Beginning our series of “Grill the Chef” posts, we sat down with Chef Irv to get a bit of insider information on a few knife skills. Have a tip that you would like to share? Please, let us know!
- Are there any standard knife sharpening techniques you can recommend when using a “steel” (the sharpener that comes in many butcher blocks)?
One of the most important elements of cooking and preparation is to have a sharp knife. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using a sharpening tool, known as a steel. To get started, hold the steel facing up and out in front of you with the hand guard visible. Hold the blunt end of the knife at the top of the steel and swipe down to the tip at a 45 degree angle. Repeat the same number of times on the opposite side of the blade until the edge is sharp. For a quick demo, look to Chef Gordon Ramsay, of Hell’s Kitchen fame, who shares the same technique as Chef Irv. Click HERE
- Do you have any simple techniques for dicing onions, evenly and smoothly?
To slice an onion, slice off both ends and the skin. Remove the first layer of onion. Cut the onion in half from stem to end, and put it flat side down. Place the palm of your hand on top of the onion and make several vertical slices to desired dice thickness. Keeping the onion connected, dice it by cutting perpendicular to vertical slices. Turn the onion and cut straight down to complete the dice. Chop the small leftover pieces. For a visual, check out this short video from startcooking.com.
Tags: Cooking Tips, Southern Cooking
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Check out the video clip, notice how she keeps her finger tips tucked under as she cuts. This technique takes a little practice, but is key to not cutting your finger tips!
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i was just thinking about this same thing prior hehe, wonderful article