If you want to get precession cutting, then you should go for Santoku knives. These are helpful to cut thin, but you won’t get it similar to cutting using a chef’s knife. On the other hand, Santoku knives need some techniques to cut the food. Here, we are talking about the differences between a santoku vs chef knife briefly.
A knife is an essential piece of equipment for chefs. And these knives are divided into two types: Chef’s knife, a Western-style knife, and a Santoku knife, A Japanese-style knife. Though these are different in their design, shape, style, and technique, the purpose of both blades is the same.
What Is A Santoku Knife?
The full name of the Santoku knife is Santoku Bocho Knives. It means “Three Uses” in English. These knives are perfect for mincing, chopping, and slicing. According to some chefs, these virtues of the Santoku knife use three parts of the edge. You can use the leading edge to slice, the heel part is helpful for chopping, and the tip works well for other detailed tasks.
If you compare the Santoku knife with Chef’s blades, you will find it smaller and lighter. And the primarily significant part is the shape. With a 6-7 inches length, the Santoku knife comes with a broader blade and a “flatter” cutting edge. You will get much efficiency for chopping in up-down and forward-backward motion.
Santoku knife Uses
You cannot cut hard foods using Santoku knives. It can last for a long time by taken care of properly. Use a cutting board on a soft or medium flat surface. But, never use hard surfaces like marble, steel, or slate. Otherwise, your knife will get damaged.
The uses of the Santoku Knife are clear from its meaning. You can call the three virtues as three uses of it. Using a Santoku knife provides precise cutting. As a result, you’ll get many conveniences to chop a large meat bone, slice bread, or peel. The primary purpose of using a santoku knife is to cut the food in a thin format.
Here are some uses of the Santoku knife:
- Cutting meat
- Slicing bread or cheese
- Dicing vegetables, nuts, and fruits
- Mincing herbs
- Create superb slices etc.
- People with small hands can get the best output from Santoku knife uses.
Santoku vs Chef Knife: Let’s see the differences between these knives.
Though the purpose of both knives is identical, there are some differences between them. You will get an explanation here briefly. If you look at the similarities, both are used and perfect for cutting tasks. Most of the chefs use these. You can also use these in home kitchens.
Assortment of several materials used to make these knives. Such as ceramic, metal, etc. Steel-made blades are preferable for professional chefs- because they are much durable and can prevent corrosion. And Santoku knives are preferable for those chefs who used to cut precision tasks.
Santoku knives originated in Japan and come with a wider sheepsfoot blade. You won’t find a tip in this knife. But it has a soft and curved back spine that meets the straight edge of the front blade. The most notable side of the Santoku knife is its thinner blade. You can find this in single-bevel or double-bevel form. As it comes lighter, so this knife is lightweight and balanced.
Chef’s Knives originated in Europe. For more perfection, Germany, and France. The blade of this knife curves upwards and forms a tip. Typically, this knife comes in a double bevel. You will see a bolster with this knife. And it is a little bit heavier to hold.
So, santoku knife is the best option?
There are several types of Santoku knife sets available in the market. It would help if you went for the suitable one. Some sets come with two pieces, some are three, and some sets contain five Santoku knives. For your convenience, we are describing the types of Santoku knives according to their shape, size, and manufacturing.
Santoku knives usually are 13-30 centimeters long. Though there are different sizes of knives available, you should choose more than 10 centimeters long knives. Its handle comes to work well in harmony. And, you will get a perfect cut using its weight and size. You can call this knife a well-balanced knife.
Santoku knives come with a breathtaking design. You will get a natural feel for its wooden handle. It’s a versatile and multifunctioning knife, and you can use this for your everyday cooking. This knife will fit your hand comfortably while using it.
These knives are incredibly lightweight. You will feel a perfect balance of its handle and blade. As a result, you will feel much comfortable using this knife for a long time. The thin edge of this knife can distribute the weight properly. It will provide you convenience cutting without any hard work of your arm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
a) Which advantage shall I get from a Santoku knife?
Answer: You can use a Santoku knife for performing precision cuttings. But you should know the basic cutting techniques of this first.
b) Can I cut hard meat using a Santoku knife?
Answer: You won’t find any bolster in a Santoku knife. It’s a mound of metal that remains in the middle of the blade and handle. The design of a santoku knife is not ideal for cutting hard meats like bone.
c) Which one is the ideal size of Santoku knife?
Answer: Santoku knives are not so long. Usually, you will find 13-30 cm long Santoku knives. But 14cm length is the ideal size of this knife.
Final Words
Chef knife and Santoku knife are both used for cutting purposes. Though they have some similarities, there are a lot of differences among them. Chef knifes originated in France and Germany. And the Santoku knife is the Japanese version of that. You will see the chef knife is a bit heavier than the Santoku knives.
Here we discussed these two knives briefly. You might learn the difference between a Santoku vs chef knife from the information mentioned above. We hope this will help you much to choose the best Santoku knife for your kitchen.
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