Long, thin, curved, scalloped: butchers’ knives are a specialist piece of equipment – and every knife has been refined and tailored to perfectly suit the job at hand. So while a cimetar steak knife might more resemble a samurai’s blade, and a boning knife may taper awkwardly upwards at the tip, it is all for a good purpose. Here are four reasons you need the right knives for the job.
They’ll help you avoid fatigue
Butchering meat is a labour-intensive job – and without the right tools, you’ll be exhausted before you’re anywhere near finished cutting. To break down meat into smaller parts, you’ll need something like a cimetar knife. Thanks to its long, stiff, curved blade, this knife is perfect for producing retail cuts like schnitzels and steaks. Fluting on the blade gives an even cleaner slice.
THEY’LL MAKE YOUR JOB SAFER
A butcher’s knife is, by definition, sharp. Very sharp. And, though it might seem counterintuitive, a sharper blade will actually make your job safer, thanks to the relative ease with which you’ll be able to tackle a piece of meat. Using a dull knife, on the other hand, will cause you to use extra force when cutting, which can send you off balance and easily lead to accidents.
THEY’LL HELP YOU WORK WITH PRECISION
Butchery is an art form, and for that you need to use knives that have been designed for the job. A boning knife, for instance, will allow you to remove flesh from bones cleanly thanks to its slimmer design and sturdy weight – perfect for processing primal cuts and producing retail cuts with precision. Avoiding tearing messily through meat, as is more likely with a larger knife, will also help you reduce wastage.
THEY’LL SAVE TIME
Regular chefs’ knives are not designed to cut through thick pieces of meat and bone – trying to do so will prove to be a laborious and dangerous endeavour. Using the right knife can cut down on prep time and create a more efficient kitchen. With a robust butchers’ knife, you could even slice frozen meat without defrosting it first.
Many knives in a butcher’s armoury also serve cross-purposes: a boning knife can also be used to skin or trim, for instance, while a skinning knife will easily handle the gutting of an animal or fish thanks to its blunt tip.
