After I cook a brisket (in the oven, with onions, broth, wine, and other good stuff) I let it cool in the juices, then slice against the grain. I’ve tried lots of knives – chef’s, carving, serrated – and the brisket always tends to shred. My guess is that my knives aren’t sharp enough…they are various brands, (Farberware, Wilkinson, etc.) mostly stainless (maybe that’s the problem?) and I sharpen them with a sharpening steel.
Any advice?
The first two answers suggested overcooking – maybe that’s the problem. I brown it first, then put it in a 350 degree oven for 3 – 3.5 hours, covered in liquid, and with a lid.
How do you know when a brisket is ready and when it’s overcooked?
I am a home cook who cooks often. I am getting a second 8 inch chef’s knife (I have a global). I have narrowed my choices down to a wusthof ikon and a shun classic, both of which have the same price. I tried them at William Sonoma; both of them were aesthetically pleasing, but the shun looked even nicer. The Ikon felt a tad bit better in my hand by just a small, small bit. But I’ve heard that the Shun are sharper and easier to maintain (less time between sharpenings) and the sharpening steel has the correct angle on the base. I am open to suggestions.
Flour shaker
Food processor
Fry pan
Garlic press
Grater
Hand mixer
Juicer Ladle
Large fish slice
Large wisk
Measuring cups
Measuring jug
Measuring spoons
Metal bowl
Oven clothe
Oven glove
Pallet knife or spatula
Pastry brush
Pizza tray
Peeler
Plastic spoon
Rolling pin
Rubber scraper
Saucepan and steamer
Scale
Scissors
Sharpening steel
Sieve
Sifter
Slotted spoon
Small fish slice
Small knife
Small Wisk
Tongs
Wok
Wooden spoon
I am in the process of gradually upgrading my existing kitchen knives one at a time and want to know what kitchen knives would be best to add to my collection. I have already have a quality 10" chef’s knife, a 3" paring knife, a serrated bread knife and a 6" utility/slicing knife that I reach for all the time. Any others I should add? What about the Asian Santoku knives? Do I need one? I have a sharpening steel. I have about 3 more slots in my knife block. I’m not sure I’d use a boning knife much. I would like to know what other knives good cooks find useful.
i have a GREAT set of french steak knives. they even come in a lovely case.
now over time. they are VERY DULL!!!
is it difficult to sharpen the blade?it says on the case
to: " use a flint sharpening stone or a steel designed for cutlery."
to sharpen.
i am not familiar with either. i just love to cook. but now am trying to learn about maintaining what i have.
is it difficult to find a flint sharpening stone or cutlery sharpening steel?
probably somewhere like Williams – Sonoma.. but do you know of any place inexpensive ?
or should i just toss them, and buy new?
thanks in advance!
I was looking to buy a ceramic sharpening steel and in my search I came across this little jem. Its a three sided 6inch triangle sharpener, with ceramic edges for honing. The three sides have different grits: two sides are diamond with a course and medium grit then there is a ceramic side at a fine grit. See link:
using the sharpening steel that came with my steak knife set? I don’t think they’re professional, and I just want to sharpen them a little better, so I can trim my bangs. The only thing I have around the house is a sharpener that came with my chicago cutlery set. I don’t care about getting the shears sharpened professionally, I heard that’s expensive.
OK….I live in the USA. My sister lives in India. She asked me to get a nice and long lasting knife set for her. (The knife sets one gets in India are really cheap and rust in weeks!). I came across a beautiful knife set by Chicago Cutlery. It has 8 knives. The set includes hardwood storage block with built-in sharpener, 3" peeler, 3 1/4" parer, 5" utility, 6" boning, 8" slicer, 8" Chef’s and sharpening steel.
The details are just fyi….ok….so now my question is can I carry it in my luggage which is checked in for security checking. The bags that we don’t carry but that come later in the baggage claim section. I hope you got what I am saying. I know I cannot carry it in my purse or my carry on!!!
Is it ok to carry knife set in luggage? Has anyone done it?
Instructions on how to steel and sharpen your kitchen knives. Rodelle Vanilla blogger Carol Busch visits The Cupboard in Fort Collins, CO and learns how to select the appropriate sharpening steel and the proper technique for steeling your knife.
Learn how easy it is to sharpen your serrated knives with DMT diamond sharpeners. From bread knives to tactical knives, DMT has the right sharpener for you!
