Babish makes super well-produced videos and it's fun to see him make stuff from films and so on, but he's a self-taught not-quite expert so you don't want to take everything he says as the gospel truth, especially if you're brand new to cooking. You can get by without a nonstick pan, for instance, and depending on what you make you might not need to spring for a fancy quick read thermometer.
You can get by without a nonstick pan, but on the other hand, why would you? Many common things are ridiculously easier with a non-stick pan, and they're very inexpensive.
Yeah, and remember these are not recommendations for what a pro or experienced chef needs, they're recommendations for what a person trying to learn to cook from a youtube channel will find helpful. I guarantee that that sort of person would much rather have "when instant read thermometer says 165°" instead of "when the juices run clear" for "You won't make your friend sick". If you've got a lot of experience or a lot of protein to ruin and don't have to comply with health codes then sure, you don't need a thermapen but they're still very useful even then.
Going straight to a Thermapen might be overkill but he goes over that.
But yeah, I'm definitely coming around to the idea of getting a thermapen after trying to temp these pork medallions in the oven with this crappy thermometer that took almost a minute to read
If you get one, get the MK4. The extra features compared to a Classic really make it nice.
If t that's too much, their ThermoPops do a respectable job too and come in a bunch of Colors.
MichaelLC on
+1
Options
AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
I use a meat thermometer exactly once a year. The same number of times I roast a turkey. Most my proteins go through sous vide these days or I'm more worried about over cooking than under cooking depending on what it is.
I use a meat thermometer exactly once a year. The same number of times I roast a turkey. Most my proteins go through sous vide these days or I'm more worried about over cooking than under cooking depending on what it is.
Mine still gets a fair amount of use even with most of my proteins going through sous vide these days. I still do a good amount of custards and taking the temperature of butter I'm going to use in dough lets me know when it's in the ideal range for creaming. And I still do whole fish and lobsters that don't lend themselves as much to sous vide.
Plus sometimes a sous vide device has developed a problem and I have to compare the temperature it says it's using versus that of the water itself.
ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
edited November 2017
Ok cooking thread. Knife questions. My birthday (and also Christmas) are coming up, and I'm looking into what to get. There are a variety of ideas I have, many not cooking related, but even if I choose not to go with cooking stuff, it would be beneficial for me to learn about this for a variety of reasons (plus, I have heard that my birthday and Christmas have both already been scheduled for next year, as well? Also I guess I probably will get free stuff for the wedding, which is nebulously a year and a halfish off). I think my question is actually really broad, which makes it harder to search for. Looking for good chef knives ends up with a bunch of very specific results, but I'm not at that stage yet. Anyway. Enough preface.
The point is I know very little of knives. I know that there are different types of chef knives. The primary ones I'm aware of are the standard "Chef's Knife," which is the French style, and santoku knives. I know there are others as well. I know nothing about steel, how to tell if a knife is good or bad if I'm handling it* (other than like, does it have an edge, but I can sharpen and hone knives so that's basically useless), I don't know much about manufacturing or what shapes are more useful for things I might not have thought of.
I'm not hopelessly new at this, I do love cooking, as I said, I sharpen and hone my shitty Chinese stainless steel knife and it works fine, but I would like a kind of beginner's guide to what makes a knife good, how to select one at a market, as well as any explanations people could give on why a French knife or a santoku knife (or some other type of knife!) would be preferable to others, or if they're all basically the same and just stylistically different.
Ok cooking thread. Knife questions. My birthday (and also Christmas) are coming up, and I'm looking into what to get. There are a variety of ideas I have, many not cooking related, but even if I choose not to go with cooking stuff, it would be beneficial for me to learn about this for a variety of reasons (plus, I have heard that my birthday and Christmas have both already been scheduled for next year, as well? Also I guess I probably will get free stuff for the wedding, which is nebulously a year and a halfish off). I think my question is actually really broad, which makes it harder to search for. Looking for good chef knives ends up with a bunch of very specific results, but I'm not at that stage yet. Anyway. Enough preface.
There are really two main divisions in knives, East and West. Within that, there's 2 main divisions each.
German-style chef's knives have big round bellies that are great for rock chopping, but are mediocre for slicing.
French-style chef knives that are similar, but with a much straight belly, and are much better for slicing than German-style knifes.
There's the Japanese Gyuto, which is their version of a western-style chef's knife. These are personally my favorite, as they have a little belly, but are straight enough to slice well with. These come in varieties of both eastern style round handles, or western style handles like the above knives.
Lastly are the Santokus, which are great for beginners, as they have a flatter profile for slicing, are a little shorter and easier to handle than some of the longer chef's knives.
The biggest question really is your price range, and how well to you plan on taking care of your knives, then ask yourself how you cut things. Do you keep your blade on the board and rock back and forth? Do you slice downards? Do you chop?
Beyond that there's a few generalities. Western steel is softer, which means it takes an edge easier, but does not stay sharp nearly as long and has to be continuously honed. Being softer, however, means less chance of chipping if cutting something hard like squash or bones, etc. Eastern steel is typically much harder, it stays sharper for much longer, but is a little harder to sharpen, should not be honed on a steel rod, and can be prone to micro-chipping if used on very hard things like bones or butternut squash etc.
Again though, I think the biggest question would be, how do you cut? That's really what's going to determine what makes you comfortable in all of your every day tasks.
+9
Options
ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
Ok cooking thread. Knife questions. My birthday (and also Christmas) are coming up, and I'm looking into what to get. There are a variety of ideas I have, many not cooking related, but even if I choose not to go with cooking stuff, it would be beneficial for me to learn about this for a variety of reasons (plus, I have heard that my birthday and Christmas have both already been scheduled for next year, as well? Also I guess I probably will get free stuff for the wedding, which is nebulously a year and a halfish off). I think my question is actually really broad, which makes it harder to search for. Looking for good chef knives ends up with a bunch of very specific results, but I'm not at that stage yet. Anyway. Enough preface.
The point is I know very little of knives. I know that there are different types of chef knives. The primary ones I'm aware of are the standard "Chef's Knife," which is the French style, and santoku knives. I know there are others as well. I know nothing about steel, how to tell if a knife is good or bad if I'm handling it* (other than like, does it have an edge, but I can sharpen and hone knives so that's basically useless), I don't know much about manufacturing or what shapes are more useful for things I might not have thought of.
I'm not hopelessly new at this, I do love cooking, as I said, I sharpen and hone my shitty Chinese stainless steel knife and it works fine, but I would like a kind of beginner's guide to what makes a knife good, how to select one at a market, as well as any explanations people could give on why a French knife or a santoku knife (or some other type of knife!) would be preferable to others, or if they're all basically the same and just stylistically different.
As Simpsonia mentioned, German style chef's knives are a major style and IMO have probably overtaken French style for the mass market at this point. I'll add that the Gyuto is the Japanese take on a French style knife. They are some of the best bang for the buck in terms of knife quality because few people think to look at Japanese made stuff for a non-Japanese knife.
Santoku are also a decent choice but not quite as versatile. They're more geared towards cutting up vegetable matter being somewhat of a hybrid between a French knife and a Japanese Nakiri, a knife that is dedicated to use on vegetables.
There's also the Chinese chef's knife, aka Chinese Cleaver which is definitely not a meat cleaver. They're lighter than they look and also geared more towards handling vegetables (the wide stuff blade helps go through squash and other denser plant parts) but will react to bone about as poorly as any other chef's knife.
Without knowing specific diets, the French chef's knife, German chef's knife, and Japanese Gyuto are going to be the most versatile styles and mostly interchangeable with each other. Of those, a good French example will be the toughest to find in the states, that Japanese ones are almost exclusively sold on the internet unless you're in a major city where importers have retail space, and the German ones can cost $texas in stores because they're so popular.
Ok cooking thread. Knife questions. My birthday (and also Christmas) are coming up, and I'm looking into what to get. There are a variety of ideas I have, many not cooking related, but even if I choose not to go with cooking stuff, it would be beneficial for me to learn about this for a variety of reasons (plus, I have heard that my birthday and Christmas have both already been scheduled for next year, as well? Also I guess I probably will get free stuff for the wedding, which is nebulously a year and a halfish off). I think my question is actually really broad, which makes it harder to search for. Looking for good chef knives ends up with a bunch of very specific results, but I'm not at that stage yet. Anyway. Enough preface.
The point is I know very little of knives. I know that there are different types of chef knives. The primary ones I'm aware of are the standard "Chef's Knife," which is the French style, and santoku knives. I know there are others as well. I know nothing about steel, how to tell if a knife is good or bad if I'm handling it* (other than like, does it have an edge, but I can sharpen and hone knives so that's basically useless), I don't know much about manufacturing or what shapes are more useful for things I might not have thought of.
I'm not hopelessly new at this, I do love cooking, as I said, I sharpen and hone my shitty Chinese stainless steel knife and it works fine, but I would like a kind of beginner's guide to what makes a knife good, how to select one at a market, as well as any explanations people could give on why a French knife or a santoku knife (or some other type of knife!) would be preferable to others, or if they're all basically the same and just stylistically different.
As Simpsonia mentioned, German style chef's knives are a major style and IMO have probably overtaken French style for the mass market at this point. I'll add that the Gyuto is the Japanese take on a French style knife. They are some of the best bang for the buck in terms of knife quality because few people think to look at Japanese made stuff for a non-Japanese knife.
Stantokus are also a decent choice but not quite as versatile. They're more geared towards cutting up vegetable matter being somewhat of a hybrid between a French knife and a Japanese Nakiri, a knife that is dedicated to use on vegetables.
There's also the Chinese chef's knife, aka Chinese Cleaver which is definitely not a meat cleaver. They're lighter than they look and also geared more towards handling vegetables (the wide stuff blade helps go through squash and other denser plant parts) but will react to bone about as poorly as any other chef's knife.
Without knowing specific diets, the French chef's knife, German chef's knife, and Japanese Gyuto are going to be the most versatile styles and mostly interchangeable with each other. Of those, a good French example will be the toughest to find in the states, that Japanese ones are almost exclusively sold on the internet unless you're in a major city where importers have retail space, and the German ones can cost $texas in stores because they're so popular.
Cool, cool. I appreciate it. I'm leaning towards Gyuto, since I like the way they look (as solid a reason as any, definitely :P ). Diet is mostly vegetable, with chicken every week or so. Re: santokus being a cross between French knife and Nakiri, I'm actually cool in the long run if I get two specialized knives, especially given that cooking usually involves Querry and I dividing up the cutting to be done, so putting one person on most vegetables and the other on meat + whatever is totally viable.
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
+2
Options
ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
Ah, drat about the thrift idea, though it's good to know. This is all great info, I appreciate it.
For informations' sake: I actually do use wetstones on the rare occasion I sharpen my knives, and I am obsessive compulsive and had shitty roommates a decade ago that would fill up the sink, use my stuff, and leave it there, so I got very used to cleaning stuff as I cook. Consequently, I already wash and wipe the knife dry within a minute or so of being done cutting.
For informations' sake: I actually do use wetstones on the rare occasion I sharpen my knives, and I am obsessive compulsive and had shitty roommates a decade ago that would fill up the sink, use my stuff, and leave it there, so I got very used to cleaning stuff as I cook. Consequently, I already wash and wipe the knife dry within a minute or so of being done cutting.
I'll just recommend getting the Tojiro DP I linked above then. It's the best bang for the buck knife out there, imo.
Though one note Japanese knives have edges that are steeper than western edges (another reason why they feel sharper). But the downside is they have asymmetrical grinds, where one side is shallower than the other. If you ever do want to get more into sharpening on your own, I'd start watching the Korin channel, they have a ton of great videos on how to sharpen with wet-stones.
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
The thing to remember about the hardness of knives if that you trade hardness (and holding the edge for longer) for toughness. Harder knives are more likely to chip out. You shouldn't be using a nice knife for the sorts of things that are going to chip it but as Shiv mentioned, that's sometimes not entirely in your control.
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
The thing to remember about the hardness of knives if that you trade hardness (and holding the edge for longer) for toughness. Harder knives are more likely to chip out. You shouldn't be using a nice knife for the sorts of things that are going to chip it but as Shiv mentioned, that's sometimes not entirely in your control.
Huge +1 here. I bought a ceramic chef's knife last year and it chipped BADLY within 3 months and I had to toss it.
Whereas my Fibrox is still the workhorse of choice when I get my hands dirty (and it was cheaper by at least half).
We have a (wedding present) block set of Henckels that's....okay but not amazing. If I knew more in 2006, I would have asked for a different set.
Re: thrifting - that may be a good way to get a nice set of steak knives, if you're patient and observant.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
Regarding steel, further muddling things is that how an alloy is treated can have a massive effect on the end quality of it. 440 steels have a huge variance in quality due to the heat treatment. When I followed that particular scene, more than a few custom knife makers of camp knives made stuff out of 440c but weren't using the standard heat treatment.
That being said, with regards to thrifting/flea markets/antiquing, exact steel allow is probably one of the smallest concerns. With the exception of some really high end steels from the last decade or so specifically formulated for use in good knife blades, they all have some trade off between edge retention, ease of sharpening, and corrosion resistance and at the end of the day you still sharpen them all the same way. The quality of the construction and ergonomics would be of far more interest.
The thing to remember about the hardness of knives if that you trade hardness (and holding the edge for longer) for toughness. Harder knives are more likely to chip out. You shouldn't be using a nice knife for the sorts of things that are going to chip it but as Shiv mentioned, that's sometimes not entirely in your control.
Absolutely, I mentioned that the harder steel has a tendency to get micro-chips. I keep a crappy 440 Stainless chef's knife for cracking squash etc open, because that doesn't need to be that sharp, and I just run it through the pull-through sharpener when I need to. I have a Wusthof 6" utility knife that I use for pairing and fileting/deboning. And my gyuto only touches veggies and boneless meat.
Actually I'll argue that a good utility knife is second only behind a good chef's knife in importance. Pairing knifes are just too short, the 5-6" of utility knives makes them versatile, while small enough for detail work still. Good luck trying to get through a big beefsteak tomato with a pairing knife.
Thanks! That's super great information. I tend to slice down-forward, so it sounds like the German style wouldn't be ideal. How do you hone harder steel? I'd never heard that.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
The thing to remember about the hardness of knives if that you trade hardness (and holding the edge for longer) for toughness. Harder knives are more likely to chip out. You shouldn't be using a nice knife for the sorts of things that are going to chip it but as Shiv mentioned, that's sometimes not entirely in your control.
Huge +1 here. I bought a ceramic chef's knife last year and it chipped BADLY within 3 months and I had to toss it.
Ceramic knives also have the complication that we sharpen steel knives on ceramic or materials of similar hardness because it's harder than steel but have to move straight up to diamond coated stones and rods to sharpen ceramic knives.
Came in to answer you @Shivahn and folks have knocked it out of the park already
I will say that my ceramic knife is pretty great but I only chop veggies or trim boneless chicken with it.
0
Options
ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
Thanks everyone (especially Simpsonia!), this is a pretty great! I definitely have a much better handle (HA) on it now than I did earlier. As I said, I may have to wait to make serious use of this, but I know what I'm doing, now.
Everyone has said good things, but I'll just make a plug for the offset serrated knife. Mine was $10 at a restaurant supply store. And my parents and my brother both love the ones we got them.
It's kind of the third knife you'd want, after the chef's knife and a paring knife. Good for bread mainly, but also everything else, and especially tomatoes.
VishNub on
+1
Options
daveNYCWhy universe hate Waspinator?Registered Userregular
I've got a ceramic knife, but it's not a chef's knife, it's a narrower bladed tomato slicing machine. I personally wouldn't want a ceramic chef's knife as I use the wider blades for all sorts of hitting, crushing, and prying. All things that tend to be fatal for ceramic.
Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
0
Options
ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
I've got a ceramic knife, but it's not a chef's knife, it's a narrower bladed tomato slicing machine. I personally wouldn't want a ceramic chef's knife as I use the wider blades for all sorts of hitting, crushing, and prying. All things that tend to be fatal for ceramic.
i recommend everyone have one not-so-great workhorse of a knife that can handle the blunter work they sometimes need to do
ShivahnUnaware of her barrel shifter privilegeWestern coastal temptressRegistered User, Moderatormod
Hmm. That's some good Dick, haps.
+1
Options
AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
Finally an excuse to cook with my Dick out.
0
Options
ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
nobody does dick like my grandma did
Allegedly a voice of reason.
0
Options
AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
Since turkey day is just going to be the wife and I, don't think there's any good reason to cook a whole bird. Instead I'm thinking brine, sous vide, then deep fry turkey legs.
Also would like to try pumpkin pie creme brulee if I can find a good recipe. Any suggestions?
Since turkey day is just going to be the wife and I, don't think there's any good reason to cook a whole bird. Instead I'm thinking brine, sous vide, then deep fry turkey legs.
Also would like to try pumpkin pie creme brulee if I can find a good recipe. Any suggestions?
As an alternative to brining, you can try doing a confit with the legs. You get really tender meat after a day at 140F cooking in herbed fat.
Since turkey day is just going to be the wife and I, don't think there's any good reason to cook a whole bird. Instead I'm thinking brine, sous vide, then deep fry turkey legs.
Also would like to try pumpkin pie creme brulee if I can find a good recipe. Any suggestions?
As an alternative to brining, you can try doing a confit with the legs. You get really tender meat after a day at 140F cooking in herbed fat.
Would it still stand up to a deep fry to finish? Don't want a falling off the bone situation where it might fall apart in the pot.
Since turkey day is just going to be the wife and I, don't think there's any good reason to cook a whole bird. Instead I'm thinking brine, sous vide, then deep fry turkey legs.
Also would like to try pumpkin pie creme brulee if I can find a good recipe. Any suggestions?
As an alternative to brining, you can try doing a confit with the legs. You get really tender meat after a day at 140F cooking in herbed fat.
Would it still stand up to a deep fry to finish? Don't want a falling off the bone situation where it might fall apart in the pot.
At one day, it's not fall off the bone. Two days, maybe as that's what happens to duck at the same temperature.
Mind you that I don't go crazy pulling out the tendons and connective tissue before cooking after frenching the legs so that might be keeping it more stable but the meat still feels more quite a bit more solid.
My fiancee and I are taking our turn hosting this year, and I wanted to try something a little different, so I'm going to do a full turkey ballotine, which is deboning the whole bird, then stuffing and rolling into a large rolled roast. I did a test run with a chicken, and it was surprisingly easy after watching the Jacques Pepin video. I made a traditional rosemary, sage, thyme stuffing and added some dried cranberries, and it was amazing. It was also waaaaay simpler to carve when ready.
I have always had trouble with following that video, but I don't get a ton of practice, admittedly. I have trouble working knives into joints.
the easiest way is to cut until you meet resistance, cut a circle around the joint on the same angle, and then just pull it apart
Allegedly a voice of reason.
+1
Options
AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
In a follow up to my previous post, I hacked together a recipe for pumpkin pie creme brulee. It turned out pretty good! Also we got a ton of sugar pumpkins from the garden this year, so I've been trying to use them at every opportunity.
Heavenly creamy and sweet with a hint of vanilla, and warm flavorful spices of pumpkin pie. I'm pretty proud of this one, it's a keeper. I scrounged the internet and a couple recipe books I had laying around the house for a good pumpkin pie creme brulee, but I didn't like what I was seeing in any of them. I think this stems from a common problem I find with pumpkin pie recipes in general - most of them are just bland with the squash flavor up front and the sweetness and spice flavors taking a back seat. To me, pumpkin pie should be the other way around. Sweetness and spices that evoke the feeling of autumn should be up front, with nutmeg and cinnamon taking the lead, and the squash flavor supporting in the background. In the end I hacked together a traditional vanilla creme brulee recipe, a pumpkin pie creme brulee recipe, and the spice blend I use in my own pumpkin pie cheesecake recipe to make my own pumpkin pie creme brulee. Here it is:
Pumpkin Pie Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 vanilla bean
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
In a pot, combine the cream, pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and ginger. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, combine the seeds and bean with the cream mixture. Whisk to combine. Heat to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes while the vanilla bean and spices steep in the cream mixture. Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture.
In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, salt and sugar until the mixture becomes glossy and thick. Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking to combine. Once the eggs and mixture are well combined, pour into ramekins.
I prefer to cook my creme brulee in a "sous vide" water bath. To do so, heat the water bath to 190 degrees F. Set a rack in the water bath to elevate your ramekins high enough that they are only partially submerged, the water should come most the way up the sides of the ramekins but not to the top. Cover each ramekin tightly with a small piece of aluminum foil. Place in the water bath and cook for 90 minutes. If you prefer to cook in the oven, Google can get you some instructions on how to make that happen.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and remove the aluminum foil covers and set aside. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place the covers back on the ramekins and refrigerate until completely chilled.
To finish, evenly spread about 1 and 1/4 tsp sugar over the top of the creme brulee and quickly brown the sugar with a torch.
+10
Options
ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
omg that looks amazeballs
Allegedly a voice of reason.
+7
Options
That_GuyI don't wanna be that guyRegistered Userregular
I made my hasselback stuffed turkey breast for thanksgiving. It turned out really good. I brined my turkey overnight before cutting and stuffing. I packed the rib cavity with more stuffing so everything would cook evenly. It only took about 45 minutes for everything to reach golden brown and delicious in my "airfryer". It cooked super quick because there it heats from the top and the bottom while circulating air.
Posts
Yeah, and remember these are not recommendations for what a pro or experienced chef needs, they're recommendations for what a person trying to learn to cook from a youtube channel will find helpful. I guarantee that that sort of person would much rather have "when instant read thermometer says 165°" instead of "when the juices run clear" for "You won't make your friend sick". If you've got a lot of experience or a lot of protein to ruin and don't have to comply with health codes then sure, you don't need a thermapen but they're still very useful even then.
Going straight to a Thermapen might be overkill but he goes over that.
I remember doing this, then finding a blog by a chemist with advice and was like OK I'll do that
If you get one, get the MK4. The extra features compared to a Classic really make it nice.
If t that's too much, their ThermoPops do a respectable job too and come in a bunch of Colors.
Mine still gets a fair amount of use even with most of my proteins going through sous vide these days. I still do a good amount of custards and taking the temperature of butter I'm going to use in dough lets me know when it's in the ideal range for creaming. And I still do whole fish and lobsters that don't lend themselves as much to sous vide.
Plus sometimes a sous vide device has developed a problem and I have to compare the temperature it says it's using versus that of the water itself.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
The point is I know very little of knives. I know that there are different types of chef knives. The primary ones I'm aware of are the standard "Chef's Knife," which is the French style, and santoku knives. I know there are others as well. I know nothing about steel, how to tell if a knife is good or bad if I'm handling it* (other than like, does it have an edge, but I can sharpen and hone knives so that's basically useless), I don't know much about manufacturing or what shapes are more useful for things I might not have thought of.
I'm not hopelessly new at this, I do love cooking, as I said, I sharpen and hone my shitty Chinese stainless steel knife and it works fine, but I would like a kind of beginner's guide to what makes a knife good, how to select one at a market, as well as any explanations people could give on why a French knife or a santoku knife (or some other type of knife!) would be preferable to others, or if they're all basically the same and just stylistically different.
@spool32 because you cook food and I know you.
*I know it probably won't happen, but my fiancée loves going thrifting, and it'd be super rad if I stumbled across something like this:
But I wouldn't know how to identify what's worth getting and what's garbage from a garbage factory
There are really two main divisions in knives, East and West. Within that, there's 2 main divisions each.
German-style chef's knives have big round bellies that are great for rock chopping, but are mediocre for slicing.
French-style chef knives that are similar, but with a much straight belly, and are much better for slicing than German-style knifes.
There's the Japanese Gyuto, which is their version of a western-style chef's knife. These are personally my favorite, as they have a little belly, but are straight enough to slice well with. These come in varieties of both eastern style round handles, or western style handles like the above knives.
Lastly are the Santokus, which are great for beginners, as they have a flatter profile for slicing, are a little shorter and easier to handle than some of the longer chef's knives.
The biggest question really is your price range, and how well to you plan on taking care of your knives, then ask yourself how you cut things. Do you keep your blade on the board and rock back and forth? Do you slice downards? Do you chop?
Beyond that there's a few generalities. Western steel is softer, which means it takes an edge easier, but does not stay sharp nearly as long and has to be continuously honed. Being softer, however, means less chance of chipping if cutting something hard like squash or bones, etc. Eastern steel is typically much harder, it stays sharper for much longer, but is a little harder to sharpen, should not be honed on a steel rod, and can be prone to micro-chipping if used on very hard things like bones or butternut squash etc.
My go-to recommendation for anyone looking to try out Japanese knives is always the Tojiro DP at $65. It will come much sharper than most western knives. And is a great way to learn them.
https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510682390&sr=8-3&keywords=Tojiro+DP
For western knives, you've got the the best bang for your buck cheap Victorinox Fibrox for $30:
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510682442&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=victorinox+knife&psc=1
If you want to go up in price to about $100, the Wusthof is the epitomy of western-style chef knives:
https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-8-Inch-Chefs-Knife/dp/B00009ZK08/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510682473&sr=1-4&keywords=Wusthof
Again though, I think the biggest question would be, how do you cut? That's really what's going to determine what makes you comfortable in all of your every day tasks.
(And is there a way to identify steel types if I were thrift shopping, or is it down to identifying the style and guessing?)
As Simpsonia mentioned, German style chef's knives are a major style and IMO have probably overtaken French style for the mass market at this point. I'll add that the Gyuto is the Japanese take on a French style knife. They are some of the best bang for the buck in terms of knife quality because few people think to look at Japanese made stuff for a non-Japanese knife.
Santoku are also a decent choice but not quite as versatile. They're more geared towards cutting up vegetable matter being somewhat of a hybrid between a French knife and a Japanese Nakiri, a knife that is dedicated to use on vegetables.
There's also the Chinese chef's knife, aka Chinese Cleaver which is definitely not a meat cleaver. They're lighter than they look and also geared more towards handling vegetables (the wide stuff blade helps go through squash and other denser plant parts) but will react to bone about as poorly as any other chef's knife.
Without knowing specific diets, the French chef's knife, German chef's knife, and Japanese Gyuto are going to be the most versatile styles and mostly interchangeable with each other. Of those, a good French example will be the toughest to find in the states, that Japanese ones are almost exclusively sold on the internet unless you're in a major city where importers have retail space, and the German ones can cost $texas in stores because they're so popular.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
Cool, cool. I appreciate it. I'm leaning towards Gyuto, since I like the way they look (as solid a reason as any, definitely :P ). Diet is mostly vegetable, with chicken every week or so. Re: santokus being a cross between French knife and Nakiri, I'm actually cool in the long run if I get two specialized knives, especially given that cooking usually involves Querry and I dividing up the cutting to be done, so putting one person on most vegetables and the other on meat + whatever is totally viable.
You wouldn't really hone harder steels, as it's not really needed. You basically keep using them until you decide to sharpen them again (most people who get into Eastern steel usually end up learning how to sharpen on water-stones. It's an awesome zen-like hobby). Shun knives have lifetime re-sharpening I believe too.
Unless you go manage to find specific brands, it's going to basically be impossible to determine steel. There's so much crap 440 stainless out there in knives that make them super-cheap (regardless of style) that thrift shopping for a knife is going to be tough. Even with specific brands it can get tough, because a lot of the old-guard companies like Henckels have their "international" lines made with cheap steel to sell at department stores (logo of one guy with a trident, instead of twins).
That video you posted earlier shows a knife that's completely coated in rust, this would actually be a decent indication of good steel, mainly because it's carbon steel, not stainless. Carbon steel is amazing for knives, but requires a lot of babying (like you must wipe down the knife every time you are done cutting, no just setting it down to start cooking.)
Wusthof's are always the same steel, but always German-style geometry. Stay away from any knives that have a mirror polish, or feel too light or flimsy. But yeah, thrifting is going to be a crapshoot unless you know knives and brands, or what to look for.
Just for reference when I'm, talking about hardness, most knives are rated on the Rockwell Hardness scale. Shitty department store knives are around 50-56. Wusthof/Sabatier style good western knives are around 58. Good Japanese steel starts at 61 and goes as high as 64-65 (though that's more when you get into very high-end).
Ah, drat about the thrift idea, though it's good to know. This is all great info, I appreciate it.
For informations' sake: I actually do use wetstones on the rare occasion I sharpen my knives, and I am obsessive compulsive and had shitty roommates a decade ago that would fill up the sink, use my stuff, and leave it there, so I got very used to cleaning stuff as I cook. Consequently, I already wash and wipe the knife dry within a minute or so of being done cutting.
I'll just recommend getting the Tojiro DP I linked above then. It's the best bang for the buck knife out there, imo.
Though one note Japanese knives have edges that are steeper than western edges (another reason why they feel sharper). But the downside is they have asymmetrical grinds, where one side is shallower than the other. If you ever do want to get more into sharpening on your own, I'd start watching the Korin channel, they have a ton of great videos on how to sharpen with wet-stones.
the shorter blade allows for a lot more precision, and they are equally good at chopping or slicing
i find them to be far more versatile than a german or french-style chef knife
The thing to remember about the hardness of knives if that you trade hardness (and holding the edge for longer) for toughness. Harder knives are more likely to chip out. You shouldn't be using a nice knife for the sorts of things that are going to chip it but as Shiv mentioned, that's sometimes not entirely in your control.
Huge +1 here. I bought a ceramic chef's knife last year and it chipped BADLY within 3 months and I had to toss it.
Whereas my Fibrox is still the workhorse of choice when I get my hands dirty (and it was cheaper by at least half).
We have a (wedding present) block set of Henckels that's....okay but not amazing. If I knew more in 2006, I would have asked for a different set.
Re: thrifting - that may be a good way to get a nice set of steak knives, if you're patient and observant.
Regarding steel, further muddling things is that how an alloy is treated can have a massive effect on the end quality of it. 440 steels have a huge variance in quality due to the heat treatment. When I followed that particular scene, more than a few custom knife makers of camp knives made stuff out of 440c but weren't using the standard heat treatment.
That being said, with regards to thrifting/flea markets/antiquing, exact steel allow is probably one of the smallest concerns. With the exception of some really high end steels from the last decade or so specifically formulated for use in good knife blades, they all have some trade off between edge retention, ease of sharpening, and corrosion resistance and at the end of the day you still sharpen them all the same way. The quality of the construction and ergonomics would be of far more interest.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
Absolutely, I mentioned that the harder steel has a tendency to get micro-chips. I keep a crappy 440 Stainless chef's knife for cracking squash etc open, because that doesn't need to be that sharp, and I just run it through the pull-through sharpener when I need to. I have a Wusthof 6" utility knife that I use for pairing and fileting/deboning. And my gyuto only touches veggies and boneless meat.
Actually I'll argue that a good utility knife is second only behind a good chef's knife in importance. Pairing knifes are just too short, the 5-6" of utility knives makes them versatile, while small enough for detail work still. Good luck trying to get through a big beefsteak tomato with a pairing knife.
Ceramic knives also have the complication that we sharpen steel knives on ceramic or materials of similar hardness because it's harder than steel but have to move straight up to diamond coated stones and rods to sharpen ceramic knives.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
I will say that my ceramic knife is pretty great but I only chop veggies or trim boneless chicken with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Dick-8505518-Pro-Dynamic-Offset-Utility/dp/B0001EK2US
It's kind of the third knife you'd want, after the chef's knife and a paring knife. Good for bread mainly, but also everything else, and especially tomatoes.
i recommend everyone have one not-so-great workhorse of a knife that can handle the blunter work they sometimes need to do
Dick is very close to me!
This reads weird.
Edit: There you go.
Also would like to try pumpkin pie creme brulee if I can find a good recipe. Any suggestions?
As an alternative to brining, you can try doing a confit with the legs. You get really tender meat after a day at 140F cooking in herbed fat.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
Would it still stand up to a deep fry to finish? Don't want a falling off the bone situation where it might fall apart in the pot.
At one day, it's not fall off the bone. Two days, maybe as that's what happens to duck at the same temperature.
Mind you that I don't go crazy pulling out the tendons and connective tissue before cooking after frenching the legs so that might be keeping it more stable but the meat still feels more quite a bit more solid.
Steam Profile
3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2017/10/stuffed-hasselback-turkey-breast-little.html
the easiest way is to cut until you meet resistance, cut a circle around the joint on the same angle, and then just pull it apart
Heavenly creamy and sweet with a hint of vanilla, and warm flavorful spices of pumpkin pie. I'm pretty proud of this one, it's a keeper. I scrounged the internet and a couple recipe books I had laying around the house for a good pumpkin pie creme brulee, but I didn't like what I was seeing in any of them. I think this stems from a common problem I find with pumpkin pie recipes in general - most of them are just bland with the squash flavor up front and the sweetness and spice flavors taking a back seat. To me, pumpkin pie should be the other way around. Sweetness and spices that evoke the feeling of autumn should be up front, with nutmeg and cinnamon taking the lead, and the squash flavor supporting in the background. In the end I hacked together a traditional vanilla creme brulee recipe, a pumpkin pie creme brulee recipe, and the spice blend I use in my own pumpkin pie cheesecake recipe to make my own pumpkin pie creme brulee. Here it is:
Pumpkin Pie Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 vanilla bean
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
In a pot, combine the cream, pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and ginger. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, combine the seeds and bean with the cream mixture. Whisk to combine. Heat to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes while the vanilla bean and spices steep in the cream mixture. Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture.
In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, salt and sugar until the mixture becomes glossy and thick. Slowly add the cream mixture, whisking to combine. Once the eggs and mixture are well combined, pour into ramekins.
I prefer to cook my creme brulee in a "sous vide" water bath. To do so, heat the water bath to 190 degrees F. Set a rack in the water bath to elevate your ramekins high enough that they are only partially submerged, the water should come most the way up the sides of the ramekins but not to the top. Cover each ramekin tightly with a small piece of aluminum foil. Place in the water bath and cook for 90 minutes. If you prefer to cook in the oven, Google can get you some instructions on how to make that happen.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and remove the aluminum foil covers and set aside. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place the covers back on the ramekins and refrigerate until completely chilled.
To finish, evenly spread about 1 and 1/4 tsp sugar over the top of the creme brulee and quickly brown the sugar with a torch.
I made my hasselback stuffed turkey breast for thanksgiving. It turned out really good. I brined my turkey overnight before cutting and stuffing. I packed the rib cavity with more stuffing so everything would cook evenly. It only took about 45 minutes for everything to reach golden brown and delicious in my "airfryer". It cooked super quick because there it heats from the top and the bottom while circulating air.