In order to prevent clumsy cuts from ruining your meat dishes, you should provide your guests with sharp, precise knives.
But even if you have purchased a premium quality set, it is important to know how to store steak knives. Incorrect maintenance can ruin them beyond repair.
4 tips to keep your steak knives efficient
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Several components come into play when cutting a steak: it takes the correct dose of energy, a pinch of mischief, and the right meat knife.
To guarantee its support for many years, this instrument is chosen with the utmost care, without compromising quality.
However, precisely because the investment required is certainly not negligible, it is important to take care of both the knives you use in the kitchen and the table knives day after day.
1. Wash it properly
At first glance, washing may seem like the simplest operation in this world, but it isn’t.
The knife is not one of the many utensils that crowd your kitchen drawer. It must therefore be treated in the proper way.
Wash it right away
Every time you use it, wash it immediately to make sure that the grease and grease residues of the poultice penetrate the metal, damaging it.
Choose a suitable detergent.
The washing of the knives should preferably be carried out with a neutral detergent.
Use the delicate side.
When washing, never use the rougher side of the dish sponge (the one that is usually green in color). It is too abrasive and takes the edge off the knife.
Even the stainless steel wool pad is not suitable for this task because, in addition to carrying out an aggressive action on the blade, it can leave residues that favor oxidation.
Pay attention to the temperature.
Use warm or warm water to remove any grease or food residue that could get into the blade and give it a bad smell.
Furthermore, hot water helps speed up the subsequent drying process.
Do not put it in the dishwasher.
If you can avoid washing in the dishwasher, so much the better. Once placed in the basket, the blades continue to strike, and these small, apparently harmless contacts create “teeth” on the metal edge that make it difficult to cut the meat.
It is a valid precaution for any knife, not just for meat ones, even if the wording is dishwasher safe on the package.
2. Dry it carefully
Drying also plays an important role in the proper maintenance of the knife.
Don’t let it soak.
In stubborn dirt, it is tempting to leave the knife to soak in hot water and detergent.
ERROR!
This way, you risk staining the blade and the handle, especially if it is made of wood.
Instead, DRY IT NOW!
Wipe with a soft cloth
To dry it, wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. Do not forget to pay particular attention to the drying of the handle as well, especially if it is made of wood or delicate material.
Leave it in the air
Before storing it in a drawer, leave it exposed to the air for a while in a shady place.
Apply a little oil
When you have finished drying it, depending on the types of knife blades, it can be effective to protect it with a thin layer of protective oil. This tip especially applies to tools with a steel blade.
This will reduce the possibility of oxidation or rust. Soybean oil or olive oil is particularly suitable for this purpose.
3. Keep it protected
When storing your kitchen knife, don’t just throw it in the drawer! It is best to keep it well protected, avoiding contact with other utensils.
Doing so will preserve the stainless steel blade and its sharpening from potential damage for a long time.
Put it in its log
A little for the hurry, a little for the laziness, very often we prefer to put the knives in a drawer rather than insert them neatly in their block.
Instead, this structure is specially made to accommodate your tools adequately, preventing the blades from colliding with each other and blunt.
If you have enough space for such a structure, you can also opt for a special compartment to be placed in the drawer.
Use the cases
Steak knife sets are often sold, complete with a cardboard or plastic cover. Use it! Please do not leave it abandoned in the hidden corner of some drawer you never open, making it fall forever into oblivion.
Individual protection prevents the blade from being damaged and helps keep the steak knife-sharp longer. If you don’t have the original case, you can also buy it separately,
However, keep in mind that these blade covers are not easy to clean, and, over time, they risk welcoming not only your knives but also unwanted guests such as germs and bacteria.
You will also find special knife cases on the market, which are recommended if your tools are of a particular value.
Attach a magnetic strip to the wall
A magnetic strip attached to the kitchen wall allows you to store your knives without the risk of them coming into contact with each other. This solution offers you multiple advantages.
- Capacity. Typically these strips are sized to accommodate all of your kitchen knife arsenals. Just make sure the magnet is strong enough to hold the tools in place.
- Space-saving. If you hang knives on the wall, you can free up valuable space in your cutlery drawer – a perfect solution if you have a rather small kitchen environment.
However, it is advisable to put knives safely in a drawer if small children are in the house.
4. Don’t forget to sharpen it.
Last but not least, make sure you keep your knives sharp at all times. To see if it’s time to sharpen, slide the blade over a tomato without exerting any pressure.
If, with the weight of the blade alone, the peel opens with a perfect cut, the edge of the knife is still in good condition. On the other hand, if it remains unharmed, it means that the blade needs maintenance.
Use the sharpener and, if the problem persists, use a sharpening stone.
Serrated blade knives are designed to have a much longer edge life than smooth blade knives. However, when they lose the cut, resharpening is difficult and should be entrusted to a professional to achieve satisfactory results.
Conclusions
To always keep a steak knife perfectly efficient, it is essential to follow proper maintenance regardless of its price: you will make it last longer.
Care begins with proper washing, followed by adequate drying. And when it’s time to put it away, take a good look at where you are putting it: contact between the blades or accidental rubbing can compromise its sharpness.
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