Paring Knives
Posted on February 8, 2010
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WHAT IS A PARING KNIFE?
Paring Knives: This is a general purpose knife used for small intricate work like peeling, coring, trimming, creating garnishes, de-seeding, mincing, or slicing small foods (e.g. parsley, garlic, shrimp, fruits, and vegetables). It is similar to a chef’s knife but with a shorter blade length (usually between 21/2 – 5 inches) and has different names based on blade profile and specific use: Bird’s Beak, Sheep’s Foot, Serrated, Kudamundo are all paring knife names (see below). These knives are never to be used to cut hard substances, since their purpose is for making the small cuts on soft surfaces. Quality paring knives are made of superior quality stainless steel and are small in size compared to all other kitchen knives.The paring knife is the perfect extension for one hand for cutting food that’s being held in the other. Because of its small size, the paring knife is considered to be one of the most utilized utensils in the home and in commercial kitchens. Many chef’s and cooks own several of these versatile knives and both would be literally handicapped without one.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARING KNIVES?
There are various types of paring knives that have specialized blades, each designed for a different purpose:
- Fluting Parer – Barely 3-inches long and shaped like a short, stout isosceles triangle, this parer brings the hand into the closest cutting contact with the food. Use it to score or flute mushroom caps or other precise garnishing tasks.
- Bird’s Beak Parer – The arched back and cutting edge of this parer looks like a heron’s bill. It’s primarily used to trim small spherical vegetables like baby beets and Brussels sprouts.
- Miniature Boning Knife – This paring knife has a short S-shaped blade that’s used for boning small birds like quail or trim barbecued ribs.
- Sheep’s Foot Parer – The profile of the tip resembles an animal’s hoof. It’s perfect for peeling and paring, though not for garnishing, which requires a finer tip.
- Clip Point Parer – This tool has a gentle, upwardly curved cutting edge paired with a dropped spine creates a longer, slimmer tip for making small deep cuts. It’s ideal for eyeing potatoes and removing bruises from apples and pears. Many clip-point parers are stamped, rather than forged.
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