We are all clear that kitchen knives are diverse in design because there are many food types, so they need different knives to handle with. For example, a lump of thick meat might need a big knife to cut, a tough pork bone might need a large and heavy knife to chop. So, how about the small foods, it needs a paring knife to deal with. Paring knife is kind of seen as the smallest one in the kitchen knife set but it has a very essential feature in cooking.
I am sure that many of you still do not understand clearly all functions of a paring knife, so I am going to tell you in general and detail how paring knives are used. From that, you can find your best paring knife

WHAT IS A PARING KNIFE

Before identifying the functions of a paring knife, the first thing that we should do is to know what a paring knife is. A paring knife has a small size, its blade is about 21/2 to 4 inches and typically tapering at the point. The small form can be useful while holding and moving when you cut something small with this knife.

There is a sea of knives available on the market, including paring knives. This knife has different shapes and designs with specific names such as Bird’s Beak, Chef’s, Sheep’s Foot… Like its names, each one has a particular function and way of use.

Therefore, we think you must get a deep understanding of how they use all types of knives so that you can decide what is the best paring knife you should have in your kitchen.

DIFFERENCES WITH OTHER KITCHEN KNIVES

So what makes a paring knife different from other kitchen knives? When you use a paring knife, you can keep it entirely in your hand because it is small, and in some cases, you may not need a chopping board as you can cut while holding it aloft.

You can find that you have great control over this knife as it is made with a balance between the blade and handle. So we suppose the best paring knife is expected to be perfectly used for intricate and delicate works.

THE USE OF A PARING KNIFE

The very important factor that you should consider when buying a paring knife is what it is used for. As every time I see a paring knife, I have always been impressed by its cute and elegant design. It brings up the thinking that this kind of knife was created for doing something sophisticated and discrete. The sharp point and short blade are more helpful in peeling, slicing, and tipping foods that need details which cannot be done with other larger knives. The following lists below for referring will help you to figure out the best way of using your paring knife to get the best cooking:

Peeling skin of fruits

I usually use this knife to remove all skin on fruits like potatoes or apples. My mother likes using it because just slightly moving her hand, all skin on fruits comes off. The best thing is, using a paring knife to do it, you can avoid hurting yourself if your hand gets slipped when holding the bigger one. Besides, it is easier to make clean and quick cuts by using the sharp edge of a paring knife, as my mother always makes clean potato eyes or carrot eyes with it.

Slicing fruits and vegetables

I prefer using a paring knife to slice the small and tough fruits like sweet potatoes, garlic, and carrots. Because sometimes, the big size of other knives can block your view, then you may cut your fingers if you are not careful.

Tipping

The point and sharp tip of a paring knife are really helpful for close work that you cannot do with larger knives. For example, you tend to hold up on the blade of the paring knife, your thumb and index finger rest on either side of this blade, then you slide the tip of the paring knife into the top of the strawberries to remove the hull, or you can do the same with shrimps for de-veining or with chili for removing seeds

Boning

Another function of a paring knife is to help you separate meat from bone. You can use a paring knife for boning fishbone or boning other small meats

Carving

Another interesting function of the paring knife is you can use it to carve patterns and shape any design on food. Simply, the small paring knives work well with food that needs detailed design like garnishes. For example, many famous chefs use paring knives to make a very amazing pattern on the skin of a watermelon. The small size, the sharp blade, and the pointed tip allow them to flexibly move the hand and create a very masterpiece of cooking.

CONCLUSION

As made very clear above, all paring knives are small, light, and elegant in shape which helps for good cooking performance. Once you grasped the main function and some main ways of use with paring knives, you will realize that paring knives in the kitchen will help you a lot by saving more time in cooking. However, it is also very important for you to know exactly each function for each type of paring knife, from that you can make a good choice on the best paring knife for your kitchen.

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