An open knife set is a group of blades sold without a knife block. Open knife sets make great starter kitchen knife sets, and they are a great way to replace missing knives or to fill out your kitchen. You can find professional knife sets made by Wusthof, Shun, and Zwilling J.A. Henckels, as well as the ever-sharp Ginsu knives.
Perhaps the most important starter kitchen knife set is composed of an eight inch chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife. The best length for a bread knife is ten inches, so that it can cut adequately slice even the widest loafs in an easy, even movement. These three most-used knives are the core of every modern chef’s arsenal.
Another typical open knife set is the carving knife and carving fork set. Carving knives are used to slice meat, roasts, poultry, and ham. They are typically used in conjunction with a meat fork which steadies the meat being cut and sometimes serves as a guide for the knife. The meat fork can also be used to transfer the cut portions from the cutting block or pot to the plate or dish. Because the two tools are used in conjunction, it only makes sense that they are frequently sold together in one handy open block knife set.
Asian knife sets are also becoming more popular in recent times. These typically include blades common in East Asian kitchens, including the Santoku which performs much of the same role as the Chef’s knife of western blade making tradition. Commonly included are the nakiri bocho or the usuba bocho, both used for cutting and chopping vegetables. If you are looking to be cutting fish, you can’t do better than the traditional Japanese deba bocho.
The deba is capable of every step in fish preparation, from cutting off the head to deboning and filleting. You can also use it to cut or carve most meats. Looking to prepare sushi and sashimi? Then make sure order an Asian knife set containing the long, thin yanagi ba.
Whether you are looking to fill out your knife block or acquire a set of specialist knives, open block knife sets are a great way to acquire several blades at once. These professional knife sets range from gourmet cheese sets to kitchen starter kitchen knife sets. Get the knives you need with an open knife set.
