Do you want to be a kitchen expert? Chef’s knives are essential in any restaurant to produce a nice meal, but lots of varieties are available, and it may give you a hard time to determine which one is ideal for whatever task. Japanese knives, such as Sashimi knives, are very common and are used for slicing raw fish very thin. But aside from the Sashimi knife, are you also familiar with the Sujihiki knife? When searching for knives, you may discover that some have unusual names that you think are not knives at first, such as the one stated. So, without further ado, let’s begin delving into the Sujihiki knife’s secret.
What Is A Sujihiki Knife?
If you try to read its name, you will surely think that the Sujihiki knife is a complex type of knife. But with all of its aesthetic features, Sujihiki is a simple kitchen knife that needs deep understanding.
🔪 Body Profile
Sujihiki knives are slicing knives that are long and slender. Double-bevel slicers are another name for them. These knives are slimmer and lightweight than Gyuto or Yanagiba knives, which usually have long blades. The name suji derives from the Japanese word suji no kamae, and this means “linear stance.” While the hikior hiki-Giri or hiki means “pull cut.”
🔪 Function
This attributed to the idea that rather than cutting back and forth, Sujihiki knives have been used to slice through food in one continuous cut than in a rocking motion. As a matter of fact, Sujihiki knives have been popular in butcher stations since the 16th century, when they first emerged in Japan.
🔪 Cutting Style
In terms of the cutting style of this knife, the Sujihiki is not used in a pressing motion. Commonly, the drawing motion is used to help keep your food from getting bruised or mushed because of the pressure from your grip.
When To Use Sujihiki Knife?
🔪 Regular Cooking
The long, slim design of a sujihiki knife makes it ideal for different types of food preparation. It also has a curved tip and a straight edge. You may use this knife to slice practically anything. You can use the Sujihiki to slice cheese and hard fruits. Many people also prefer it to cut vegetables rather than using a chef’s knife. Sujihiki knives are becoming highly prevalent in slicing fish and meat, but they may also be applicable to slicing herbs.
🔪 Holiday Turkey
The length of the Sujihiki knife makes it great for carving up huge roasts into tiny chunks, making it perfect for special table meal preparation. Take into account that the sujihiki is your trump card for cutting the entire ham or turkey. This is a great tool, especially if you aren’t confident about how to start with chopping it up. Its thin shape will make removing the flesh from the bone a breeze.
🔪 Carving Meat
As mentioned earlier, butchers typically use sujihiki knives to split the meat into small strips for packing or cooking. This knife’s narrow form helps the chef cut delicate portions of meat without breaking it apart as a bigger blade would.
Brittleness Of Japanese Knives
🔪 Chipping
Japanese knives are must-haves in your utensil collection. But one thing to be scared of is the chipping of the knife’s edges. With many modifications to suit the taste of a knife lover, the differences between a Japanese knife and other knives are slimmed down. Most new Japanese knife owners are hesitant to use these knives due to their brittleness. Some have already chipped them or have multiple microchips along the cutting edge.
🔪 Cladding
Cladding is indeed excellent for added durability and drastically reduces the scratches rate. But, the additional rigid core below the cladding line is still exposed and unprotected. Most Japanese knife experts are fond of thin knives, especially behind the edge. Also, these knives have a lower sharpened angle, which makes the cutting edge extremely thin and extra fragile.
🔪 Performance
The blade’s thinness gives you sharper cutting skills, and the rigidity of the knife’s steel will determine how you can keep the sharper performance for a more extended period. The knives can easily last for a decade or more without having to thin out the blade if you know how to take proper knife care. With great responsibility, you will see that the knife is a lot more durable than we think.
How To Make Your Knife Last Longer
If you want your Japanese knife to last more than a decade, you should not do the following things.
🔪 Force
Because most Japanese knives have a thin and stiff body, you should not use excessive force on the way through some food. Like when you are mincing onion, let the knife do the work for you, and do not force your knife or dig it in the cutting board.
🔪 Scraping and Twisting
What most people who cook also like to do is scrape food together with the cutting edge. While combining the scraping motion with some force, you increase the chipping rate. Also, this is one of the reasons you see microchips across the cutting edge of Japanese knives. The same applies to the twisting motion when you cut food. Remember that you should always cut completely through some food like cheese and harder food like carrots. Do not push and twist the knife to directly break the food off.
🔪 Maintenance
If you really want to last your Japanese knives for a long time, do not forget the proper care and maintenance. It is excellent to always hand-washed your knives before use. Make sure to also keep your knives dry before putting them in your drawer to avoid rusting.
Conclusion
Are you looking to expand your knife collection? If you’re a serious cook or simply want to improve your cooking skills, the sujihiki knife is a good option. The Sujihiki knife is just one of those things you’ll must-have in your culinary tool collection for regular cooking. This is indeed flexible enough for it to slice most stuff on a typical list of ingredients, but it really shines when it comes to cutting meat and splitting it thinly. The sujihiki knife will become one of the finest buys you ever make, especially if you have a large number of people to serve at home who enjoy sliders and sushi.
Do you still want to know more about Japanese knives? Click here to reveal the next featured knife!