Knowing When to Sharpen your Knives | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!
Photo: The Grover's Photography
They always say, a dull knife is an unsafe knife. I couldn’t agree more! Countless injuries occur from a dull knife slipping off a product and making contact with your fingers laying adjacent. The worst part, is that this is totally preventable. Sharpen your knives, knowing when and how often to sharpen them, and your fingertips can stay bandage free!
How often should I sharpen my knife?
The general rule of thumb when it comes to sharpening your knives is based on how many times a week you use them. If you use your knife 3 times a week, then generally speaking, they should be sharpened 3 times a year! This goes for each knife that is used. Your chef knife, your workhorse, will most likely be the most used knife in your kitchen and therefore should be sharpened the most.
How do I know when to sharpen my knife?
I like to sharpen my knife right before I know that I will be using it a lot. For example, if I were sharpening my knife 3 times a year, this schedule might make the most sense: right before Easter, summer and Thanksgiving. Another way to tell is by holding a piece of paper in your hand in the air. The knife should slice right through the paper from the top down with ease and graze.
Where to sharpen your knives!
You can buy hand held sharpeners at your local cooking store, like Sur La Table, but I always recommend taking them into a knife-smith or cooking store and having them do it for you. If you don’t know what you are doing, or using a German knife sharpener for a Japanese style knife, for example, you can easily damage your knife. Most cooking stores charge $5 per knife and offer specials around the holidays. This is worth checking out.
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Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!
Sincerely,
Tiffany Lewis
Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!
