Maintain, handle and clean knives
Learning outcomes There are two learning outcomes to this unit. In this theory lesson you will understand Know how to maintain, handle and clean knives This will lead to be able to maintain, handle and clean knives In your practical's lesson
What are these? Who took the picture? Officers found 528 knives after conducting nearly 27,000 searches during Operation Blunt 2
Assessment Learning objective: Be able to maintain, handle and clean knives l Prioritise work and carry it out in an organised and efficient manner l Ensure knives are clean l Sharpen knives using safe sharpening methods l Select knives appropriate to the task to be undertaken l Ensure that the cutting edge is firm and secure and appropriate for the task l Safely handle knives while undertaking tasks l Clean and store knives according to organisational requirements l Report damage to knives to the appropriate person
What you could learn State why knives should be kept sharp State why knives should be stored safely Explain why and to whom all accidents should be reported Explain why the appropriate knife should be selected for specific task State why handles of knives should be not be allowed to become greasy during use Explain why knives should be handled and carried correctly State why cutting surfaces should be firm and secure Explain why knives should be cleaned between dealing with different food groups Describe what risk there are of contamination from poorly maintained knives State why surfaces should be clean Explain why damaged knives should not be used Describe what action can be taken to prevent allergenic reactions amongst consumers when handling and cleaning knives
Cleaning and Maintenance The first tip for cleaning and maintaining kitchen knives is to take special care of the blade in order to preserve its cutting edge.
Keeping knives clean and sharp
A quality cook’s knife is an expensive tool that, with proper care, will last a long time. A few basic knife tips follow.
Keep your knife sharp
The sharper you keep the edge of your knife, the easier it is to work with. Because you have to use more pressure in order to work with a dull edge, you will: •have less control over the knife •take longer to prepare food •find it difficult to achieve a clean and precise cut.
How to clean knives
•Fill sink with hot water and general purpose detergent. •Holding the handle of the knife, immerse the blade into the hot soapy water. •Wipe the back edge of the knife, using a nylon brush or cloth. Note: Keep your fingers away from the sharp edge of blade. •Rinse the knife in clean hot water keeping your fingers away from the sharp edge of the blade. Dry the knife with disposable paper towelling, holding the handle of the knife. Remember to keep your fingers away from the sharp edge of the blade. Keep knives clean and sharp. Repair or throw knives away with loose blades You have less control over a wet, greasy or dirty knife. A blunt knife requires more pressure to cut and can cause loss of control and an accident
Sharpening a knife using a steel 1.
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Hold the steel by the handle: at an angle of 45° with your thumb facing upward on the steel’s handle. Holding the knife by the handle, place the heel of the knife against the tip of the steel. Slice the knife along the full length of the steel, working from the heel to the tip.
Note: Keep the knife at an angle of about 10°against the steel. 4.
Stroke the other side of the knife along the steel. Note: Two or three strokes per side are all a good knife should require.
Storing knives l
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When not in use, store your knives in a purpose made case, knife wrap or any other safe knife storage location. Do not store in a draw where they will knock together and damage the edges. Never allow knives to become hidden keep knives obvious this could cause an accident
Reporting Accidents
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By law, even a minor accident in the workplace has to be reported and recorded; more serious incidents also have to be reported to the enforcing authority. Of the most common causes of accidents in the kitchen are poor knife techniques, so it is important that report accidents to the person in charge of the workplace so that once recorded affirmative action can be taken i.e. identifying additional training.
Selecting the correct knife It is important to select the correct knife for the task you are carrying out. l If the knife is too large you will not have adequate control over it and increase your chances of an accident. l If you choose a rigid blade for a cutting job that require as a flexible blade you will not work efficiently. l Choose a knife that is the correct size and has the proper blade for the job to be done l Inspect knife to make sure handle is secure and blade is sharp l some knives are colour coded e.g. red for raw meat
Using the correct cutting surface Whenever cutting anything on a cutting surface, the cutting surface must always be secure. Cutting surfaces should be secured by placing a damp, clean folded cloth underneath the board. The cloth helps to stop the board from slipping and therefore prevents accidents from happening. Importance of clean cutting surfaces It is just as important to use a clean cutting surface as it is to use a clean knife. The reason wooden chopping boars are not much used in professional kitchens is because they are difficult to keep clean. Plastic boards are more satisfactory, but with heavy use the surface becomes deeply cut. The boards must be replaced otherwise bacteria trapped in the cuts will form a hygiene risk. Chopping boards Plastic polyurethane board To prevent cross-contamination of foods you should use different coloured boards for each type of food. Remember that cross-contamination can cause an outbreak of food poisoning. Wooden boards/blocks Wood is quite absorbent and harbours germs and bacteria. Wooden blocks used in Butchery can be cleaned by scraping the board with a wire brush then covering it with salt (to kill any bacteria) ready for its next use.
Safe knife handling rules l l l l l l l l l l l l l
Carry knives by the handle, point down, and sharp edges to the rear. Make sure cutting surface is secure. Whenever you are using a knife, always make sure that you keep your mind and eyes on the job at hand. When placing a knife on a table or work surface, always place the knife flat so the blade is not exposed. Always use the correct knife for the correct job. Never try to catch a falling knife. Wear correct footwear to protect your feet from falling knives. Don’t run your fingers down the blade to test for sharpness. Never leave knives in a sink, always wash separately. Never leave knives protruding from the edge of a table or workspace. Never pick up a knife by the blade. Cut away from body and away from hands. Wipe knives with blade away from hands.
A knife is extremely sharp and deserves respect.
CUTTING TECHNIQUE
CLAW’ CUTTING TECHNIQUE Place the flat side of the item down on the chopping board. Shape the fingers of the left hand into a claw-shape, tucking the thumb inside the fingers. Rest the ‘claw’ on the item to be sliced. Holding the knife in the right hand, slice the item, moving the ‘clawed’ fingers away as cutting progresses.
BRIDGE’ CUTTING TECHNIQUE Form a ‘bridge’ with the thumb and index finger of the left hand. Hold the item to be halved (or quartered) on a chopping board. Holding the knife with the right hand, position the blade under the ‘bridge’ and cut downwards firmly.
Food Hygiene Cleaning knives between tasks Think why you wash your hands between tasks, and why you clean the chopping board Knives can also spread bacteria, and carry flavours from one food to another. Risks of infection from handling knives Tetanus, a very unpleasant disease, can occur when bacteria get into a cut or wound. The blade of a knife which has not been properly cleaned, or is being used to prepare food, may carry bacteria. Knives cab also transfer bacteria that cause food poisoning, e.g.: •Salmonella – found on raw meat and poultry, and carried by people •Clostridium Perfringens – found which it can transfer to raw meat and vegetables and on to expose food. It is also carried by people. •Staphylococcus – carried by people, from which it gets on to food
Cross contamination risks from knives A knife not properly clean after cutting raw meat, fish or vegetables will harbour bacteria. The next time the knife is used – and it may look perfectly clean, so the user won’t know of the dangers – the bacteria will contaminate other food. To reduce this risk, different knives should be kept for particular tasks Not using damaged knives Any cracked and heavily cut surface (e.g. knife handle) can harbour bacteria. Damage blades will not cut well, spoiling the appearance of the food, and probably reducing the number of portions that can be obtained from a joint of rose meat, for example. The extra force you use trying to cut with a damaged knife, may lead to an accident: the knife slips, or perhaps the blade snaps.
Action that can be taken to prevent allergenic reactions amongst consumers when handling and cleaning knives What you should do l When you have been asked to prepare a meal that doesn't contain a certain food, make sure worktops and all the equipment staff use is thoroughly cleaned with hot water and soap before they use them. This includes chopping boards, knives, food mixers, bowls, pans, and utensils used for stirring and serving. This is to prevent small amounts of the food that the person is allergic to from getting into their meal. l When you have been asked to prepare a meal that doesn't contain a certain food, make sure staff wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before they prepare the meal, and avoid touching other foods until they have finished preparing it.
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Under section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990 businesses must not ‘sell to the purchaser’s prejudice any food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser’. This means, for example, that if someone specifically asks for a meal that doesn’t contain a certain food and you give them a meal that does contain it, then you could be prosecuted. The General Food Law Regulation 178/2002, prohibits ‘unsafe’ food being placed on the market. When deciding whether a food is ‘unsafe’, the information a business provides to its customers, including on food labels, in menu descriptions, and the information provided by serving staff, are taken into account. For a person with a food allergy, dishes containing the food they react to are ‘unsafe’, even though they are safe for most other people. So that means businesses will need to make sure that, when asked, they give people with food allergies the information they need about whether the food they react to is in a particular dish.