FUN · EFFECTIVE · FAMILY STYLE LEARNING

Knife Skills

Learn about different types of knives and how to use them properly.

Required Materials

Celery stalks or cucumbers
Various fruits

Knife Safety

Display	Discussion/Demonstration
Chart: Safety Rules	Always pay attention when you have a knife in your hand. Always use a wood or plastic cutting board that won’t slip. Keep your knives sharp so you don’t have to press so hard. If you drop a knife, don’t try to catch it. Move out of the way and let it fall. Always carry a knife with the point down. Never leave a knife in the sink. Store knives in a safe place
	Hold the knife properly in your dominant hand. 1. The fingers are curled under to protect the fingertips. 2. The thumb and little finger behind the other fingers. 3. The side of the blade (but not the edge) rests against the middle knuckles of your non-knife hand to help control the knife. 4. Cuts are made downward with a rocking motion from the tip to the end of the blade. The tip of the blade stays on the cutting board.

Types of Knives

Display	Discussion
	There are several different kinds of knives. The most common are: Bread Knife Chef’s Knife Paring Knife The chef’s knife is the largest and the most common. The paring knife is good for beginners if you need a smaller knife.

Cutting Styles & Practice

Display	Discussion
	Slice: Slicing is easier if the item has a flat edge to rest on the cutting board. Cut an onion in half first. The start at the tip of the knife and use as rocking motion to cut through the onion, moving the knife about ¼” for each slice.
	Julienne: Cut the item into flat slices. Then, cut each slice into strips that are about as wide as the slice were. Julienne carrots are also called “match stick” carrots.
	Wedges: Cut the item in half lengthwise; then cut each half lengthwise into quarters. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 2 or 3 or three wedges. This will give you 8-12 wedges per item. Great for apples or potatoes!
	Chop: To chop food, cut it into uniformly sized pieces. An easy way to chop potatoes or apples is to cut them info wedges and then cut the wedges into uniform pieces.
	Dice: To dice items you first cut them into long, equal-size matchstick (or julienne) pieces. Then cut those pieces into small cubes, the same width has the original matchsticks. Diced pieces are usually 1/4”-3/4” in size.
	Mince: Apply pressure to the end of the knife with your extra hand. Keeping the tip of the knife on the cutting board, rock the knife up and down, moving it slightly with each motion until the item is finely chopped up.

Try It Out

Pick a recipe and try it out as a group or at home

Fruit Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad Recipe

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Date Added: March 15, 2024