f you enjoy using a good kitchen knife, a Nakiri should be in your collection. With this lesson, you will learn how to properly use a Nakiri knife. Looking for best Japanese Knives? We have a list of review you can check.
What is a Nakiri Knife?
The Nakiri is a Japanese vegetable knife. An asymmetrical, wide, straight blade has a blunt nose and a wide, symmetrical blade. In the use of a Nakiri, you are supposed to slice straight up and down or slice forwards and backwards while using an up and down motion, rather than rocking forwards and backwards as you would with a curved chef’s knife.
You can chop tender vegetables quickly and efficiently by chopping up and down. As you slice back and forth, the straight edge makes more contact with the cutting board, resulting in a cleaner cut. A wide blade allows you to scoop up a large quantity of chopped food for easy transfer.
What to Cut with a Nakiri Knife
Knowing how you are cutting foods with a Nakiri will help you understand what foods it is best to cut. Meat cleavers don’t work like this. With this knife, you can cut all your vegetables and fruits. Here is a list of non-exclusive ideas:
- cucumber
- zucchini and other summer squash
- cabbages – green, red, Napa, Savoy
- potatoes of all kinds
- mushrooms
- peppers
- tomatoes
- apples, pears, oranges, lemons, limes
- melons of all kinds
- pineapple
Grooved Nakiri Knife
I decided to add a grooved blade when designing the Blue Jean Chef® Nakiri knife for the Blue Jean Chef® line since the Nakiri is intended for vegetables, and vegetables have a high moisture content and sometimes starch. The grooved blade allows a little air to get between the blade and the food being cut, preventing the food from sticking to the blade. Friction is reduced and therefore sticking is reduced. As you’re doing all your prep work in the kitchen, you won’t need to worry about knocking food off your knife blade.
How to Sharpen a Nakiri Knife
The edge of a Nakiri knife is double-beveled and straight. The knife can be sharpened just like the rest of your knives. The knives can be sharpened with drag through sharpeners or electric sharpeners, and you can hone their edges by running them along a steel. If you prefer, you can also send your Nakiri knife to a professional knife sharpener once or twice a year.
How to Use a Nakiri Knife
Why Nakiri?
- There are a number of advantages to using the Nakiri for cutting vegetables. Below you will find a list of some of these.
- Since its blade is flat, it is capable of producing very thin, even slices. Vegetable ribbons are easy to make because of this.
- Generally, nakiri knives are long, which makes them ideal for most vegetables.
- Using a flat blade, you can cut right through the veggie to the cutting board, resulting in really clean cuts. Vegetables don’t come with little threads attached to them.
- Nakiri knives can handle delicate vegetables without squashing them.
- Nakiri’s straight edge makes it easy to chop vegetables without rocking the blade.
- The broad blade of the Nakiri protects your knuckles when cutting on the board.
- Due to its rectangular blade, the Nakiri does not shorten in length from constant sharpening, unlike other knives with triangular blades.
Points to Consider When Buying a Nakiri Knife
For a high-quality Nakiri knife, you should take into account the following points:
The Material of the Blade
Stainless steel is the most common material used in modern knives. It can be low carbon or high carbon and varies in carbon content.
Blades made of low carbon steel dull more quickly and need sharpening more frequently, while blades made of high carbon steel last longer, retain their edges, and need less frequent sharpening.
The Blade Finish
In terms of food sticking to the blade during cutting, the finish of the blade can make a big difference. Hand-hammered finishes prevent this problem on many good Nakiri knives.
Granton edges are also used by other knives for the same purpose. An edge with Granton indentations on its side is said to have Granton edges. Indentations in the blade create air pockets between food and the blade, reducing friction and preventing food from sticking.
The Price
Blades made from high carbon steel tend to last longer and are more expensive than blades made from low carbon steel. Between $100 and $200 would be the average price of a relatively good knife.
The Knife Handle
While cutting, a good knife handle should be sturdy, water-resistant, and comfortable to hold. Having a slippery handle can result in injuries or discomfort, and this will affect the quality of the cooking.
The Blade Length
In general, Nakiri knives should be able to cut most vegetables. You should try to find a knife that is at least five inches long. Now you know everything there is to know about Nakiri knives. Below you will find some examples of Nakiri knives.
This is a typical Nakiri knife with a square tip and a straight edge that enables you to cut without using a push-and-pull motion. Between the handle and the bolster, the knife has a seamless transition, which ensures hygiene since food can’t get stuck between them.
Knives with the perfect balance between the blade and handle make cutting effortless and comfortable. The blade has 49 layers of damascus steel with a Rockwell hardness of 61.
A high degree of hardness and sharpness ensures long-term edge retention. Furthermore, the handle is made of black Pakkawood, which is durable and comfortable to use. The blade is made of VG10 steel with an outer layer of 13 chrome stainless steel and a Rockwell hardness of 60-62.
There is a hammered finish on the blade, which prevents food from sticking. It is made of traditional Japanese magnolia wood, which fits perfectly in the hand and is water-resistant. In keeping with Shun knives’ tradition of handcrafting, this knife combines modern technology with traditional knife making methods.
Despite its hardness, its razor-sharp edge can slice through any type of vegetable, from soft tomatoes to squash. Blades are indented to reduce friction and prevent food from sticking. The handle is ergonomically designed for comfort and is made of water-resistant Pakkawood combined with resin.
With its 63 Rockwell hardness and long edge retention, this knife has an ice-hardened blade. Micro Carbide MC63 powdered steel surrounds a core of 100 layers of two types of steel with different hardnesses. This results in a beautiful flowered Damascus pattern.
Knives are honed using the traditional ‘honbazuke’ technique to achieve a symmetrical blade with incomparable sharpness. The Birchwood handle is shaped to provide maximum comfort when cutting, and its warm tone contrasts well with the cool blade.
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