Selecting new kitchen knives can feel overwhelming, especially if you've relied on a single, all-purpose hand-me-down knife for everything. You might question the need for different knives for various tasks or why you would need a knife solely for bread. The truth is, the bread knife isn't just for bread, and we're here to explain why it could become one of your most valuable kitchen tools.
Here's what you'll learn in this guide:
- What a Bread Knife is Used For
- Using a Bread Knife for Bread
- Using a Bread Knife for Produce
- Using a Bread Knife for Sweets
- Using a Bread Knife for Meats
- How to Care for a Bread Knife
- How to Sharpen a Bread Knife
- Why Every Kitchen Needs a Bread Knife
The bread knife is a versatile kitchen tool, and its true power lies in its serrated edge. Unlike a chef’s knife, which has a smooth, straight edge, a bread knife features toothy, saw-like serrations or scallops along its cutting edge. This design allows it to slice through food by moving the knife back and forth, much like a saw, rather than applying downward pressure like with a chef's knife.
The serrated edge provides distinct advantages when cutting specific foods, particularly bread. It's designed to slice through crusty loaves without crushing the soft interior. The effectiveness of a bread knife improves with wider scallops. Does your bread knife have the right edge?
What is a Bread Knife Used For?
While it might seem obvious, a bread knife can slice a wide variety of bread, from baguettes and brioches to bagels and biscuits. It's also ideal for shaping and leveling cakes for decorating and cutting delicate slices for serving.
Bread knives can handle tougher foods, too. Melons and squash, which can trap straight-edged knives and pose a cutting hazard, are easily tackled with a long bread knife. It's also perfect for prepping other fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes or pineapple. In a pinch, it can even slice meatloaf and carve roasts!
How to Use a Bread Knife
Using a bread knife is simple, but making even slices requires practice. Hold the food in place on a cutting board with your other hand, keeping your fingers out of the way, and smoothly draw the bread knife back and forth through the food. Let the serrations do the work without pressing down.
Look for a knife with wide, scalloped serrations, like the Cooking Guild Dynasty Bread Knife or Nomad Bread Knife. This design minimizes crumbs while slicing through bread. A bread knife should resemble a saw more than a steak knife. These knives tend to be slender and have some flex to the blade. Choose the sturdiest knife you can afford, as less flexible blades make more even slices.
The tips of bread knives may be rounded or pointed, but this doesn't affect cutting since the tip isn't used for slicing. Bread knife blades typically range from 7 to 10 inches, with longer blades being more versatile. There are countless tasks where this knife shines!
Using a Bread Knife for Bread
The versatility of a bread knife is rare among kitchen tools. It easily handles large, crusty artisan loaves and slices through soft, delicate breads effortlessly.
Bread knives also excel at slicing specialty loaves loaded with extras like raisins or olives. Changes in texture that cause straight-edged knives to snag and tear are no problem for a bread knife. You can even use it to cut loaded sandwiches into manageable pieces.
When slicing bread, keep the knife perfectly vertical to ensure each slice is the same thickness from top to bottom. This skill takes practice but is worth mastering.
As with all kitchen knives, using a sharp bread knife is crucial. These knives remain sharp longer than straight-edged blades, but the serrations make them harder to sharpen at home. Some suggest discarding a dull bread knife for a new one, but a high-quality knife is worth sharpening professionally rather than replacing.
Using a Bread Knife for Fruits and Vegetables
A serrated knife's strength lies in cutting without downward pressure, making it useful for both delicate and tough foods. It slices soft fruits and vegetables like tomatoes or citrus without creating a mess. It's also ideal for cutting pineapple.
Straight-edged knives can be dangerous for thick-skinned squashes and melons, which can trap the blade and require more force to cut, increasing the risk of injury.
To cut rounded squash or melon safely, first remove the stem or blossom end to create a flat surface, preventing it from rolling. Then use your bread knife to remove the rind or cut it into halves, wedges, or slices.
For irregular squash, cut it in half, score the flesh with a smaller knife (like a paring knife), and use a spoon to remove it from the rind in cubes, similar to an avocado.
Some squashes, like spaghetti squash, are tough to cut regardless of the knife. Try microwaving or baking them before slicing into desired shapes.
Using a Bread Knife for Sweets
If you have a sweet tooth, a bread knife is indispensable. It's perfect for slicing cakes and pastries, making it a go-to for sweets.
The bread knife's long blade easily slices through the delicate sponge of a cake in one pass. If you do a lot of cake work, opt for a bread knife with a rounded handle for comfortable horizontal use when leveling cakes.
Use a bread knife to prepare ingredients for sweet treats, such as breaking up blocks of baking chocolate, which are brittle and may snap under a straight-edged knife's pressure. A bread knife easily cuts chocolate into small, manageable pieces for melting or mixing into doughs and batters.
Using a Bread Knife for Meats
A bread knife is surprisingly effective for cutting and carving cooked meats if you don't have a slicer. Its long, serrated blade slices through thick-crusted roasts while retaining juices for clean, juicy slices. Use it to carve a crusted prime rib roast or brisket, and even a whole cooked chicken or Thanksgiving turkey. Otherwise if you want something that will impress at Christmas time, check out the Cooking Guild Grizzly Scimitar!
How to Care for a Bread Knife
Develop a routine of hand-washing your kitchen knives immediately after use. Avoid colored or abrasive sponges, opting for a soft cloth or uncolored sponge and warm, soapy water. Abrasive or colored sponges can damage or discolor the blade.
Ensure knives are completely dry before returning them to a knife block, like the magnetic one from The Cooking Guild. It provides ample space for knives and other cooking utensils. If space is limited, explore other knife storage options in our guide.
