You Should Wrap Your Knives In Newspaper, According To Professional Chefs
Knife infomercials have everyone dreaming of slicing through a tomato without hassle — and that collection of dull knives sitting somewhere in a knife block at home is enough for many to give in to the temptation of a new shiny set of knives. It's easy to want to trade in any set of knives that's making life harder in the kitchen. But by learning the basics of knife sharpening and implementing one chef's storage hack, your knives will be at their best in no time.
For any good cook, knife care is an essential everyday task. Keeping knives sharp and in good condition is key for a smooth time in the kitchen, avoiding the dangers of dull knives, and breezing through prep. The approach to knife care varies from chef to chef and can include the use of a whetstone, hone, electric sharpener, and more. No matter which approach, preserving a knife's sharpness relies on the way it is stored immediately after.
Basic knife care rules
Before jumping to buy a new set of knives, evaluate the potential of your current collection. If your knives are rusted through, it's probably time to throw them away. Before allowing knives to get that far, taking a moment to learn some basic knife care rules will save you money and ensure you always have the best knife on hand.
There are four important basics to knife care: cleaning, using, sharpening, and storing knives correctly. The most crucial rule to maintaining knives is to always wash them by hand with warm water, soap, and a sponge –- never in the dishwasher. A clean knife should then only be used on wooden or plastic cutting boards. Hone your knife before you plan to use it and sharpen it once the blade starts to dull. To preserve knives after sharpening, follow one chef-approved hack requiring nothing more than a newspaper.
The best way to store knives is in newspaper
Magnetic strips, knife blocks, or simply placing knives in a drawer with every other utensil might be your go-to, but it might not be the best method. In fact, Better Homes & Gardens reveals that storing knives in wooden knife blocks is more likely to dull your knives, and could also contaminate them with yeast, mold, and other germs. To get the most out of knife storage, look to your daily newspaper.
Koji Hagihara, the executive chef at Hakata TonTon in NYC, tells People to, "wrap your knives in newspaper when you store them away." The light oils found in the newspaper ink help prevent rust from forming over time. Those oils are most likely an organic compound, with soybean oil being commonly found in newspapers across the United States. Wrapping your knives in newspaper is an affordable and effective way to keep them sharp and make cooking that much easier.