlery set is a collection of (usually) seven to eight kitchen knives. While a cutlery set may include steak knives for table settings, the foundation of a traditional cutlery set is the food preparation knives. An entire cutlery set can cost as little as $60 or as much as $500 or more and will be made up of some, or all, of the following pieces:
• Chef’s Knife: Considered the workhouse of the American kitchen, the chef’s knife is an eight-inch blade that chops, slices, and dices. Outside of a cleaver, it is the largest kitchen knife.
• Utility Knife: At four to six inches, this knife is, as the name suggests, a good in-between blade that serves a variety of cutting purposes.
• Paring Knife: This short knife (three to four-inch blade) works best for peeling and coring.
• Slicing Knife: This knife has a long, thin blade that is used primarily to slice cooked meat.
• Bread Knife: A bread knife is a long knife with a serrated blade usually used to saw through bread, but it can also cut other items.
• Cleaver: This tall, thick, rectangular blade cuts through meat easily.
• Carving Knife: A carving knife works best on meat that is not large enough to require the cleaver.
• Santoku Knife: This popular Japanese knife has a cutting edge that is straighter than a chef’s knife but less bulky than a cleaver.
• Boning Knife: The narrow boning knife removes meat from the bone; the filet knife is a boning knife designed specifically for fish.
• Kitchen Shears: These powerful scissors can cut meat, as well as fruits and vegetables, and any other number of items.
• Honing Rod: Use this steel rod to straighten the edges of your blades to keep them working properly.
In addition to these items, some cutlery sets include a knife block, with slots in which you can store your knives, and a cutting board to place under foods as you cut. The more food preparation you do, the more likely you are to notice the differences between these blades and to take advantage of them.
Though it is cheaper to buy them as a set, you can also buy each of these knives separately if you want to gradually add to your cutlery collection. Most families find that the three most useful knives are the chef’s knife, utility knife, and paring knife, but the cleaver, bread knife, and kitchen shears are not far behind. Consider your cooking style and pick the knife or knives that you will most often use. Look for the same quality from each individual knife that you should expect from an entire cutlery set.
Related Cutlery Articles
- What comes in a cutlery set?
- What are the differences between knives in different cutlery sets?
- What (and who) makes a quality knife?
- How do I use and take care of my cutlery?