Those pesky onions
I know you came here to find how to cut onions, so below is a great video on how to six different ways. But I’m hoping you’ll stick around long enough to learn something about knives and other knife skills. Knife skills are an essential part of every home cook’s repertoire.
The video mentions the tears that are frequently associated with onions. It’s rare that I shed a tear, and I believe the key to this is using a sharp chef’s knife. After the how to cut onions video, I discuss knives, knife skills, and share another video on standard knife cuts.
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How to cut onions starts with a decent chef’s knife
The second video I have for you demonstrates the essential knife skills every chef needs to learn. However, I disagree with the need to spend $100 on a chef’s knife or to dole out even more on a bundle of knives. Some years ago, my wife bought me a set of knives, but rarely do I use the others that came in the set.
You only need four, and the other three will only be used occasionally. They are: a boning knife, second behind a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and lastly, a serrated, long-blade knife for slicing. On occasion, you may encounter a need for a meat cleaver. I rarely use mine because there are other ways to obtain the desired outcome. Unless you have money to burn, other knives will provide you with little value.
Before I go further, I want you to know I’m not compensated for any product I show you. So when I do, it’s not an endorsement from which I will profit. OK, I checked out Amazon and found this one Mercer Chef’s Knife. Currently, it’s listed for $22. It has a 4.8-star rating and nearly 48,000 votes. That sounds like an endorsement to me.
How to cut onions – a sharp knife is key
Along with your need for good knife is a means to keep it sharp. How you do it is up to you as long as it stays sharp enough to easily slice through a ripe tomato. Mine always does. I don’t have a steel, but I do have this stone Sharp Pebble Premium Knife Sharpening Stone as well as this device Senzu Sharpener.
The one found on Amazon appears to be a copycat. I prefer the Senzu Sharpener over the stone because it is so easy to use. To use the stone correctly, you have to let it soak in water awhile. With the Senzu, you just need to run your knife through the fine side a few times, and you’re good to go. This is precisely why my knives are always sharp.
Knife Skills – Consistency of cut = consistency of cook
There are three primary reasons you want to have decent knife skills. The first and most important is to prevent injury. If you use the correct technique, it’s quite difficult to injure yourself. Rarely do I cut myself. When I do, it always has something to do with being careless. Next, consistency of your cuts will result in consistency of the cook you put on your food. The last reason is for eye appeal. Since we also eat with our eyes, consistent cuts will make for more appealing dishes. The method being used in the next video is called the tip-fulcrum method. It’s a great start on learning the proper way to use a chef’s knife.
I’ll be talking a lot about methods. The tip-fulcrum method is the first for you to learn … and hopefully master.
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