Can You Sharpen Steak Knives?

You might think you've done everything right come steak night. You've investigated the difference between similar selections like T-bones and porterhouses. You've chosen the best cut of steak. You've prepared your beef for grilling by bringing it up to room temperature and seasoning it with salt alone. You've even studied steakhouse secrets. So, now your perfectly pan-seared steak is rested and ready to slice against the grain for maximum tenderness. But wait — what if your steak knife isn't sharp enough? Why, you can simply sharpen it at home.

The No. 1 answer to that common question of "How do I sharpen steak knives at home?" is carefully. Steak knife blunders are easy to suffer for a couple of reasons. For one, they're real kitchen workhorses. Who hasn't just grabbed a steak knife to cut a pat of butter, just because it was within reach? That familiarity can lead to carelessness, which can manifest as an accident. Steak knives are also relatively insubstantial. Unlike a great big butcher knife or a heavy cleaver, a steak knife is more petite; even deceptively flimsy by comparison. That misperception can also lead to nasty nicks, or worse. But with a little caution and the right tools you can avoid dull blades and an incident that requires first aid.

First of all, you want to have the best steak knives your budget (or that of, say, your wedding registry audience) will allow. Like a lot of household items, starting out with high-quality steel to begin with doesn't only pay off in day-to-day performance, but in the long run. In this case, higher quality steak knives will just stand up better to lifelong sharpening; we'd add this Wüsthof steak knife set to our own wishlist. Non-serrated is best not only to power through even tougher cuts, but also to sharpen more easily down the road.

As divisive as single-use kitchen tools can be, a knife sharpener is a good one to have around. As evidenced above, great steak knives aren't cheap, and dull ones aren't only less effective, they're more dangerous. So, a sharpening device helps to protect your investment and your fingers. A sharpening steel is about as simple as it gets, like this Wüsthof number if you want to keep your tools matchy-matchy. It's best to use one somewhat regularly as a preventative measure, although exactly how often you should sharpen your knives can vary based on use. There are also tons of electric sharpeners on the market, such as Work Sharp's professional sharpening system. Some even have slots for those less-desirable serrated blades if you just can't switch to smooth.