Whether you are chopping, de-boning, slicing, or butchering meat, it is important to have the best knives for cutting raw meat. Having a sharp knife that is easy to use will make all the difference when chopping or trimming uncooked meat, fish, and poultry. It takes only a few moments to figure out what type of knife you need to make cooking easier and here are the best ones on the market.
There are so many choices so hopefully, one of these highly-rated quality knives will be what you need. The good news is you do not have to spend a lot of money.
Many are under $50 and most under $100. Here are the best budget-friendly knives for cutting raw meat.
Sharp knives come in handy when preparing meals and cooking. Dull knives that are either too small or too large for the task at hand are UNSAFE! Please practice safe knife skills whenever using them.
For example, cutting the chicken into thin slices for Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick is an easy step when using a sharp chef's knife. Or using a quality knife for cutting raw vegetables when making my Mediterranean Chopped Salad.
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What Makes a Knife Quality?
If you are looking to get the best knife for your money you want to pay attention to a few things. For cutting meat, you want to make sure you have a sharp blade to get through the flesh smoothly without tearing the meat. You may also want a knife that can break through bones or be precise enough to filet a fish.
For cutting raw meat, chef knives are the best. A chef knife has all the features that make getting through raw meat, bones, cartilage, and skin easy. The cutting edge (the main part of the blade) is very sharp. There is also the tip and point that is ideal for getting under the skin, trimming fat, or wedging between bones and cartilage for separation.
Most of the knives shared here today will be in the chef knife family - similar types such as Gyuto, Santoku, and French knives. Also consider boning knives, cleavers, or even poultry shears. Here are the best knives for cutting raw meat. Make meal prep easier with these quality knives with great reviews and even better prices.
How to Pick out the Best Knife
Whatever your personal needs are, here are some things you will want to consider when buying any knife. To get the best one that money can buy, remember these features - these are what I took into account when deciding which are the finest knives to meet my cooking needs.
- WEIGHT - how heavy the knife you are handling may be a big deal for you - it is for me. I cook a lot and using a heavy knife can be tiring and ergonomically unsafe.
- HANDLE SIZE/SHAPE - handles are pretty universal in size but some may be too wide, small, or awkward for your hand size. My hand is the size of a 10-year-old so this really matters to me.
- DISHWASHER SAFE - to keep knives sharp and to extend the life of the instrument, many suggest only hand washing. If buying a knife that is dishwasher safe is important to you, make sure it says it's allowable. I find that when cutting raw meat I really want a knife that can go in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning and sanitizing (same for my cutting boards!)
- USES - pick a knife that will meet your household needs. If you don't eat chicken, for example, you don't need poultry shears.
Best Knives for Cutting Through Bones
These knives and shares are great when working with bone-in meat. Whether you want to remove bones from a chicken or cut through a bone to expose the marrow, these are the must-have items. Based on your needs, I recommend these cleavers, boning knives, and poultry shears. They are great quality and the best you can get for your money - check out all the amazing reviews too!!!
Aroma House Meat Cleaver 7 Inch
High-carbon German stainless steel makes this 7" meat clever strong, anti-rust, & beautiful. Great for de-boning, chopping, slicing, and all your butchering needs. It has a thin but very sharp blade great for getting between bones and through cartilage. The ergonomic handle is no-slip for safety and it is stunning to look at. Weight less than 11oz and has 6k amazing customer reviews.
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6-inch Boning Knife with Flexible Blade
If a small easy to handle boning knife is what you need, this is a great option. This is the best knife for trimming or removing meat from the bone with precision. Ideal for delicate cuts of meat and seafood. Quality stainless steel, easy to handle, & inexpensive. With 10K top reviews on Amazon you know you are getting the best boning knife for your money.
MAD SHARK Meat Cleaver, Professional 7.5 Inch
This multi-purpose butcher knife is professional grade yet has a price tag for any home kitchen. Developed by the top steel manufacturers in Japan and Germany, Mad Shark is both high-quality and easy to handle with great balance. Easy to clean, rust-proof, & gets through bones cleanly all for well under $100.
Gerior Poultry Shears
These heavy-duty kitchen scissors are great for cutting just about any meat: poultry, game, seafood, & more. The spring-loaded shears are easy to handle, cut with precision, & though small can get through smaller bones found in fish or chicken. They come apart easily for thorough cleaning and are small enough to store in any drawer, tackle box, RV, or boat. All this makes this one of the best poultry shears you can buy.
Best Chef/Gyuto/Santoku Knives
Gyuto is a Japanese knife similar to the classic chef knife. Santoku is a similar knife but tends to run shorter with less of a tip and no curve. Due to the shape of the Santoku, they are best for dicing raw chicken since they do not have a curve for the rocking motion to slice or the tip for getting between bones or starting precise slices.
Gyuto is basically the Japanese version of an American chef knife (or French knife). There is a bit of difference between the two but one thing is for sure, they are workhorses. These knives are a must-have for every home cook, culinary student, or professional chef. Both are great for handling numerous kitchen tasks, including butchering meat.
Here are my picks for the best Gyuto, Santoku, or chef knife you can buy for cutting raw meat. And check out my buying guide for the best chef's knives under $100.
WÜSTHOF Classic 8" Chef's Knife
This brand is my personal favorite. I own several of their knives, including this classic Chef Knife. Whether I am de-boning chicken thighs or getting through pork ribs, this knife is my go-to for butchering. Wusthof has several chef knife sizes including 7", 8", and 12" so you are sure to find the right one for you. I love the handle on this one and the full tang gives you control and stability. Seriously, this Wusthof chef knife is the best.
HENCKELS Classic Razor-Sharp 8-inch Chef's Knife
Under $100, this 8" chef knife is a budget-friendly pick. It is high-quality and has 4k reviews from happy customers. The multi-purpose knife is made for chopping, slicing, and dicing, & strong enough for butcher meat with bones. It weighs only 9 ounces so it is a good lightweight yet durable chef knife.
Other Great Options:
Best Electric Knife for Cutting Raw Meat
Sometimes an electric knife is what you need when working with raw meat. Though electric knives are ideal for carving roasts, turkeys, and other cooked meat, they can also be used on raw meat as well. If you need a bit of help with cutting such as those with hand limitations, arthritis (which I have) - an electric knife may be your best bet.
Here are the best electric knives that money can buy with a high customer satisfaction rating. They are all great for carving meats or slicing, dicing, and cutting raw meats.
Best Professional Butcher Knives
If you plan to butcher a lot of meat, for instance, you hunt or fish often, these professional-grade knives are for you. The everyday home cook may not need to spend this much money. These expert knives wield a lot of cutting power without being bulky, heavy, or cumbersome to use.
Global Stainless Steel 3-Piece Knife Set
This set has 7", 5", & 3.5" blades for the complete knife set any home kitchen could ever need. The professional quality has a small price tag which makes this a great starter set. These stainless steel knives will last for decades with regular sharpening and handwashing.
HENCKELS Classic Razor-Sharp 3-pc Knife Set
This set includes a 4-inch pairing, a 6-inch utility knife, and an 8-inch chef's knife. High-quality German steel manufactured in Spain. This knife set is not only great for de-boning and butchering but also great for slicing meats and seafood into filets or cutlets. Bonus, this is the best knife set that is also dishwasher safe. So easy to use and clean!
FAQ
I recommend a chef's knife.
Both the Gyuto and Santoku Japanese knives are perfect for working with, cutting, and butchering meat.
A cleaver is the best for cutting through bones, especially larger bones in pork or beef.
Yes, they are not exactly the same but both work great at the same tasks - cutting raw and cooked meats, chopping vegetables, etc.
Products in this Article
Here are the current prices and descriptions for the products shared here today. I hope you find the knife or knives you need to make life so much easier in the kitchen.
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Which knives do you love for cutting raw meat? Are any of these ones you already own and love? I own a few Henckels and Wusthof personally and cannot recommend them enough! We also love our electric knife.
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