Knives are one of most essential tools in any cook’s arsenal. When it comes to cutting raw meat, you want a strong, sturdy, and reliable knife. Depending on the raw meat, you could be doing aspects of butchering, boning, trimming and slicing. If you’re more frequently doing a specific task, such as boning or butchering, it’s a worthwhile investment to get the specialist knife for that purpose.
However, a chef’s knife will be the best all-in-one knife that will be able to do it all effectively for the everyday chef. That’s why the chef’s knife is the overall best knife for cutting raw meat.
Best Knife For Cutting Raw Meat
Features:
Knife Length: 7.9 Inches
Blade Material: Swiss Made Stainless Steel
Overall: Best Knife for Cutting Raw Meat
What Matters The Most:
- The Victorinox Fibrox Pro may not be as well balanced as German designs, or as sharp as quality Japanese steel, but it performs 90% as well at 30% of the price.
- The quality speaks for itself in customer reviews. There are currently over 3800 reviews on Amazon, averaging a 4.8/5.
- Easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
- The handle is firm, which adds power, but also ergonomically designed to stop hand and wrist straining.
Concerns:
- Although it’s a greatly sharp knife, it does require sharpening more often.
- It doesn’t come with a sheath. Because the steel is more prone to becoming blunt a sheath would have helped protect the sharpness when in storage.
Overall
This wins overall as the best knife for cutting raw meat. A sharp and quality chef’s knife, and at a surprising affordable price. This will be able to easily perform all the tasks in preparing raw meat, and as long as you have a knife sharpener, this will be a long-lasting quality investment.
Features:
Knife Length: 8 Inches
Blade Material: Japanese, 67 Layered High Carbon Stainless Steel
Overall: Best For Sharpness
What Matters The Most:
- If you’re a seasoned chef looking for a quality knife that will keep its top quality sharpness for a long time then this is it.
- Incredibly sharp, from first use to its 100th.
- High quality hybrid steel blades require sharpening less often than other stainless steel knives.
- The design of the blade and sharpness make it easy and comfortable, requiring less effort to cut, chop and trim meat.
- Sleek design of the handle, and the blade patterns really add character to the knife.
Concerns:
- This knife is more suited for experienced or seasoned cooks. Because the blade is razor sharp and designed for ease of use it doesn’t have a full protective bolster (the junction between the handle and knife blade). However, those who are confident with a knife will get the most out of the sharpness and design
Overall
Zelite have backed themselves on quality with their 100% money back lifetime warranty. If you’re an experienced home cook or chef this knife will be a sharp and long lasting tool to use time and time again. It’s sharpness and sleek design really allow it to cut meat with ease, and in style.
Features:
Knife Length: 8 Inches
Blade Material: Forged High Carbon & German Steel
Overall: Best Value For Money
What Matters The Most:
- The high carbon & German steel blade is heavy and robust, but is surprisingly flexible which makes it easier for tasks such as boning or trimming meat.
- Great quality knife for experienced chefs, and beginners also as it’s got the extra finger protection on the bolster, and also more control than some of the lighter options.
- Very affordable considering the quality and performance of the knife, which is why it’s awarded the best value for money when looking at high quality everyday knives.
Concerns:
- The protective bolster sticks below the cutting edge of the knife by a small margin. This means you can’t cut at the base of the heel as easily.
It’s a bit more hefty than some other knives, making it less comfortable to use for longer periods of time.
Overall
If you’re looking for great quality without having to spend extra the Dalstrong chef’s knife is the ideal pick. Incredibly strong, but surprising flexible making it a great choice for whatever meat you are preparing. It’s the best value for money for anyone looking for a quality everyday knife.
Features:
Knife Length: 8 Inches
Blade Material: High Carbon Stainless Steel
Overall: Best Well-Balanced & Durable Knife
What Matters The Most:
- Very well balanced and weighted knife, makes it easier for heavy duty work, but also the precision for boning and trimming.
- Extremely durable, some reviewers have reported to have been using their Wusthof knives for 22+ years without any problems (but still requires sharpening). I’ve owned a Wusthof 6 inch since 2015 and still use it to this day without any faults.
- Professional chef quality, brought to your home kitchen. It can’t be faulted on performance, and has the full protection of the finger bolster for even beginner chefs to start off their journey strong.
Concerns:
- It’s extremely hard to fault the design, make, and performance of this chef’s knife. It’s more expensive, but if you want quality this is it.
- The polypropylene handle can be prone to crack if used heavily and put under hard conditions, but this is being quite critical.
Overall
This a very high quality, robust, durable, and well versed knife. If you don’t mind spending extra for quality, this will outperform other knives for years. In terms of preparing raw meats, this will perform when boning, butchering and trimming, almost at the same standard as the specialist knives. I’ve personally used a Wusthof 6” for over five years, sharpen it once a month and have never had any faults.
Features:
Knife Length: 8 Inches
Blade Material: German High Carbon Stainless Steel
Overall: Best For Easy Use & Convenience
What Matters The Most:
- A quality knife that comes with a extra’s to make it easy to use and maintain. It’s handy having a knife sharpener to keep it sharp, a sheath to keep it long lasting, and a finger guard for added safety for beginners.
- This would be a great gift for aspiring chefs as it comes with a gift box and everything needed to maintain the quality.
- Affordable option that’s basic and easy to use.
Concerns:
- Sharp to begin with, but becomes duller more often. Requires more frequent sharpening to keep it’s edge.
- Certainly does the job, but doesn’t boast any top quality features.
Overall
Great affordable beginner’s chef knife. Certainly will do a great job of slicing, trimming, and preparing, but doesn’t have the durability, strength, and sharpness of higher quality knives.
What Is The Best Knife For Cutting Raw Meat: Specialised Knives
Boning Knife
A boning knife has thinner, sharper, and more flexible blades which are designed to remove, and cut around the bones and skin when preparing meats. This makes it the best knife for trimming brisket with. They are also especially useful when preparing a rack of ribs, deboning steak cuts, or removing skin from fish. If you find yourself boning meats often, it may be a wise investment to get the specialist knife.
The 6 Inch Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Flexible Boning Knife has over 2700+ ratings, boasts superior balance, and is made from high carbon forged steel from Germany. All at an affordable price.
If you prefer Japanese steel, check out our guide to the best Japanese knives for filleting fish.
Butcher Knife
A butcher’s knife is designed to break down large pieces of meat into smaller pieces. For example use on breaking down a whole pork tenderloin or full chicken.
The Ontario Old Hickory Butcher Knife is a basic, but reliable tool to do this job. Although you do need to take care and wash it by hand, it will be the best tool to constantly butcher larger meats down.
A butcher’s knife is also the best knife for cutting frozen meat, or partially defrosted meats.
Meat Cleaver
The meat cleaver is a specialist knife most commonly used for cutting through thick chunks or meat. It’s great at splitting up pieces of soft bones, and breaking down larger cuts into their respective smaller cuts. It can also be used to cut through tougher vegetables with ease such as pumpkin, or squash.
The Imarku Cleaver has over 3500 ratings on amazon, and is a strong and durable option. Again, it’s very affordable for its purpose, and made with top quality Germany steel. Sharp and strong. If you are dealing with large pieces of meat frequently, it’s critical to utilise a cleaver like this. You will be able to chop up meat with ease.
If you’re looking for a meat clever, check out this full guide to the best meat cleavers.
