What kind of knife is best for sushi?

The best for both sushi rolls and sashimi cutting is the Yanagi (or Yanagiba). We also recommend the Yanagiba for your first, or only, traditional Japanese sushi knife. The Yanagiba will precisely slice through delicate sashimi and does fairly well on ingredient-packed rolls.

What knives do professional sushi chefs use?

Most sushi chefs will have a wide variety of knives. But if we had to boil it down to just three, it would be the Yanagiba, Deba and Nakiri knives. The Yanagiba knife is great for precision cuts for sashimi, the Deba is great for fish butchery and filleting, and the Nakiri is perfect for vegetables.

What is a sushi knife called?

Sashimi bōchō, literally “sashimi knife” is a type of long, thin knife used in Japanese cuisine to prepare sashimi (sliced raw fish or other seafood). Types of sashimi bōchō include tako hiki (蛸引, lit. “octopus-puller”), yanagi ba (柳刃, lit.

How much does a good sushi knife cost?

Prices vary from around $200 for something decent, right up to several thousand for a Japanese blade that’s been hand forged and made from the finest steel. This has probably left you wondering if you should invest your hard earned cash.

Why are sushi knives so expensive?

The high cost is a result of many factors: the high-end materials cost, extra labour of forge welding together multiple layers, the fact most of the high-priced knives are forged on a small scale and they make them by hand (artisan workshop usually have 2–4 students + blade Master orchestrating them).

How do you sharpen a sushi knife?

Place the whetstone on a non-slippery surface or put it in a whetstone holder. First use the low grit side of the stone. Move the blade back and forth across the entire stone with light pressure at an angle of 10 to 15˚ (roughly the height of the little finger of an adult). Start at the tip of the blade.

Why are sushi knives so long?

One unique trait of sushi and sashimi knives is their single beveled edge. These knives are sharpened so that only one side holds the cutting edge and the other side remains flat. The flat edge is there so that food doesn’t stick to the knife. This was to make using the knife for long periods of time more comfortable.

Are Japanese knives really that good?

Their thin, light construction makes Japanese knives great for fine, delicate tasks, like cutting vegetables or slicing fish. “Sushi is a prime example,” says Lau. German knives, meanwhile, are often heavy and bulky, but also more sturdy with thicker blades that require sharpening more for good edge retention..

What does Sujihiki mean?

Flesh Slicer
A Sujihiki (which translates to “Flesh Slicer”) is an easy knife to use. Like most knives sold in North America, they’re sharpened with a 50/50 grind, meaning they have the same beveling on both the left and right faces. A Sujihiki is excellent at cutting thin, straight slices of meat and fish.

How thick should a sushi knife be?

Straight Cut (“Hira Giri”) To make this cut: Place a block of fish horizontally in front of you roughly the size of your hand (approximately 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide and 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick). Wipe the knife with a damp towel before each slice to keep the fish from sticking to the knife.