How to Use a Gyuto Knife: Tips for Western and Japanese Cutting Techniques
If you’re looking to expand your repertoire in the kitchen or if you want to enhance your meal preparation routine, a Gyuto knife might be just what you need. These sturdy, versatile knives fill a similar role as a chef’s knife, though there are some key differences between the two.
Using a Gyuto knife takes a little bit of practice. If you’re already proficient with a chef’s knife, you’ll probably be able to adjust quickly to a Gyuto. Japanese and Western chefs incorporate slightly different techniques, and learning both types will make you a more accomplished cook.
What Is a Gyuto Knife?
A Gyuto knife is a 7- to 10-inch broad-bladed knife with similar dimensions to a European chef’s knife. Originally, they were intended for cutting meat, though they evolved into an all-purpose knife over the years. Generally, if you want to use a chef’s knife for a task, this type of knife would be appropriate, too.
One of the key differences between a Gyuto chef knife and most European-inspired chef’s knives is that Gyutos are made of a harder type of steel. This allows them to hold their edge better than most chef’s knives, leading to easier cutting and less time spent sharpening your knife.
Gyutos also tend to be slightly lighter and less thick than most chef’s knives, especially German-made knives. The balance is also usually set slightly higher on the blade’s edge. This makes them slightly more agile than a chef’s knife.
Japanese Cutting Techniques With Gyuto Knives
If you’re already an experienced chef’s knife user, you’ll quickly be able to adjust to the difference in balance and weight and use your Gyuto similarly to a chef’s knife. But you may want to explore some Japanese cutting techniques that enhance your kitchen skills.
For the most part, European and Japanese chefs are doing similar things, and the difference in technique comes down to subtle variations or slightly different approaches. These minor adjustments might make some tasks easier for you or even open up new options when it comes to preparing your meals.
The “Cat Paw” Chopping Technique
The “Cat Paw” safety technique is frequently practiced by Japanese chefs and cooks. It refers to how you should hold your guiding hand when using your knife.
When chopping or cutting, curl the fingers of your non-knife hand so that it resembles the paw of a cat. Then, use your knuckles to guide the blade as you cut. This protects your fingers from potentially being cut while you chop while allowing you to guide the blade precisely.
Push-Cut Cutting Style
Japanese knife work emphasizes precision and control, and Japanese chefs tend to favor the push-cut style of chopping or cutting. While some Western chefs also employ the push-cut style, it’s more closely associated with Japanese technique.
To use the push-cut technique, you’ll push the knife forward and downward as you slice or cut. Each stroke involves the knife traveling as much horizontally as it does vertically, making use of a larger portion of the blade’s surface than if you were just going up and down.
This technique is especially useful when making extremely thin cuts as the precision it offers will improve the uniformity and thinness of each slice you make. Because Japanese knives like Gyutos tend to be thinner than Western blades, the push-cut style is particularly well-suited to this type of knife.
Western Cutting Techniques With Gyuto Knives
While a Gyuto is a Japanese knife, that doesn’t mean it isn’t perfectly suited to being used with Western cutting techniques, too. In fact, just about any technique that works with a chef’s knife will work with a Gyuto.
One thing to keep in mind, though: Because Gyutos are made from a harder steel, they are more prone to chipping when cutting hard materials like bone or frozen meat. Don’t use a Gyuto for tasks like that, even if you might be inclined to use a chef’s knife for that purpose. But for most tasks, Gyuto knife use can mirror chef’s knife use when employing Western techniques.
Rocking Technique for Mincing Vegetables
Gyutos are excellent at mincing garlic, ginger, or any other vegetable that you want to chop down into fine pieces. Using the rocking technique, you can quickly and easily mince any vegetable.
To execute this technique, place the vegetable or vegetables onto your cutting surface and then place the blade into the cutting area so that it’s parallel with your body. Then, put your off-hand on top of the blade and rock the blade up and down with that hand. As you rock, use your knife hand to pull the blade back and forth so that the blade hits everything. You’ll quickly mince up whatever you’re chopping.
Pull-Cut Cutting Style
Because Gyutos hold such a sharp edge, they’re well-suited to cutting meats or herbs, where it’s possible to damage the tissue while slicing. The pull-cut technique minimizes the potential damage, leaving what you’re cutting in better condition.
The pull-cut technique is like the push-cut technique in reverse. Start your cut so that the bottom of the blade is against the object you’re cutting, and then gently pull the blade toward yourself as you bring the knife down.
The key to the pull-cut style is to be as gentle as possible while cutting. You want the sharpness of the blade to do most of the work, rather than using your own force to bear down. If done right, your Gyuto will seem to whisper through meats and herbs, leaving attractive-looking and undamaged slices.
Incorporating a Gyuto Into Your Kitchen
If the advantages a Gyuto holds over the traditional chef’s knife appeal to you, you may want to consider adding one to your collection of kitchen knives. It’s possible to nearly replace the chef’s knife entirely, and the Gyuto can become your go-to knife for a large portion of the chopping, cutting, and mincing work you do.
To take full advantage of what a Gyuto can offer, you’ll want to become familiar with both Western and Japanese cutting techniques and to understand the situations when a Gyuto will shine. Before long, you’ll likely have trouble remembering how you prepared meals without the help of your Gyuto.
