Knife Skills - Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering knife parts, safety practices, common knife types, grip concepts, and standard cuts from the lecture notes.

Knife

A cutting tool with a blade used in food preparation.

Tip

The pointed front end of the blade.

Back

The non-sharp edge opposite the cutting edge.

Bolster

The thick junction between blade and handle that adds balance and protects the hand.

Rivets

Metal pins that secure the blade to the handle, attaching the handle to the tang.

Tang

The part of the blade that extends into the handle, providing strength.

Point

The sharp tip of the blade.

Cutting edge

The sharpened edge of the blade used for cutting.

Heel

The rear part of the blade near the handle used for tougher cuts.

Handle

The part of the knife that you grip.

Santoku

A Japanese all-purpose knife with a broad blade, suited for slicing, dicing, and mincing.

Carving Knife

A long, narrow knife used for slicing cooked meats.

Cleaver

A heavy, broad-bladed knife used for chopping through bone and thick cuts.

Chef's Knife

An all-purpose kitchen knife, commonly 8–10 inches, used for dicing, slicing, and chopping.

Bread Knife

A long serrated blade knife for slicing crusty bread without crushing.

Paring Knife

A small knife for precise tasks like peeling and trimming.

Boning Knife

A narrow blade used to remove bones from meat and for trimming.

Grip

How you hold a knife when cutting; commonly involves a pinch grip for control.

Hand wash

Washing knives by hand rather than in a dishwasher.

Cutting board

A stable surface used as a base for cutting food.

Sanitize

To disinfect surfaces or utensils to reduce bacteria.

Dry

To remove moisture from knives after washing to prevent rust and accidents.

Cut away from yourself

A safety practice to direct the blade away from your body while cutting.

Dish sink

The kitchen sink where dishes are washed; never leave a knife there.

Sharp knife

A knife with a keen edge; using a sharp knife is safer and more effective.

Baton

A baton cut produces long, thick stick-shaped pieces.

Batonnet

A thinner baton cut, long and rectangular, used for larger dice.

Julienne

A thin, matchstick-cut piece that is uniform in size.

Large Dice

Cube pieces that are larger in size, used for chunky textures.

Small Dice

Small cube pieces, smaller than large dice.

Brunoise

Very small dice, typically formed from julienne strips.

Rondelle

Round slices of uniform thickness.

Quarter Slice

Slices cut into quarters of a circle, creating wedge-shaped pieces.

Diagonal Slice

Slices cut at an angle to produce oblique pieces.