Basic Knife Skills

I thought it might be helpful to share some oldie-but-goodie knife skills videos. These and other easy recipe videos are on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe and share with friends! Knife skills are a building block that just might make your time in the kitchen a little more efficient, a little less stressful and a little more fun.

For me, cooking is a mental health break. I love the zen and “flow” of cooking. Creative, mindful and solitary, it’s a way for me to recharge and get in the zone. But I know for some of you that’s not the case.

One of the best ways to increase your confidence and enjoyment in the kitchen is knife skills. Know how to hold your knife, how to sharpen your knife and how to cut some useful ingredients will help you time and again. These are skills I learned two decades ago in cooking school, and I still use them every day.

Please know that you can email me any questions or leave a comment below. My hope is that with additional information and practice, you’ll hit your groove in the kitchen.

How to Hold Your Knife

Start by holding your knife correctly. You want to choke up on the knife and rest your middle finger against the bolster at the base of the blade (watch the video to help that make sense!). The first step to better knife skills is holding your knife correctly. You’ll have more control, it will be easier on your wrist and you’ll be less likely to cut yourself. Practice makes perfect, so watch the video and practice at home.

How to Sharpen Your Knife

Keep your knife sharp! Hone it before every use, or at the very least once a week. Honing your blade (what I show you how to do in the video above) helps smooth out any little nicks in your knife. Get your knives professionally sharpened at least once a year. Cutting with a sharp knife is actually safer than using a dull one.

How to Cut an Onion

This is the money trick. Watch the video and pause it as you cut an onion at home. Get familiar with the difference between the top and the root. Pull the cutting board close to you and if it wiggles around, put a damp paper towel or damp flour sack towel under the board. Tuck your fingers under! And don’t take your eyes off the knife or what you’re doing. God speed. I swear this equals 15 minutes of meditation time. Here’s one of my favorite ways to use sliced onion and a couple great ways to use up your practice onion: chicken tinga, gumbo or white chicken chili.

How to Cut a Bell Pepper

Insert the mind blown emoji here! I absolutely love teaching this in cooking classes because students react the same way every time. Watch the video and no need for a thank you note! My favorite things to make with bell peppers are sheet pan sausage and peppers and weeknight chili.

Thank you all and let me know if you have questions. Please forward this to friends and family who may be cooking now more than ever. They can sign up for my newsletter here. Please know that in the coming weeks, I plan to share my real life meal plan (basically what I’m cooking from my pantry, comfort food and all the carbs) and new recipes when appropriate. Hope you’re well wherever you are and I appreciate each and every one of you. Stay healthy! And cook happy!