Best Meat Cleaver
The Cutting Edge
Blade design is an important factor, just like all knives.
For the cutting edge and blade, you need a strong, durable steel to resist repeated hits with cartilage. For bone choppers, it is best to use a butcher’s block made from wood. For this steel to have the toughness it needs, it must be tempered between 54-58HRC (hardness on Rockwell Scale) in order for it to hold a cutting edge and not buckle, roll or chip. It produces tough and soft steel, which is still sharpenable, but it’s not too hard to make into brittle.
Most meat cutters use the “V” or flat grind edge. This is made with tough steel.
Cutting edges can be straight or have a slightly curved belly. Although it is up to each individual preference, we find that slightly curved knives allow you to rock your way through chops that don’t go clean through the food.
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The Spine
Also, it is useful to have a long and thick spine. They are ideal for breaking up soup bones with plenty of bulk and to tenderize tough meat cuts.
Some blades will have the top edge of the blade swooping upwards to form a round peak.
It is necessary to enable batoning. This involves hitting the peak with a rod made of metal to break up large joints and bones. Home cooks won’t need this, but a bone saw will be more useful for those who prefer to cut their meat.
Batoning allows you to take out small bones with precision. And a metal rod isn’t necessary either – a dead-end hammer or rubber mallet will suffice, provided the knife spine is thick enough.
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The Big Knife
You can use a meat knife for any purpose, regardless of whether you are a skilled home-butcher or an average cook.
There are options for heavy, light and medium duty. Make sure you verify the details such as weight and dimension before making a purchase to ensure it is the most suitable option. Our top choices are sure to be your favorites.
Also, don’t forget storage. Most cleavers won’t fit into a standard knife block, and you don’t want these big blades banging around in a drawer. Take a look at this article about storage solutions for kitchen knifes.
Have you got any questions regarding these large bone crushers, folks? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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Mike Quinn, (c), Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Our TOS contains more information. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Is A Meat Cleaver Necessary?
Viola Wusthof (CEO, WUSTHOF) says that while every kitchen knife has a purpose, the primary reason you reach for a knife over a chef’s knife or an santoku to cut through thick, heavy pieces of meat including bones and cartilage is the main reason.
What is the purpose of a meatcleaver hole?
The hole on the heavy-duty blade makes cutting through bone easy. The hole enables you to hold the upper part with your fingers. You can pull the blade out by strengthening your grip on its handle.
How do you make a good meat cleaver?
A flat grind (or “V”) edge is the best choice for meat cleavers. This edge, made with tough steel gives you a long-lasting edge. May 10, 2020
What knife is best for cutting meat?
BEST ALL-IN: Victorinox Fibrox Pro Slicing Blade with Granton Blade. BEST BANG for the Buck: The Professional 10 in. Carving Knife.
.Best Meat Cleaver