It is generally agreeable that a kitchen needs knives to function correctly, and chefs find their jobs much easier when they have a variety of knives at their disposal. However, the fact that there are many different types of knives has always birthed curiosity about which knives are essential in the kitchen and which ones are not so crucial.
While some people do not see the need to have multiple knives in their kitchen, it goes without saying that having different knives for different cutting tasks will significantly improve your productivity in the kitchen. But the big question has always remained which knives are must-haves and which ones are optional.
For most knives, it depends on the tasks and activities being carried out in the kitchen. In contrast, other knives like the paring knife are considered essential, regardless of what type of kitchen it is. In this article, we will look at the paring knife and consider just how essential this tool is in the kitchen.
What Is A Paring Knife?
A paring knife is a small kitchen knife that is used to perform small tasks in the kitchen. It consists of a steel blade and a handle that is mainly made of plastic or wood. The paring knife is a light-weighted knife-shaped almost like a chef knife but is a lot smaller. Its blade is short, often between 2½ – 4 inches. But it is powerful, sharp and well equipped to give precise and accurate cuts whenever it is wielded in the kitchen.
It is not only famous for the precision cutting it provides but it is also known to cut in smaller spaces, making it an alternative for a chef knife when the task is too small.
Why You Need A Paring Knife In Your Kitchen
Many have argued that the paring knife is the most crucial in the kitchen, which may not be too far from the truth. The fact that the paring knife can substitute for other knives like the chef knife increases its appeal, but the primary uses of the knife make it outstanding and hard to ignore. Here are some of the uses of a paring knife.
- The paring knife is used for peeling off the skin from fruits and vegetables before eating or using them to prepare your meals.
- A paring knife is used for deveining shrimps, and no matter how unpleasant the task may be, the paring knife makes the process a lot more bearable.
- A paring knife is instrumental for coring fruits and vegetables like apples and tomatoes.
- Your paring knife also comes in handy when you are preparing strawberries to eat or for sausage. You can use the tip of the paring knife to hull out the tiny stem left on top of the strawberry without cutting off any part of the strawberry.
Conclusion
If a paring knife is absent in a kitchen, it becomes tough to perform its designated tasks. The small, sharp, and light blade of a paring knife give it a precision that other kitchen knives can’t match, making it a must-have knife in any kitchen.
