The Santoku Knife
You
have seen them in the stores, online or in magazines, but is the
Santoku knife worthwhile to buy? And how does it compare with the
traditional chef's knife? The santoku knife was designed in
Japan and the name means “three uses,” which are
slicing, mincing and chopping. It does many of the tasks that
the chef's knife does. The design of the blade is different
than the chef's knife in that the blade is thinner and there is no
shoulder. The most common length is around 7 inches and there
is a curve towards the tip of the blade making it ideal for mincing and
finer work. The tip is also stubbier than the chef's knife.
Advantages:
It is very nice for finer work that requires precise cuts.
The thin blade slices through vegetables easily and helps to make precise cuts.
The curve of the blade makes a nice rocking motion for fine mincing
Disadvantages:
The thinner blade should not be used for work around bone or for heavier cutting jobs like cutting through squash.
Things to look for when purchasing:
The handle needs to be high enough to easily allow your fingers to hold it with hitting the cutting surface.
The handle should be of a material that will not stain and can be cleaned easily like resin impregnated wood. The shape needs to be comfortable in your hand.
There needs to be enough curve on the blade to allow for a good rocking motion. Some blades are a little too flat.
The composition of the blade needs to be of high quality so that it will hold a good edge even though the blade is very thin.
Look for a blade that is 6 ½ to 7 inches. Anything smaller is just not that useful for most tasks.
Some suggested brands:
Shun Classic Santoku: it is no surprise that this excellent Japanese made knife usually is at the top of reviews. It favors right handed users.
Wusthof Grand Prix Oriental Cook's – Really nice for the mincing and slicing carrots thin. Wusthof also makes a 7 inch hollow ground santoku which reduces food sticking to the blade.
MAC Superior Santoku – Cooks Illustrated rated this one very highly for response and sharpness. I prefer a more classic santoku design without a shoulder. A very good knife.
Henckels - They have a number of models which have different feels. I really like the “edge” model because it is light weight and is very responsive.
Summary:
So should you buy it and replace your chef's knife?
- It makes a very nice compliment to your chef's knife and does some things better like mincing but overall, the traditional chef's knife can do more. If you have only knife, get the chef's knife, then save for your Santoku, because you will find as I have that they are a joy to use.
Advantages:
It is very nice for finer work that requires precise cuts.
The thin blade slices through vegetables easily and helps to make precise cuts.
The curve of the blade makes a nice rocking motion for fine mincing
Disadvantages:
The thinner blade should not be used for work around bone or for heavier cutting jobs like cutting through squash.
Things to look for when purchasing:
The handle needs to be high enough to easily allow your fingers to hold it with hitting the cutting surface.
The handle should be of a material that will not stain and can be cleaned easily like resin impregnated wood. The shape needs to be comfortable in your hand.
There needs to be enough curve on the blade to allow for a good rocking motion. Some blades are a little too flat.
The composition of the blade needs to be of high quality so that it will hold a good edge even though the blade is very thin.
Look for a blade that is 6 ½ to 7 inches. Anything smaller is just not that useful for most tasks.
Some suggested brands:
Shun Classic Santoku: it is no surprise that this excellent Japanese made knife usually is at the top of reviews. It favors right handed users.
Wusthof Grand Prix Oriental Cook's – Really nice for the mincing and slicing carrots thin. Wusthof also makes a 7 inch hollow ground santoku which reduces food sticking to the blade.
MAC Superior Santoku – Cooks Illustrated rated this one very highly for response and sharpness. I prefer a more classic santoku design without a shoulder. A very good knife.
Henckels - They have a number of models which have different feels. I really like the “edge” model because it is light weight and is very responsive.
Summary:
So should you buy it and replace your chef's knife?
- It makes a very nice compliment to your chef's knife and does some things better like mincing but overall, the traditional chef's knife can do more. If you have only knife, get the chef's knife, then save for your Santoku, because you will find as I have that they are a joy to use.