Kitchen shears. Iris Hamelmann / pixabay.com / 2018 / CC0 1.0
Kitchen shears are specially-designed, sturdy scissors for the kitchen.
They are not shaped like regular scissors; they are shaped like shears. (In the strict definition of shears, the two finger holes will not be the same size: that may or may not be the case when it comes to kitchen shears.)
Some are specially made for poultry and fish, with one of their blades being a serrated one to help cut through flesh such as chicken joints or fish fillets.
Some will have handles covered in rubber. Some have a bottle opener in the handle.
Some models screw apart at the hinge for easier cleaning.
Some are designed for use by both left and right-handed people; some are specially designed just for left-handed people.
Not all kinds will be dishwasher safe.
Cooking Tips
Kitchen shears can be used for many jobs which would otherwise require hauling out both a knife and a cutting board.
- snipping herbs in place of mincing them;
- trimming fins off fish;
- cutting strips of lettuce (roll up then snip);
- cutting up bacon;
- trimming excess fat off meats;
- trimming fresh artichokes;
- cutting holes in the tops of pies.
Be sure to wash kitchen shears particularly carefully after being used with raw meat or fish.
Language Notes
Sometimes referred to as “kitchen scissors” or “kitchen snips.”
Kitchen shears. Iris Hamelmann / pixabay.com / 2018 / CC0 1.0