Make Restaurant Quality Sushi at Home With Japanese Chef Knives
By Michelle Simpson

A lot of people enjoy a night out at a restaurant with friends to enjoy sushi, conversation, and fond memories. But crowded restaurants can make the experience more of a chore than a relaxing night out. Now imagine having the same experience at home for half of the cost, with less noise, and plenty of room. Invite your family and close friends over for a “night out” complete with restaurant quality sushi as your main course. One of the secrets to making good looking and good tasting sushi is having the proper knife. With the proper traditional Japanese chef knives, and professional grade sushi knives you can make the same meal in your own kitchen.

Sushi knives come in many styles and sizes to make it easy for you to prepare great tasting and great-looking sushi to share with the people you spend quality time with. Traditional Japanese made sushi knives are designed by professionals and manufactured with the finest steel to hold the cutting edge necessary to prepare a delicate food. The Japanese have a long tradition of making the best sushi knives and thanks to the Internet these top-quality knives are available to you. In this article you will learn which sushi knives to buy for your kitchen so that you can start saving money on overpriced restaurant food. Take pride in making beautiful meals that taste like they were delivered from your favorite sushi bar right to your front door.

The Yanagiba sushi knife. The most commonly used sushi knife is the Yanagiba professional Japanese chef knife. The Yanagiba knife blades vary in length from 8 to 11 inches. The Yanagiba (or Willow leaf blade) has a long narrow blade with a single grind edge. The single grind edge leaves the bottom of the knife completely flat to allow much easier filleting. The specifically designed edge of the knife lifts the top layer of fish or seafood as you cut to separate it from the bones much faster. Designed especially for cutting raw fish the Yanagiba can also be used for other types of food. Yanagiba Japanese chef knives usually come with the traditional Japanese octagon or oval handle. Handle materials are usually cut from the finest hard woods such as sandalwood and Magnolia.

The Deba sushi knife. The Deba Japanese chef knife is similar to an American style kitchen cleaver but has a few blade features that make it especially useful when preparing fish. The Deba (also known as the Deba Bocho) has a single edge blade ground only on one side which is designed to cut the heads off of large fish without damaging the blade. The single edge blade also makes it easier to filet the fish because the flat bottom portion of the blade slides along the bones as the single edge blade lifts and cuts the meat off of them. The Deba is also used to cut other meats such as chicken or beef. It is not recommended that the Deba be used for cutting bones larger, or harder than fish bones because it can cause the edge of the blade to roll from the higher impact needed to separate the bones.

There are several other styles of Japanese chef knives that can be used along with the sushi knives to make food preparation easier and faster. The Gyuto is the Japanese all purpose chef knife that can be used for most of your cutting jobs in the kitchen. The Santuko knife is another multipurpose kitchen knife that can handle several different kitchen jobs. The Petty knife is the Japanese style paring knife for peeling and cutting smaller vegetables, fruits and garnishes. There is also the Usuba knife that is designed similar to a cleaver, but is specifically designed for the preparation of vegetables.

So now that you have more information about buying the right knives to make Sushi in your own kitchen, you can stock your kitchen with Japanese chef and Sushi knives and start having fun and saving money.

Michelle Simpson is the owner of Pro Knife and Tool, an online store specializing in the sale of top-quality kitchen knives, sport knives, and multi-tools. She lives in Oregon with her husband and five teenagers. Michelle enjoys living in the Rogue Valley because of the endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and the small town atmosphere. It is a great place to raise kids.

After years of working in a large retail chain store Michelle had the opportunity to start her own business, and jumped at the chance. Once she was finished with careful research Michelle was thrilled to find out there is a market for a product she is passionate about. Knives have been an interest of hers since a very young age and seemed like a great fit for her first online business. Michele has discovered a new hobby she can be enthusiastic about; writing about the products she enjoys selling. She is looking forward to posting more articles on your website, in her product newsletter, and other Internet article sites.

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Choosing a Sushi Knife
By Steve J Gerwig

There are three primary types of sushi knives:

Heavy Duty Cleaver (Debo-Bocho)

This type of knife is used for cutting through thick bones and filleting fish. Probably won’t need this if you are buying your fish in prepared blocks.

Sashimi Knife (Sashimi-Bocho)

This knife is used for the finish cutting. Cutting the pieces off of the blocks of fish and shaping the pieces into presentable offerings.

Vegetable Knife (Usuba or Nakiri Bocho)

Used for cutting razor thin pieces of vegetables required in the recipes. Also can chop or mince the vegetables.

The knives can be made of carbon steel, stainless steel or new composite metals. Take your pick, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. For instance, while the carbon steel knife will hold a very sharp edge it also has the disadvantage of rusting if not properly maintained. The stainless steel knife won’t rust but it won’t hold an edge like the carbon steel one will. The new composite knives will hold an edge and will not rust but they are the most expensive of the lot.

The main point you want to consider when choosing is to find one that is well balanced and comfortable, almost like an extension of your hand.

Whatever you choose make sure you follow the following tips:

* Don’t hurry. These knives are extremely sharp and will cut you before you even feel it.

* Use a cutting board. Never let the knife hit surfaces that will dull or mar the blade.

* Lay your knife down away from the working surface and pointed away from you

* Keep your hands and knife clean and dry while using.

Using a little common sense while cutting your sushi ingredients will go a long way to keeping you safe while preparing your sushi.

Steve has been writing articles on a wide variety of subjects. Come visit my latest site at http://philandtedstrollers.net/. You will find information and reviews from other Phil and Ted Strollers owners here.

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The Basics of Selecting a Sushi Knife Set
By T Stevens

According to the kitchen veterans, selecting a sushi knife set is something that requires thorough research as there are certain things you need to know to help you distinguish what seems to look good, from what actually is the best and right for you.

If you have a sushi knife set, and have already found out that it doesn’t meet your standards as evidenced by the outcome of your puffer fish or tuna, then you’re about to see why.

1. High carbon steel - this is what composes a high-quality sushi knife. Dating back in the 16th century, this kind of steel was used in making military and samurai swords. After the wars ended, sword smiths concentrated instead on cutlery production so as not to waste their skill. Knives made from high carbon steel are held in high esteem, the traditional handle usually being round wood and tapered towards the blade. They are also mostly sharpened on one side so as to provide a cleaner cut.

2. Specific knife for a specific job - are you sure that knife you got for the puffer fish or tuna is the one designed to handle such? There are different kinds of sushi knives and each has its own specialty. For example, the “fugu hiki” is exactly designed for the puffer fish and for bigger fish such as tuna, it is best to use knives with large blades. The sashimi knife on the other hand, is the most often used all-purpose knife. Being aware of the differences will help give you a better “cutting experience”.

3. Price range selection - then again, it may be that you don’t have a quality sushi knife set because you settled for low-end bargains. The cheapest come at around $25 and go all the way up to over $1,000. Obviously, the cheap ones have a tendency not to hold their edge and are not as sharp as expected. To avoid confusing your brain on the price issue, choose a price point where you are most comfortable and buy the best within that range.

4. Sharpening stone. - never use a mechanical sharpener as you risk ruining the blade. That type is only good for knives with both edges sharpened. For maintenance purposes and to ensure that your sushi knife set stays as sharp, accurate, and clean as it should be, always make a purchase with a sharpening stone.

Search a selection of Japanese knives and accessory’s, buy a sushi knife made by the finest Asian knife makers. Visit the Sushi knife set website.

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All You Need to Know About the Masamoto Sushi Knife
By T Stevens

If you are reading this, then curiosity has definitely sparked your interest on knowing just what in the world is the Masamoto sushi knife, and why does almost every professional chef and culinary business have it in their kitchen arsenal? What separates it from the rest, and are there any drawbacks to it? To understand all of these, we first need to go back five generations in history and briefly meet Tomonosuke, the man responsible for bringing to life the Masamoto brand.

Born in 1845, Tomonosuke made a life-changing decision to devote his time and efforts in “crafting the best kitchen knives in Japan”. He made the kitchen a part of his everyday life, along with the goal of making his country famous in this area. He founded the Masamoto Company in 1872 and passed down his expertise from generation to generation.

Fast forward to the present time, and one can easily see that this man’s labour was not in vain. Tomonosuke achieved his goal as “Masamoto” is now an established worldwide brand with over 150 years of kitchen knife experience.

Every chef in business knows that in order to get real tasting food on a consistent basis, there are three key elements needed: “experience, skill and tools”. Since the tools are the only variable in that picture and can be changed from the start, one should make a wise decision to invest in only the best and never to settle for anything less. And obviously, you can’t go wrong with a “Masamoto”.

Aside from getting the job well done, Masamoto sushi knives are hand crafted and have that fashionable look, when coupled with traditional sheaths or “saya” (made from wood).

Currently, there are different series types available in the market, made from stainless steel, virgin steel or high carbon steel (which is one of the best and originally used in crafting samurai weapons by sword smiths).

It is said that if there ever is a drawback, it would “just” have to be the price, as for example: the Masamoto KA Series Sashimi 270mm normally retails for around $400, for a single knife. There are other cheaper types of course. However, once you compare it with its features and the results that you’re going to have because of it, you’ll convince yourself that it is definitely a wise investment, if only to add one high-quality knife to your kitchen set.

Whether you get a single piece or a full-blown set for your family, your business or just for your passion of it, remember that the Masamoto sushi knife is to be cared for properly, particularly those that are not made from stainless steel.

If your willing to pay the price for a masamoto sushi knife, then you need a closer look at the Masamoto and other top quality sushi knives. View the collections and search the sushi knife set.

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Sushi Knife Set – Tips For Choosing the Best Knife
By T Stevens

With the proliferation of low quality cutlery sets in the market however, choosing the right kitchen tools has become more difficult than ever. The key to getting the perfect sushi knife set is thorough research. Here is a set of criteria that you can use in shopping a set of cutlery that will help you create sushi the right way.

Take note of the material. The best tools are made from the best materials. You should choose a sushi knife set that is made from high carbon steel which is the same kind of material that is used to produce samurai swords since the 16th Century. If the blades made from high carbon steel is good enough for the battlefield then it is good enough for the kitchen. Knives made from high quality materials are sure to last for a long time.

Just a short bit of trivia. Do you know that sushi knives are sharpened only on one side? This is done to provide a cleaner cut to the fish and other ingredients inside a sushi.

The set should include different kinds of knives. In making different kinds of sushi, different kinds of knives are also used. There is a knife specifically designed for tuna and then there is one that is designed for puffer fish. A sushi knife set, therefore, should be complete if you want to have the versatility to make different kinds of sushi. One of the most versatile knife that any set should have is the sashimi knife which also known as an all-purpose knife.

Should come with a decent price. Though price should not really be your basis of quality, you should be suspicious of sets that are priced very low. You cannot expect a $30 set to compare well with a set that cost several hundreds of dollars. Cheap knives are not as sharp and as strong as more expensive knives. If you do not have the budget to buy an expensive set, then get one that is priced st the middle of the price range.

Get a sharpening stone. It is important to include in here a section on how to sharpen sushi knives. This kind of knives have only one sharpened edge instead of two. This is the reason why you should never use a mechanical sharpener with these knives or else, you may ruin their blades. To maintain the sharpness of the knives in a sushi knife set, get a sharpening stone. Better yet, get a set that comes with its own stone.

Getting a sushi knife set is a good investment just make sure that you choose one well.

There are plenty of great sushi knives to choose from at the sushi knife set website.

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