Explaining Everything Related to Gyuto Knife in 7 Minutes!
A Cow knife which is most popularly known as Gyuto is a versatile knife that can be used for everything. It is a great all-purpose knife. If you're trying to figure out what’s going to be your first Japanese kitchen knife, a gyuto is a pretty good place to start with. It is a perfect kitchen knife that has been inspired by a standard European chef’s knife for its ability to do so much work.
In this unique piece of writing, we will discuss important information related to gyuto knives. Without any further delay, let’s start our article with the history of the gyuto knife.
Brief History of Gyuto Knife:
To start with the interesting history of the gyuto knife, we have to travel back to the Japanese era, especially in the Sakoku period. The Sakoku era, aka the isolationist part of the history of Japan, existed for almost 200 years. During this period, Japan restricted its trade and isolated itself from the external world. It was also a tough time for Japanese people because they were not allowed to leave the country for nominal reasons.
The main motive behind the implementation of this period was the preservation of the Japanese lifestyle, culture, and religion. It was observed that open trade with other countries and frequent traveling can negatively affect the overall status of Japan. The Western culture along with Christianity was prevailing. In order to stop this, the Sakoku period was implemented.
Well, enough talking about the Sakoku period, let’s jump to the Meiji period. During the Meiji period, Japan was again open up to trade with the West. After the trade with the West was re-established, Japan began to adopt Western cuisine and technology. This rapid change in Japanese lifestyle led to the introduction of the Gyuto knife.
It is believed that Gyuto was introduced during the Meiji Restoration. When trade and traveling were restored, the Japanese were greatly inspired by French culinary art. A gyuto knife was designed by considering the design of a French-style chef’s knife. With time, a gyuto knife, aka cow or beef knife was presented in Japan which earned a great reputation not only in Japan but in the entire world.
After the introduction of the gyuto knife, its demand increased rapidly, and in no time, it began to replace the traditional kitchen knives throughout Japan. The popularity of the gyuto knife grew with the industrial and urbanization boom in Japan. Now, a gyuto knife is considered a highly functional knife that has earned a special place in the hearts of many Japanese and Western chefs.
What Defines a Gyuto Knife?
A Japanese kitchen knife that is used for cutting vegetables to meat in different styles and sizes is called a gyuto knife. It is equipped with an extremely sharp edge along with a kissaki (pointed tip of the blade). A sharp, gleaming, and defined gyuto knife is a must-have tool for every kitchen.
Besides playing an important role in Japanese cuisine, it has gained a great reputation across the Western hemisphere. Whether you are a Western chef or based in Japan, a gyuto knife is your best friend in dealing with meat, vegetables, and other cutting chores. They are perfect for slicing, chopping, disjointing, julienning, and dicing. The average size of a gyuto blade is approximately 180 - 270 mm. But the size of the blade can be shorter down to 150 mm or can be longer up to 360 mm.
Gyuto knives that come with longer blades have high slicing power. On the other hand, the gyuto knives equipped with shorter blades are quite nimbler. Furthermore, a gyuto knife has a double bevel edge and is equipped with handles in both Western style and traditional Japanese styles. The design of the gyuto knife can be partial or full tang.
Pro Tip: A gyuto knife with a blade size of 180-210 mm is preferred for home cooking. Whereas, a gyuto knife with 240 mm blade size is best for professional and amateur chefs.
What are the Top Features of the Gyuto Knife?
After discussing the interesting history and introduction of the gyuto knife, now let's dive into the top features of the gyuto knife.
● A gyuto knife is a multifunction and lightweight knife.
● It is a long knife that resembles closely to French knives instead of German knives. The perfect combination of a lighter, thinner blade along with a balance point makes the gyuto a more precise and agile knife.
● The light and slim design of the gyuto knife is perfect for easy use and helps in performing cutting tasks more efficiently.
● The handle of a gyuto knife can be made up of different materials. For example, resin, wood, Pakkawood, etc.
● Gyuto knife handles come in two variants.
1. Wa-handle ( “Wa” refers to the Japanese style). Gyuto knives with a wa-handle are called Wa-Gyuto. Wa-handle comes in various shapes. For example, oval, D, octagonal, etc. Octagonal and D-shaped handles are perfect for a comfortable grip.
2. Yo-handle (“Yo” refers to Western-style)
What are the Uses of Gyuto Knife?
Enough discussing the introduction and features of the gyuto knife, now let's discuss the main portion which will decide whether investing in the gyuto knife is worth it or not.
A gyuto knife consisting of a thin blade, lightweight maneuverability, and improved edge retention is used for the following tasks:
1. It is used for fast and clean cutting of meat. It is best for slicing and portioning meat including fish.
2. Its sharp edge is perfect for easy chopping, dicing, and mincing of a variety of vegetables.
3. Gyuto knives are also used for obtaining precise cuts. Furthermore, it is also helpful in removing seeds, trimming fat, etc.
List of Popular Brands For Buying Gyuto Knife:
Some popular brands from where you can buy a gyuto knife are listed hereunder:
● Shun
● Mac
● Yoshihiro
● Masamoto
● Tojiro
● Takamura
● Suisin
● Tanaka
● Sakuto, etc.
Conclusion:
No doubt, a gyuto knife is the best knife for everyday kitchen tasks. Introduced over a century ago, it holds great importance in the Western and Japanese culinary arts. It is lightweight and is perfect for home cooking and for professional settings.