One basic kitchen rule: don’t forget to make the perfect cut. From garlic and onion to meat, fish, vegetable, etc., the chef’s and the butcher’s best friend have always come in handy in whatever dish they have in mind.
Here is a guide to help you choose among the five hand-picked best butcher knives!
**Below, you’ll find more detailed reviews, but you can click links above to see current prices and read customer’s reviews on Amazon.
What is a Butcher Knife?
This kind of knife is particularly designed for cutting, animal skinning, and, obviously, for butchering. Though it is possible to use other types of knives, what makes the butcher knife stand out is its remarkable thin blade.
Butcher knife’s blades are thinner as compared to the typical ones being used at home. This distinctive feature is perfect in making meat processing and deboning as easy and as quick as possible.
Although knives may look similar, they actually are not. Maybe now, you are a little confused about which among the list deserves the cost. Therefore, here are some basic things which you need to take note of in buying the right butcher knife.
What Features Should You Be Keen Of?
These basic elements will make you keener on criticizing any knife during your purchasing experience.
1. Blade Thickness
As what was stated from above, butcher knives are unique due to their blades. The thinner the blade, the faster and more efficient the meat processing would be. Always be skeptical of reading the product labels.
2. Blade Size
Five to 6.5 inches are the standard blade sizes of butcher knives. Manufacturers, on the other hand, design knives with different lengths. Therefore, to eliminate confusion and to help you arrive at the right conclusion, here is the rule—the shorter the blade is, the more flexible it is.
However, it is not guaranteed that the blade will always perform at its finest. Remember that a lot of factors affect the quality of the blade. As a form of tactic, most chefs buy butcher knives in different lengths. Most of them buy those within the 6- to 8-inch range. They know that there is not any knife that fits all cooking tasks.
If you are a professional whose life revolves around the kitchen, then it is highly recommended to buy a set of knives instead of individual pieces. You won’t just have them at a more affordable price, but you would also have a complete set in varying lengths, good for whatever task you ought to engage on.
3. Blade-edge Design
Straight or curved? These are the two most widely used types. Some prefer the straight blade because it is quite easier to use, while some use the curved blade because it is more effective for deboning.
Other Types of Blade Edges:
A. Serrated
- Designed with small, jagged teeth along the edge
B. Scalloped
- Created with prominent waves along the edge
- Generally used to slice bread with hard crusts and tough fruits and vegetables
C. Granton
- Has hollowed grooves on the sides of the blade
- These grooves allow thin and even cuts without tearing
Another factor that you should consider is the type of material. Steel knives have two types–the stamped and the forged types. Forged steel appears like it was shaped by exposure to a high temperature, whereas, stamped steel appears like a cut off along a steel sheet.
Both of them are made from stainless steel, thus, they are resistant to rust. However, in terms of weight and built, the forged blade is heavier and durable.
The stamped blade doesn’t have a bolster. The process of creating stamped blade is simpler than forged blade, making it lighter, narrower, easier to produce, and inexpensive. Most professionals who spend too much time cutting hard meat prefer stamped blades because they are easier to control.
4. Knife Handle
Though this feature is neglected most of the time, the handle would aid you in choosing the right butcher knife. Criticizing the handle design is important especially if you intend to use the knife for a long period of time.
A primary reason for choosing the right handle is that it determines the force you apply for cutting. The amount of applied pressure determines the preciseness and speed of the cut. Therefore, never overlook the handle.
There are no special considerations in choosing the type of handle. It can come in a form of plastic, wood, or synthetic. But whatever material it is made up of, it is still up to you to which among the options would make you feel comfortable and work with ease.
For some butchers nowadays, wood, polymer, synthetic, or rosewood are the most popular. In case you prefer wood, they are undoubtedly durable, however, soaking them in water is a big no because water causes the wood to warp.
5. Durability and Flexibility
As a smart consumer who values money, you always want to make sure that the product you are eyeing for is worth the price. Make sure that the knife is durable enough to bear whatever task you do with it.
Some consumers, however, have a tendency to lean on cheaper products yet ending up buying another three because of their poor quality.
To avoid such inconvenience, it is advisable to purchase one knife with a stiff blade and another flexible one for deboning. With these two butcher knives, you will survive any kitchen circumstance that might come your way.
Here is a Youtube Video
The 7 Best Butcher Knives This Month on Amazon
As you look for the perfect knife, here are the five best butcher knives that might suit your need. Check out what other consumers thought and experienced after buying these brands.
1. Victorinox Wide Skinning Knife Review
Made from Switzerland where the world’s most renowned brand for knives lie, this butcher knife is durable and dense, perfect for mincing tough meat parts. Victorinox has been considered as one of the most trusted brands when it comes to knives and other kitchen tools. By just the name itself, you know that you are heading on choosing the right one.
- Has very prominent curved blades
- Very sharp which made it efficient in cutting joints and skinning hogs and deer
- Allows lesser time in meat processing and deboning
- Handles are slip-resistant which provide good grip, balance, and comfort
Cons
- Requires high maintenance; Hand washing is recommended
- The blade does not hold its edge well
2. Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Fibrox Pro Boning Knife Review
Another outstanding product of Victorinox, this is quite better than the former. Exquisitely flexible and ideal for deboning meat, fish, and poultry, this butcher knife is recommended for all sorts of butchering tasks.
If you are looking for a cost-effective product and at the same time will provide you excellent results, then this knife would be a perfect choice.
- Provides lifetime warranty
- Has a cone-shaped ground that provides a wider breakpoint
- Ice-tempered to maintain sharpness
- High carbon stainless-steel blade provides maximum sharpness and edge retention
- A sharp blade with maximum edge retention
- Stamped blade type with bolster less edge which makes it easier to be sharpened
- Handles are slip-resistant which provide good grip, balance, and comfort
Cons
- Requires high maintenance; Hand washing is recommended
3. Ontario Knife Old Hickory Butcher Knife Review
This butcher knife stands out because it does not just attract prospective clients because of its low price, but it also has a broad range of distinctive features that can also compete with other brands.
- Cheapest among the five
- A sharp blade with maximum edge retention
- Efficient in cutting joints, deboning, and skinning meat
Cons
- Requires high maintenance; Hand washing is recommended
- Thicker blade
- Rusts easily
4. Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Fibrox Pro Butcher Knife Review
Another Victorinox, this butcher knife allows you to handle heavy-duty butchering, skinning, and slaughtering works easily. Though its blade is quite thicker than the other two Victorinox knives, its grooves allow fine and even cuts to tough meat.
- Lifetime warranty
- Provides ease in handling large butchering jobs
- Ideal for whole roasts and tough meat
- High carbon stainless-steel blade provides maximum sharpness and edge retention
- Ice-tempered to maintain sharpness
- Stamped blade type with bolster less edge which makes it easier to sharpen
- Handles are slip-resistant which provides good grip, balance, and comfort
Cons
- Quite pricey
- Requires high maintenance; Hand washing is recommended
5. DALSTRONG Shogun Series Boning Knife Review
In terms of preparing, filleting, deboning, trimming, and skinning meat, this brand fits any cooking task you desire. It is guaranteed that you will have a satisfying and efficient cooking experience with Dalstrong.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Scalpel has an 8-12° angle per side
- Maximum Edge Retention
- VG-10 Japanese super steel core
- 66 layers of premium high-carbon stainless steel for rust-resistance
- Full tang provides maximum robustness
- Triple-riveted for further resilience
- Minimal slicing resistance
- Easy to clean
- Nitrogen cooled for enhanced hardness and flexibility
- The life-long durable handle provides non-slip grip and comfort
Cons
- Requires high maintenance; hand washing is recommended
- Razor edge comes down to the bolster after having a major butchering job
As you can observe, all of them are vulnerable to damage if not taken care of properly.
Here Are The Things to Remember(Maintenance of Butcher Knife)
- All of these quality knives need consistent and proper maintenance. Don’t allow the knives to soak in water after use.
- Hand washes and dry them thoroughly and immediately, especially if they were used to cut salty foods and fruits; they can stain the knives.
- Never dish wash. Strong detergents can damage the knives by causing spotting and pitting on the blades. Discoloration of the handles might develop due to long-term dishwasher use.
- Edges will become dull if they are constantly stroked to glass, metal, or Formica.
- A cutting board made up of wood is preferred and considered as the best cutting surface.
- Consistent use of sharpening steels will help in maintaining the sharpness of the blades.
- Steeling is mandatory for straight-edge knives.
Conclusion
Considering the aforementioned product features that need to be considered in buying the perfect butcher knife, Victorinox 6-Inch Flex Boning Knife is the best among the five!
Though almost all of them have thin blades, the winner is said to be ideal on all butchering ways; it can be used for deboning all sorts of meat, fish, and poultry. The stamped blades guarantee you a satisfying and efficient kitchen experience at a more affordable price.
Hopefully, you were able to choose a butcher knife that suits you!
Laura Smith
I'm Laura, I like all the kind of delicious grilled foods which makes me hungry all the time I see them. That's why I built this blog to share with you all of my Grilling experiences, recipes, and all the tips about foods that I've learned from food experts.