This is a collaborative post.
The kitchen is such an important part of a home. All the lovely food we eat as individuals or with our families is prepared here and, as you may have found if you’ve ever attempted to prepare a family meal using old or cheap knives, decent knives are an essential kitchen item!
In today’s world, it’s very common for someone to be vegetarian or vegan by choice. It’s true, also, that vegetarians may have different preferences to meat-eaters in terms of which utensils or equipment they use to prepare their meals.
At the same time, however, there are also many kinds of cookery equipment that vegetarians will also benefit from owning like a grill, spices, a good oven and so on. In fact, believe it or not, one of the most essential kitchen items for vegetarians to own is actually a good set of steak knives.
Yes, you heard that right; steak knives aren’t just designed to cut meat. Here are several reasons why owning a good set of steak knives is just as important for vegetarians.
1. Steak knives are useful even for meat substitutes
These days, meat substitutes like tempeh and tofu are trending all over the world. We live in an age where meat-free ‘bleeding’ burgers that have revolutionised a product that is basically mushroom and/or beetroot, yet look and taste just like steak.
With so many varieties of meat substitutes in the market to cook with, it’s easier than ever for people to turn veggie if they feel it’ll be beneficial for them.
So, with more and more veggies eating plant-based foods with meaty textures, the importance of good quality steak knives can’t be ruled out.
To get a feel for the best steak knives in the market, take a look at this handy guide from Erica Young at GiftWits.
2. Steak knives last much longer
Whether it’s a knife with a serrated blade or a straight blade, steak knives usually last longer than other kinds of table knives.
Not only are the blades strong enough to cut through any meat-like substance or thick type of food, but you can opt to buy steak knives with short or long tangs to suit your needs.
Think of these as quality knives that’ll last for years, enabling you to cut through your food with ease. Steak knives do not need to be polished or sharpened very often either, which is another big advantage of investing in them.
People spend a lot of money over time on replacing mediocre knives and this can be avoided if you put steak knives to good use. Take a look at this article on HearUp to discover how best to choose knives for the kitchen.
3. Steak knives enable you to explore different cuisines
It’s interesting to think about how what we own can dictate what we cook in our kitchens, often with convenience in mind. For example, I never used to make popcorn until I bought a microwave, which is odd because I could’ve popped it in any pot or pan with a lid! Ultimately, I guess it often comes down to what is quick and easy for us to prepare at the time.
Similarly, owning steak knives encourages people to cook in a certain way and explore more types of cuisine. For vegetarians, it could be a cuisine that involves some form of grilling. They could experiment with the likes of kabobs, grilled veggies, or perhaps even one of the mushroom steak burgers I mentioned earlier.
Alongside steak knives, having a versatile range of kitchen knives is crucial for culinary enthusiasts. While steak knives are great for certain tasks, other types of cuts require different kinds of knives. For example, when dealing with larger, tougher ingredients, a robust and sharp cleaver can be indispensable. Cleavers are not just for meat; they are perfect for chopping hard vegetables or even for crushing garlic. For a comprehensive look at some of the best cleavers available, check this. It’s surprising how much easier meal prep becomes when you have the right tools for the job.
4. They’re cheaper than you think
There are expensive steak knife sets on the market. but you can easily get a quality set of steak knives for far less than £60-80.
As we’ve already touched upon, steak knives last much longer than regular knives, so paying £60-80 for a set isn’t really too excessive. They’re a stronger version of a basic utility table knife, so you don’t have to store too many table knives in your home if you invest in good steak knives.
At the same time, it’s important to maintain knives that you own so they last long enough to make your investment worthwhile.
5. Steak knives are useful for basic food prep
People are under the misconception that steak knives just have one or two uses. Realistically, steak knives can be used for all sorts of food prep, including vegetarian food items.
You can use steak knives to cut cheese, slice sandwiches, cut fruit and veg, etc. The sharp blades of steak knives provide for clean cuts, making them completely multi-purpose when used in the kitchen.
6. There are more veggie steak recipes than you can imagine
With so many people going veggie or vegan, there are lots of veggie steak recipes floating around on the internet these days.
Many would argue that you don’t really need meat to make a steak dinner anymore. Steak knives can help vegetarians continue the tradition of steak dinners without any meat even being present on the plate.
An article on One Green Planet titled – ‘Where’s the Beef? Who Cares! How to Make Veggie ‘Steaks’ That Totally Require a Steak Knife’ shares how vegetarians can prepare several varieties of steaks including tofu, mushroom, cauliflower, eggplant/aubergine and seitan-based steaks.
Overall, steak knives are an essential part of any kitchen. Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan or a meat-eater, a steak knife is a heavy-duty utility item that’ll always be extremely beneficial to you.
Instead of wasting money on blocks of knives that might feature knives you’ll barely ever use or that wear-off easily, purchase two or three high-quality knives, one of them being a steak knife. If you have a family, a steak knife set of four knives might be useful.
What are your top tips for buying steak knives? Share your ideas below.
This is a collaborative post.