Bread knives are specially designed for using them on bread slicing. The main purpose of designing these knives is to be delicate enough to grip the bread but still be used to cut the bread cleanly. Without using a proper bread knife, you cannot expect fine edges. So it’s necessary to always use a bread knife while slicing a piece of bread.
History of Bread Knives
The history of the bread knife is very amazing which started in the kitchen of bread makers and home cooks. Almost all of these knives were invented after 1919. At first, bakers were worried about the pinched bread because standard knives weren’t good enough to cut the flatbread properly. Whether it would be crusty artisan bread or soft italian loaf, there are some crushed left after the cutting of bread. The Joseph burns originated from the first bread knife in the 1900s. After its invention he moved to invent knife sharpeners in the 1940s. These mastermind developments changed the bread and kitchen’s significance in the world.
What is a Serrated Bread Knife?
The bread knife is delightfully different as compared to other kitchen knives such as chef’s knife or other straight edged knives. The bread knives have serrated edges which help their users to cut bread loaves without any difficulty. The serrated bread knife has jagged edges which tell us how you can distinguish bread knives from other kitchen knives. It helps to hold the bread as it is sliced and does not move while cutting. Bread knives are longer in length than other kitchen knives which allow it for sawing motion while cutting bread. The main thing of this large length blade is to cut larger bread loaves. Expect to see bread knives up to 14″ in length, although most are 8″ long. Tojiro Bread knife will be a great example of a bread knife.
Why Should You Use a Bread Knife ?
Using a bread knife will not only be a nice practice for cutting bread but it is also much safer. Breads come in different shapes and sizes like ovular or rounded. It is challenging to cut as it may be transferred while cutting and leads to embryonic injuries. But the invention of serrated blades keeps the bread in place and enables you to cut it with ease and protect yourself from knife based wounds. It also plays an important role in cleaning your kitchen as it will not produce many crashes while cutting a loaf of bread’s loaf.
Uses of Bread Knife
Traditionally, the bread knife is used for cutting bread but beside this, it is also used for working with other items. A sharp kitchen knife is a great tool for cutting pastries and cakes and it does not crush your food as well. You can also use a bread knife for cutting soft food like tomatoes, sandwiches and even tough bread. These things are usually crushed by knives so it will be good to use bread instead of others. Unfortunately, bread knives are not ideal for use with meat. The serrated edges that provide strength over soft foods don’t perform well on meat. Using a bread knife on meat will leave your meat with fragment pieces and may tear your meat too.
If you want to cut meat then butcher’s knife, boning knife and carving with protein will be the best option for that purpose. Once you cook your beef or steak, you can use a serrated knife for making accurate slices. However, home baker or professional bakers use a bread knife to work with freshly baked loaves that makes a safe and clean environment. Instead of using an ordinary kitchen knife for cutting bread, use a bread knife which helps you slice the loaves with ease. Most serrated bread knives are inexpensive, making them easy to add to your kitchen knife collection.
How to Use a Bread Knife
By following these steps you will be able to use a bread knife to a bread.
Besides bread, you can also take advantage of serrated bread to cut various other ingredients such as cakes, fruits and vegetables.
How to Sharpen a Bread Knife
You can easily cut the ingredients using bread knives but its sharpening process is not easy as much. The serrated knife is not the same quality wise to other types of knife that dull quickly. Still you will need to sharpen your bread knife from time to time in order to get best performance. It is too difficult to sharpen every edge of a knife individually, due to that reason whetstone is not a good tool for sharpening a bread knife. Using a honing rod will be a perfect choice for sharpening a bread knife. Here’s a few tips regarding the sharpening of a bread knife.
Honing will sharpen your knife but not create a new edge, you may need to take your bread knife to a professional sharpener to get new and super sharp edges. Regular use of a honing rod to re-sharpen the edge is the best way to keep a sharp bread knife that cuts smoothly.
How to Clean and Store a Bread Knife
As we apply the cleaning and storing method to other kitchen knives the same method will be used for bread knives. It includes the cleaning of brea knife by hand and drying it after use. One critical thing that you should keep in mind is that while storing it make sure the serrated knife’s edges do not touch other tools. Because sharpening a serrated knife is highly challenging and you need to keep it away from other knives. It’s also bad for the blades that the bread knife comes in contact with because it can chip the edges and damage them, especially if it’s a ceramic knife. Learn more about when a knife is clean and sanitized.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes a Bread Knife Different From Other Knives?
Bread knives have serrated blades and follow the saw motion because of their teeth. It can help you to cut through firm and crusty exterior items without crushing or damaging them.
What Knife Do You Use to Cut Bread?
The serrated knife is mainly used for cutting bread, it not only has expertise in slicing a bread but also does other kitchen tasks. It is 7 inches long having sharp serration instead of smooth edges. Serrated knife is also called a bread knife.
Can You Cut Bread with a Regular Knife?
Before starting to cut bread, it is important to select the right knife for the job. Serrating knife will be the best option for bread or any other cutting task because of the saw motion. Furthermore, you can also use this knife for soft flesh like tomatoes.
Why is the Bread Knife so Sharp?
Because its blade hits less of the cutting board and allows you to slice your bread effortlessly. Bread knives stay sharp for a long time as compared to other kitchen knives as well.