The Paring Knife—An Introduction and its Many Usages

The Paring Knife—An Introduction and its Many Usages

Are you looking for a knife that is multipurpose yet handy? If yes, then the answer lies in the paring knife. The western equivalent to the Japanese petty knife is the paring knife.

Paring knives are smaller than most knives, but the number of tasks that they can be used for is anything but small. These petite knives can fit into your palm for maximum control while performing smaller tasks such as peeling. 

The main factor that sets Japanese knives apart from their western counterparts is their sharpness. Japanese knives are handmade to perfection for optimal performance. Their production requires a high level of craftsmanship. 

There are quite a few makes of paring knives that vary in size and shape. These knives can range from 75mm to 210mm in length. 

Sakai Kikumori Gokujyo Petty 90mm

The many usage of paring knives

Peeling 

Paring knives are ideal for peeling the skins of a majority of fruits and vegetables, given their small size and control due to better grip. They can chop larger root vegetables, potatoes and carrots as well as smaller and more delicate vegetables such as turmeric and ginger. 

Detailing

The paring knife is ideal for preparing food, as its small size is perfect for detailing the vegetables, herbs, or fruits that are used for garnishing. They are ideal for cutting fruits and vegetables into different shapes, including spirals. 

Scoring

Scoring is an important task in many recipes. Scoring food means making smaller cuts on the surface for many purposes. 

The most common reasons to score food are:

1. to increase flavor absorption into the ingredient without damaging them as there is no risk of deep cuts
2. these cuts are also used for decoration purposes as the last step of a recipe
3. on hard-to-chew meat, such as steak, to make it easier to chew

Thin slicing

Many recipes require ingredients to be thinly sliced. Whether for garnishing or for cooking purposes, paring knives offer precision and control for thinly slicing most ingredients, from shallots to garlic to spring onions. They are great for mincing herbs. 

Removing imperfections

Some root vegetables, like potatoes or carrots, might have imperfections, including dirt in certain spots. Paring knives can easily scoop out imperfections such as blemishes, dirt, sprouts, or other imperfections without removing unaffected parts. 

Destoning or de-pitting

Paring knives are efficient in destoning (de-pitting) or removing seeds from fruits, such as avocados, dates, cherries, or others. 

Miscellaneous tasks

Paring knives can be used on soft ingredients (such as cheese and butter) as well as hard ingredients (such as vegetables, fruits, poultry or pork). A serrated paring knife would be the best to cut bread. 

Nogent 3.5" Serrated Paring knife

Paring knives are small and can be stored even in smaller spaces, such as drawers. They are perfect to carry with you while traveling. However, ensure that they are well protected with a sheath or Saya that fits.