The Wholesale Butchers Guide: Meat Knives

 On our previously instalments of the wholesale butchers guide, we have touched on delicious wholesale beef, pork and lamb. However, we never touched on how the wholesale meat is actually cut and prepared. As such, we have decided to look at various meat knives used by butchers up and down the country. As a well established wholesale meat supplier, we have learned a thing or two about top quality meat knives. 

We have decided to look at their style, what they are actually used for and touch upon their overall quality. So let’s look at some of the most frequently used meat knives in the meat wholesale industry. 

French Chef’s 

A French Chef’s knife (sometimes simply called the chef knife) which can drastically change in length depending on the model you have but always has quite a wide blade. The knife is designed in such a way that the knife should rock on your cutting board.  The French Chef’s was originally designed to slice decidedly large pieces of succulent meat. Although in most modern kitchens, the knife is simply used as a utility knife, or it is primarily used as a food preparation tool. 

Boning Knife 

A boning knife is aesthetically different from many other meat knives. However, it is still one of the most important knives in any wholesale butchers arsenal. Boning knives carry a long thin blade with a pointy sharp end making it easier and safer to pierce meat effectively.  

The blade is designed in such a way that it is extremely efficient at removing connective tissue and ligaments from the bone allowing you to have a clean and smooth piece of great quality meat. The boning knife must remain very sharp because of its practical purposes and the tougher the blade, the longer the knife will remain sharp. 

Filleting Knife

Sometimes confused with the boning knife; the filleting knife serves many of the same purposes as the boning knife. The skewer is primarily used to sever meat away from the bone. Some of the only differences being that a fillet knife is usually used to cut fishes and that the blade is supposed to be more flexible when it comes to adjusting the blade. 

The Cleaver 

One of, if not the most, recognisable knives in the wholesale butcher’s arsenal, the cleaver serves many purposes. Invented in the 17th century, there are few knives as strong or as intimidating as the cleaver. The axe-like knife is normally made of iron or carbon steel and is extremely effective at cutting through tough pieces of meat wholesale and even bone. 

The Carving Knife

Typically found in many kitchens, the carving knife is a must in most kitchens. As you might have guessed from the name, the carving knife is used to carve off thin elegant pieces of meat. The knife works exceptionally well on meats such as beef, lamb and pork. 

Carving Fork

Not to be confused with a butcher’s eating utensil, a meat or butcher’s fork might not have the most glamorous job but it is definitely one of the most important. The butcher’s fork is used to hold the meat securely at a safe distance allowing the butcher to carve off any portion of meat they might need. 

The Slicing Blade 

Very similar to the carving knife, the slicing blade is used to carve off portions of meat. The blade is usually more flexible and sometimes thinner however. This allows for more ease when it comes to carving  harder to cut items such as fruits and vegetables. 

The Scimitar 

The scimitar knife might not be the most recognisable when it comes to butcher’s knives. There is little doubt this knife has one of the unique and special purposes. The scimitar expertise lies in being able to skin large pieces of tough meat. Accompanying this is the fact that the meat never gets stuck to the blade. 

The Butcher’s Knife  

We finish with arguably the most famous of all the meat knives; this is of course the industry butcher’s knife. What is there to be said about this famous knife that has not already been said. 

The butcher is arguably most famous because it is the ideal all rounder. Although its primary uses include the butchering and dressing of animal carcasses, the knife can be used for multiple other purposes. If you are cutting your meat into retail sized portions or even into more comprehensive portions, the chances are the butcher knife will be for you. There is little wonder why it is such an industry leader; especially in the meat wholesale industry. 

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If you would like to hear more information about the wholesale meat industry; please stay up to date with our blog. Additionally, if you have any questions regarding a meat purchase, please contact us. We are a highly recommended wholesale butchers in Staffordshire who offer exceptional levels of customer service.