Storing, Sharpening and Honing Knives | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

When teaching cooking classes, I always make a point to share my tips for keeping kitchen knives at their prime.  After spending a few hundred dollars on a single knife, the average cost for a great quality chef knife, I am glad they ask!

Here are a few tips to keep your knives at their prime!

Storing:

I always recommend storing them either flat (in a shelf fitted with a knife organizer), in a wooden knife block, in individual sleeves, in a knife bag, or on a magnetic strip. All are great options but the key is not storing them tip down and keeping them separated from one to the other so they don’t scratch.

Sharpening:

If you cook a lot, I would recommend having your knives professionally sharpened twice a year! Most kitchen stores offer this service, which I personally take advantage of! Ask if they use a stone or machine and opt for the stone if they offer!

Honing:

A honing steel or blade is a great way to prolong the life of your blade and also to help keep the blade aligned. Honing doesn’t sharpen your blade but rather aligns the sharp blade so that it, well, cuts straight. I hone my knives before each use and in between use if cooking for an extended period of time. To avoid scratching your knives, make sure you know how to use the honing steel before putting it to use! Most kitchen stores can help you with this, or a simple You Tube search can also steer you in the right direction.

Now that you know how to properly store and sharpen your knives, let’s put them to use and start cook’n!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!