Do you have a serrated knife at home that you don’t know what is a serrated knife used for? We all know that knives are used for cutting food. Still, each knife has its unique characteristics, making it suitable for cutting certain hard items.
In this article, I will clearly share the purpose of a serrated knife with you, whether it exists in the kitchen or other products, and which fruits and vegetables are suitable for this knife.
Contents
Purpose Of Serrated Knife
You may have often heard that this knife can only cut baguette bread. Well, I have heard that in many places, but it’s not true at all. We can cut a lot more than just that with it, such as products that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside.
Sometimes, when I can’t find a pizza cutter, I use this knife to cut pizza, and it cuts the pizza very accurately. It’s also the best for tomatoes because it’s quite sharp. If we try to cut a tomato with a dull knife, you know what happens—it creates a juicy mess.
I’ve shared these three or four examples, but I use this knife often and know we can do much more with it. However, the question arises: If we can do all this with a regular local knife, even if it’s dull, by sharpening it, then why use a serrated knife?
Plain Knife Vs. Serrated Knife: Why I Prefer Serrated Knife
I hope your question is straightforward now. If you have a serrated knife available, you must have noticed it is effective on your cutting tasks. These blades reduce the
force needed when cutting, meaning there’s less pressure on your hands, which aligns with the saying, “Smart work is better than hard work.” I’m not saying it cuts extremely fast, but when we use it on products like fruits or vegetables, it creates a grip and cuts through before we apply pressure on the base.
Once, I tried to cut persimmons after taking them out of the freezer, but since my knife wasn’t sharp, the juice just collected inside. My main point is that if your knife isn’t sharp, you shouldn’t attempt to cut squishy fruits and vegetables. For example, take a tomato; since it’s squishy, we try to cut it quickly and apply force, which can result in the knife slipping and injuring our hands. That’s why I prefer using a serrated knife in this case.
Top 8 Best Uses Of Serrated Knife
- Slicing Bread
The serrated knife (the one with small notches like a saw is ideal for cutting bread! Those little teeth are perfect for cutting through the bread without squishing it or something like really crusty bread. Whether a long French bread or your mom’s freshly baked bread, this knife will do the trick and provide perfectly cut bread slices.
- Cutting Meats
Half of these knives serve the purpose of slicing various kinds of meat in the meat market. The tiny teeth enable cutting the outside while exerting a smooth action inside. It makes your meat appealing on the plate and easy to chew and consume!
- Slicing Delicate Fruits and Vegetables
A serrated knife is the go-to for slicing softer stuff like tomatoes or strawberries. It does not press or apply pressure on your fruits and veggies, which makes them maintain their fresh and attractive appearance. It is ideal for salad preparation that looks as inviting as it is delicious!
- Cutting Cakes & Pies
Once, my younger brother attempted to cut the cake for Mom’s birthday with a regular knife, which went wrong. It messed up the cake too much; the frosting spread everywhere. It is when Mom realized that serrated knives are the most efficient in this scenario. They were suitable for cutting through cakes and pies. You wouldn’t end up with the fillings and the toppings everywhere. We will never experience dreadful cakes ever again 😂
- Cutting Through Tough Skins of Fruits
Just imagine the attempt to slice through the rind of a pineapple or watermelon; well, it is like a battle to the end! However, a serrated knife makes it much more manageable. They would be able to chop away a very thick skin while at the same time not crushing the succulent part inside. It is like having a master key that opens your favorite fruits, right?
- To Cut Frozen Foods
Do you wish to slice through some frozen food? A serrated knife is convenient! Whether it is an ice cream cake or frozen fruits you intend to blend with other fruits in your smoothie, these knives can cut through the frozen parts without leaving a mess behind them.
- Cracking Bottles of Wine
Now that it’s not the core function of this knife, the grown-ups can use it to open the wine bottles if they don’t have a bottle opener. Although they enjoy playing it, they must be very careful when making a hole in the cork to pull it out.
- Other Than Kitchen
Outside of culinary tasks, serrated knives have other applications. You can use it to cut through rigid materials such as rope or webbing in outdoor settings, making them handy for camping or emergencies.
Some Drawbacks Of Serrated Knives
Anything beneficial for us also has some drawbacks. I have personally faced a few points regarding serrated knives, and if this were not the case, serrated knives would be perfect. My friends and family have also experienced issues, so I’ll discuss the problems people face due to this.
Issue in Sharpening
Now, sharpening a plain knife is easy; it’s pretty simple—you have to take your tool or use a simple method to sharpen it. I have a knife set that includes a serrated knife. I have used this knife for different purposes, and as you know, the more you use a knife, the duller it becomes. I had no tools to sharpen it, so I took it to a shop, and the shopkeeper charged me double for sharpening it. He says different tools and more struggle are needed to sharpen it.
Less Versatility
The issue doesn’t happen with everyone, but some people face it. My friend says this knife can cut bread or rope easily, but cutting squishy tomatoes with it is difficult. However, I don’t have that problem. According to her, it is unsuitable for every kitchen task, especially daily ones.
The simple answer is that it’s not a fast knife; it just creates a grip on whatever you’re cutting. Use it if you can easily cut such vegetables or fruits with it. Otherwise, for such cutting tasks, I recommend using a plain knife in this case.
How to Sharpen a Serrated Knife At Home
- Find the Special Side
On your knife, one side is flat, like the wall; the other has a very little incline towards the teeth. This sloped side is none other than the place that really does wonders! That’s known as the beveled side, and it’s this side that we only have to sharpen. If you are not sure which side it is, place the flat part of your finger very lightly on both sides; you will feel the slope on one side.
- The Gentle Touch
Now is the time to use your sharpening rod, which looks like a thin metal stick. Take your time and focus on the valleys of each tooth. Lightly slide the rod through these with gentle left-to-right strokes. Never force the rod.
- Take Your Time
Now comes the part that will take considerable time—you must hone every tooth valley. I know it sounds like a lot of work (and it is!), but it works like building with LEGO blocks; taking your time makes the final result even better! Lots of people reach the point where they get tired and then take knives to be sharpened by experts, but if you’re like a ninja, you don’t need to do that! One fun music put it on, and enjoy (leave it; it’s my working style 😀)
- Clean Up the Rough Edges
As you sharpen, you will see tiny particles of metal appear on the flat side of your knife (we call these burrs). They are like whiskers on metal and need to removed. Take a flat sharpening stone, known as a whetstone, and gently move the flat side of your knife across it as if you were ironing out wrinkles in paper. It’ll make your knife super smooth.
Final Words
I have clarified each point so you can clearly understand what a serrated knife is used for. You can share your queries with me if you face any issues, whether about purpose or sharpening. I have used this knife a lot and have substantial experience with knives. I will respond to all your queries. Thank you for reading.