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The pinch grip offers precise control with a santoku.
The push-cut is the basic motion; the rocking motion is limited to herbs.
Bone, frozen foods, and twisting damage the blade.
165 to 180 mm is the most common size.
You have a santoku in your hands and want to use it properly. This guide covers santoku knife use: grip, cutting techniques, mistakes to avoid, and sizes, without describing the knife itself. If you are looking for its technical specifications, the Stay Sharp Academy article answers that. Here, we talk about techniques.
Santoku comes from the Japanese san (three) and toku (virtues): meat, fish, and vegetables. Its sheepsfoot profile, with an almost flat edge, dictates the motion: unlike the Gyuto, it is not designed for prolonged rocking. Its symmetrical double bevel is suitable for right-handed and left-handed users alike. To learn more about the knife itself, read the Academy's complete guide.
The pinch grip is recommended: the thumb and index finger pinch the blade just in front of the handle, while the other three fingers wrap around the handle. It offers precise control. The full grip is used for very hard vegetables. The guiding hand, with fingers in a claw, protects the fingertips behind the edge: adopt this reflex from day one.
Push-cut: the blade goes straight down or slightly forward, then lifts between each cut.
Fine slicing: julienne and chiffonade, in regular cuts.
Brunoise: slice, cut into sticks, then into cubes, with the flat edge in contact with the board.
Boneless meat: push slightly obliquely, without sawing or twisting.
Chopping herbs: a light rocking motion, with reduced amplitude.
The santoku covers most daily tasks: carrots and zucchini sliced or cut into sticks, onions and shallots brunoised, herbs chiffonaded, fish fillets, chicken breasts and duck fillets, mushrooms sliced, tomatoes well-sliced, hard cheeses, cabbage and spinach leaves, and toppings for homemade sushi and sashimi.
Prolonged rocking: the flat edge is not designed for this.
Cutting bone or frozen foods: the chipping can be irreparable.
Using a glass, bamboo, or marble board.
Twisting the blade in the food.
Putting the blade in the dishwasher.
|
Task |
Santoku |
Gyuto |
|
Daily vegetables |
Very suitable |
Suitable |
|
Julienne, fine slicing |
Very suitable |
Suitable |
|
Large pieces of meat |
Too short |
Very suitable |
|
Compact kitchen |
Very suitable |
More cumbersome |
See also the complete Gyuto and Santoku comparison.
A well-sharpened santoku is essential for the techniques described: a dull blade leads to compensatory motions and increases the risk of injury. Wash by hand, dry immediately, and store the blade away from impacts. Sharpen on a whetstone and take it to a sharpening service when the edge no longer bites.
Each santoku in the selection was chosen by Olivier Caza-Berthelet for the techniques described here, and not for its appearance alone. In the store in Montreal or Quebec City, you can hold the knife and perform the push-cut before buying. The sharpening service is offered after purchase, in-store or by mail, and delivery is available throughout Canada.
The 165 mm offers maximum precision, for small hands and delicate preparations. From 170 to 180 mm, it is the most common size, a good first santoku for most cooks. The 210 mm is for those who work on a large cutting board or prepare large vegetables: the Takada Reika Santoku 210 mm is our recommendation for this size.
Practice on carrots: about ten regular push-cuts, then a julienne. Next, move on to an onion brunoise, then to herbs with a light rocking motion. Keep the blade clean and the edge sharp. This progression establishes the pinch grip and claw hand before tackling meat and fish.
A well-cared-for santoku lasts for years. Consider a new size when the 165 mm becomes too short for your preparations or when you want a different steel. Before changing, try several in the store: the grip matters as much as the steel or the length.
The santoku is one of the most accessible knives, provided you master santoku knife use: push-cut, pinch grip, claw hand, and a few maintenance habits. A few sessions are enough to make the most of it. To choose yours, see the Santoku knife collection.
