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Ask the Expert: Maggie Gilbert Keeping Knives Sharp – UHC TV Here’s a question everybody should have an answer to – how do I keep my knives sharp? First of all, that is a really good question and, I think, critically important to a good cook. Having sharp knives is essential. You’ll be amazed at how much better your cooking is, and how much easier it is to cook if you have a sharp knife. So, there’s two main ways you can get your knives sharp. The first is to do it professionally, and there are a lot of places in most cities that will do this, and you just have to find out where they are. Sometimes it’s a hardware store, sometimes it’s a cookware store where knives are sold. So find out who’s reputable and who’s doing it professionally, and then every once in awhile, have your knives sharpened that way. So in between, what can you do? Get yourself something called a steel. And this is what a steel looks like. [picks up steel] You might have one in your house now. Often, they come if you buy a knife set and you may not have known what to do with it. If you don’t have one, you can go to any store that sells knives and go ahead and grab one. So this is how you use it. You’re going to hold it like this [points steel away from herself] and you’re going to take your knife – I’m using my 8-inch chef – and you lay it flat on the steel like this, and then raise it up about 20 degrees. That’s the angle that you’re looking for. Start from the bottom, and just slide it across like that. Very easy. Now you’ve probably seen chefs doing this who are frantically going back and forth and doing it really quickly. That isn’t going to get you a sharper knife and it’s a little scary to do that. So do it at whatever pace you are comfortable with. So again, raise it up about 20 degrees and slide from back to front. And you’re going to do about 10 of these, give or take, and then flip it around and do the other side. You will be amazed and really excited about how your cooking goes when you have really sharp knives.

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Sharp Knives Mean Easier Cooking

Question: How do I keep my knives sharp?

Answer from: Maggie Gilbert, cooking expert

Sharp knives make healthy cooking easier and more fun. Find out what to do with your sharpening steel.

food & nutrition, Ask the Expert, Joyful Food

The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.

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Sharp Knives Mean Easier Cooking

Question: How do I keep my knives sharp?

Answer from: Maggie Gilbert, cooking expert

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