What is a santoku knife used for

What santoku means

Santoku (三徳) is commonly translated as "three virtues" or "three uses". The two usual readings are that it handles three foods (vegetables, meat and fish) or three cuts (slicing, dicing and mincing). Either way, the point is the same: it was designed as a general home knife in Japan, a smaller and more compact alternative to the Western chef knife that had become popular there.

Today almost every knife maker sells one. Japanese brands such as Shun, Miyabi, Global and MAC make them in hard stainless steels, and German brands such as Wusthof and Zwilling make Western-style versions with softer steel and thicker edges. The shape is what makes a knife a santoku, not the country it comes from.

How the santoku shape differs from a chef knife

A santoku is usually 165 to 180 mm long (about 6.5 to 7 inches). The edge is fairly flat along most of its length, and the spine curves down to meet the edge at the tip, a shape often called a sheepsfoot. The blade is also tall for its length, which gives your knuckles clearance and makes it easy to scoop food off the board.

A Western chef knife or Japanese gyuto is longer, with more curve (belly) toward a pointed tip. That curve is what lets you rock the blade. A santoku has less curve, so it rewards straight down, forward or backward strokes. For a detailed side by side, see santoku vs chef knife and gyuto vs santoku.

What a santoku does best

The flat edge makes full contact with the board, so a santoku is very good at cuts where you want every slice to separate cleanly. That is why it is a favorite for vegetables. It also handles boneless proteins and herbs well.

• Thin slicing onions, cucumbers, carrots and potatoes with a forward push
• Dicing onions, peppers and celery with clean, separate cuts
• Fine mincing of garlic, ginger and shallots
• Chopping herbs with a light up and down motion
• Slicing boneless chicken breast, pork loin and beef for stir fry
• Cutting fish fillets into portions
• Scooping cut food off the board with the wide blade

Note.A santoku is not for bones, frozen food or prying. Hard Japanese steel can chip if it is twisted or hammered through hard items. Use a heavier Western knife or a cleaver for those jobs.

What the dimples on a granton santoku do

Many santoku knives have a row of oval hollows along the side of the blade, called a granton edge or kullenschliff. The hollows create small air pockets between the blade and the food. The idea is to reduce suction so wet slices of potato, cucumber or cheese release from the blade more easily.

They help a little with sticky foods, but they are not essential. Blade thinness and grind matter more for food release than dimples. A thin, well-ground plain santoku will often cut and release better than a thick dimpled one. If you sharpen often over many years, the edge eventually wears up toward the hollows, which is one small reason some cooks prefer a plain blade.

How to use a santoku knife

Hold the knife with a pinch grip, thumb and the side of your index finger on the blade just ahead of the handle. Curl the fingers of your guiding hand into a claw so the knuckles guide the side of the blade. Our guide on how to hold a chef knife shows the grip in detail.

1. 1

   Place the heel or middle of the edge on the food with the tip slightly down.

2. 2

   Push the knife forward and down in one smooth stroke so the edge slices rather than crushes.

3. 3

   Lift the knife just enough to clear the food, move your claw hand back, and repeat.

4. 4

   For delicate items such as fish or herbs, use a pull cut: start near the tip and draw the knife back and down.

5. 5

   To mince, gather the food, hold the spine near the tip with your guiding hand and chop up and down without twisting.

Who should choose a santoku

A santoku is a good main knife if you mostly prep vegetables, cook for one to three people, work on a smaller cutting board, or find a 210 mm chef knife long and awkward. Many cooks with smaller hands find it easier to control. It is also a common second knife next to a gyuto.

If you like to rock-chop herbs, break down large squash and melons, or carve roasts, a longer chef knife is the better main tool. Our what size chef knife do I need page helps with length. To shop, compare Japanese and German options in our best santoku knives guide, or start with the best Japanese knives for beginners.

See the best santoku knives →

Caring for a santoku

Hand wash and dry the knife right after use, and keep it out of the dishwasher. Cut on wood or soft plastic, never glass or stone. Japanese santoku knives usually have a more acute edge than German ones, so match your sharpening angle to the maker. Our sharpening angle finder lists factory angles by brand, and the whetstone sharpening guide walks through the process.

Frequently asked questions

Can a santoku replace a chef knife? For many home cooks, yes. It handles most daily vegetable and protein prep. It is less suited to rock chopping, long slices through big roasts, and very large produce.

What size santoku should I buy? Most are 165 to 180 mm. A 165 mm blade suits small boards and smaller hands, while 180 mm gives a bit more reach for larger vegetables.

Can you rock a santoku? You can rock it a little near the tip, but the flat edge makes rocking choppy. Push cuts and pull cuts work much better.

Is a santoku good for meat? It slices boneless meat and fish well. Avoid bones, joints and frozen meat, which can chip the edge.