Everyone knows a dull knife is a dangerous knife! These top 3 essential knives for kitchen prep knives are the must haves to do the work!
A good knife will be needed to trim off that dreaded silver-skin! The bane of all low and slow cooking prep work.
I mentioned the silver-skin, what is silver-skin? Silver-skin is evil, the bane of my kitchen prep! Let's reveal it below.
Quote from genuineideas.com
"Silver skin (epimysium) is a thin membrane of elastin, wrapping connective tissue such as the fascia, those bands of white fat and collagen, delineating cuts of meat. Think of silverskin as meat's girdle or spanx- helping to lift and separate muscle groups so they can easily slide past each other. Providing support and compartmentalization. The sliver skin is quite thin- on ribs, perhaps a mm or two thick. And when cooked, the elastin sheet is as tough and as indigestible as a cellophane candy wrapper."
Check out these images courtesy of genuineideas.com
How does that look cooked?
The ribs are tedious as the silver-skin is thin. A whole packer brisket will require a lot of trimming of fat and silver-skin.
Now that we have explained what silver-skin is let's move on to the knives!
The knife guide above shows a variety of knives! That's a whole bunch of knives to choose from! 11 to be exact! If this was a top ten knife guide we would just need to eliminate one! Which would be the crinkle cut knife.
Let's pick the Top 3 Must Have Knives in the Kitchen!
According to Jamie Oliver's knife guide (picture above) I would pick the boning knife as the #1 knife needed for BBQ kitchen prep work. As Jamie says it's a meat lovers musts. What do we smoke? Meat!
Here is his description of the Boning Knife:
MEAT LOVER MUSTS
BONING KNIFE
"Use a narrow-bladed boning knife to de-bone meat and fish. The sturdy, stiff blade has a sharp point that helps make precision boning in deep cuts and holes much less difficult than if you were to use a standard kitchen knife. The blade is designed to easily work around bones and muscles that are tricky to cut through."
Sounds like a perfect knife to remove that pesky silver-skin!
So what Boning Knife should you buy?
We will break this down in a good, better, best format. We will also throw in Amazon's best seller in the category and see how that stacks up.
According to Dan Hong the Merivale executive chef – behind restaurants including Mr Wong, Lotus, Queen Chow he lists Kiwi brand knives as one of the top 3 most useful objects in his life!
Check out the article from The Guardian. Here is the quote from the article:
"The Kiwi brand knife is one of the cheapest knives on the market. They’re available at any Asian grocer and they come in different sizes for no more than $10. They’ve got wooden handles and they’re super sharp and light. We use them at home and, when they go blunt, we just buy a new one. When I was a second-year apprentice we had this French-Canadian chef who’d just come back from a stage [an internship] at El Bulli – he told me about them. This was in 2002 and they were $2 each. I’d been spending hundreds of dollars on knives – so this was a revelation.
It’s so perfect for what I need to do, from julienning and simple chopping and dicing. They last quite a while, if you use them every day they stay sharp for a month. Once they go blunt, you can just buy a new one. I’ve used them all through my career. I would always have a box of them in the drawer in the office, a stash.
If you go to Thailand, all the street food vendors use them too.
It feels good to have something so cheap that works so well. It’s nothing against good knives. If you look at sushi chefs, for instance, you just can’t do your job with a Kiwi knife. It’s the same for butchering. But for simple at-home chopping jobs, it’s literally the perfect knife."
GOOD:
Thai Chef's Knife Cook Knives KIWI Brand 503 Utility Cutlery Steak Wood Handle Kitchen Sharp Blade 3 6/8" Stainless Steel
About this item
Utility Knife not a boning knife
Why Kiwi?
They are cheap and cheaper if you can find them at a local store. Used by many chefs and Thai street vendors.
BETTER:
Mercer Culinary Ultimate Curved Boning Knife, 6", White
About this item
Razor sharp, high carbon, stain-resistant Japanese steel
Hollow ground edge for easy edge maintenance and rapid sharpening
Ergonomic polypropylene handle with textured finger points for better grip, slip-resistance, and safety
Hand wash knives for blade edge and surface care
NSF certified with a Limited Lifetime Warranty
Why Mercer?
Mercer has been around for 30 years and this knife is designed for commercial kitchen use. It's cheap enough to replace but crafted well enough to last. You may see my white boning knife pop up in a few cooks.
Now let's talk about the knife on my bucket list:
BEST:
Wusthof Classic Flexible Boning Knife, 6-Inch
About this item
Forged, full tang knife
Ergonomic handle
Finger guard for safety
Seamless synthetic black handle
Flexible blade
Why Wüsthof?
Family owned for seven generations, Wüsthof was founded in Solingen, Germany over 200 years ago. To this day, every Wüsthof knife is still expertly crafted in this legendary city. These guys have 170 years of experience on Mercer and are regarded as one of the top brands! They really are on the cutting edge.
The BEST Selling Boning knife ranked #1 on Amazon?
imarku Boning Knife, 6-Inch Fillet Knife with Razor Sharp High Carbon Stainless Steel and Pakkawood Handle for Meat and Poultry
About this item
Sharp narrow blade - iMarku Boning Knife is made of high-carbon German stainless steal to provide maximum sharpness, edge retention and corrosion resistance. Properly balanced to allow precise close-to-bone slicing
Outstanding performance - Ultra-sharp German super steel at 56±2 Rockwell hardness for extraordinary performance and long-lasting sharpness. The exceptionally strong and durable blade ensures efficient de-boning, preparing, filleting, skinning, trimming and butterflying
Ergonomic pakka handle - The ergonomically designed and polished Pakkawood handle is durable, non-slip, easy to clean, comfortable, and very beautiful. Provides max control of movements with minimum effort
Hand washing recommended - Rinse and clean the knife thoroughly with a soft cloth. Dishwashing is not recommended as it may damage the precise- cutting edge
Lifetime guarantee - Buy with confidence knowing this knife is covered with a 100% SATISFACTION MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. Try it risk free. No questions asked full refunds. We know you’ll love it
Why imarku
Imarku is a professional kitchen knife brand on the block manufacturing all kinds of knives and kitchen tools.We place an emphasis on quality craftsmanship, aesthetics and detail.
Imarku fastidiously crafted kitchen knives have been proudly produced for excellent performance,taking over 45 days from start to finish.The high-quality kitchen knives series are manufactured from high-carbon 7cr17mov stainless steel ,German steel with stunning beautiful yet comfortable pakkawood handle.All crafted kitchen knives are designed for professionals who include chefs, culinary experts, food caterers as well as an ordinary person,our aim is to enhance the experience of your culinary creation and have them becomes your best kitchen companion.
Which style knife ranks #2 on my essential list of must have kitchen knives for prep work?
CHEF’S KNIFE
Jamie's description:
"A decent 8 to 10-inch chef’s knife is an absolute must-have. The blade is rounded towards the tip, making it perfect for rock chopping (see below for technique) and is straight at its edge, making it ideal for tap chopping (see below). Use for dishes that require a good bit of veg prep, like this super-comforting chicken & squash cacciatore."
GOOD:
Kiwi Brand Stainless Steel 8 inch Thai Chef's Knife No. 21
About this item
cooks knife
inexpensively made
BETTER:
Mercer Culinary White Chef's Knife, 10 Inch, Ultimate
About this item
Razor sharp, high carbon, stain-free Japanese steel
Easy edge maintenance and rapid sharpening
Ergonomic polypropylene handle with textured finger points for better grip, slip-resistance, and safety
Hollow ground edge
NSF certified with a Limited Lifetime Warranty
#3 For Best Seller on Amazon
BEST:
The Bucket List Item:
WÜSTHOF Classic 8 Inch Chef’s Knife,Black,8-Inch
About this item
KITCHEN WORKHORSE – The WÜSTHOF 8” Classic Chef’s Knife is essential for preparing any meal. This all-purpose cook’s knife can be used for chopping, mincing, slicing and dicing
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC SERIES – The full Tang, Triple Riveted handles of the classic line offer the widest range of cutlery that can satisfy every home cook or professional chef. The WÜSTHOF classic series has been our best-selling series for generations
CHEF’S KNIFE – Features an 8” long blade, 4.5” long handle and weighs 8.5 ounce Full Bolster and Finger Guard, German Made Cook’s Knife. Ergonomic handle design made from a long-lasting synthetic material to resist fading and discoloration
PRECISION FORGED – The 8” Chef’s Knife is forged from a single block of high carbon stainless steel and tempered to 58-degree HRC. The Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) yields a blade that is 20% sharper with twice the edge retention than previous models
CENTURIES OF TRADITION – Family owned for seven generations, WÜSTHOF was founded in Solingen, Germany over 200 years ago. WÜSTHOF’s cutlery carries the Solingen name, a designation reserved for products that meet the strictest quality standards
The BEST Selling chefs knife ranked #1 on Amazon?
It's actually a knife set MICHELANGELO Kitchen Knife Set 10 Piece so we will skip to the #2 Best Seller on Amazon:
Victorinox Fibrox Pro Knife, 8-Inch Chef's FFP, 8 Inch, Black
About this item
For home chefs & professionals. This Fibro Pro chef's knife has been the top choice of both home chefs and professionals alike. Expertly crafted with a tapered stainless steel edge that cuts with ease and efficiency.
Fit for all tasks. Designed to handle kitchen tasks both big and small, This durable knife's razor sharp and laser-tested blade effortlessly chops, minces, slices and dices. An essential for every kitchen.
Easy handling. Each knife features an ergonomic handle made from thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) for a non-slip grip - even when wet. This exceptional knife is weighted and balanced for easy handling.
Knife Dimensions. Blade made out of stainless steel material - 7. 9 inches in length. Made with dishwasher safe materials for an easy clean.
Trusted Swiss quality. Expertly crafted in Switzerland in 1884, Victorinox provides a lifetime against defects in material and workmanship. Making a Lifetime commitment has never been so easy.
Included Components: Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef'S Knife, Ffp
Why Victorinox?
The professional line of knives by Victorinox is prized by home cooks and professional chefs alike for its comfortable, non-slip, ergonomic handle and for the optimal weight and balance its extra wide blade delivers. With a razor-sharp edge that rarely requires sharpening, this knife promises both ease and efficiency when slicing cooked and grilled meat or larger foods.
Number #3 knife style on the essential kitchen prep list?
SMALL PARING KNIFE
Jamie's description of the Paring knife aka a Petty knife:
"A small paring knife is a great all-rounder. Its smooth, sharp blade is ideal for chopping and slicing smaller veg, precision work and tasks such as slicing herbs and hulling strawberries. Use for prepping apples for a blackberry & apple pie, peeling veg, or scraping seeds out of vanilla pods to make delicious homemade custard."
GOOD:
KIWI 4" Sharp Pairing Knife, with wood Handle # 503
About this item
Kiwi brand sharp pairing knife # 503
BETTER:
Mercer Culinary M18170 Paring Knife, 3", White
About this item
Razor sharp, high carbon, stain-resistant Japanese steel
Hollow ground edge for easy edge maintenance and rapid sharpening
Ergonomic polypropylene handle with textured finger points for better grip, slip-resistance, and safety
Hand wash knives for blade edge and surface care
NSF certified with a Limited Lifetime Warranty
Bucket List Knife!
BEST:
Wusthof CLASSIC Paring Knife, Black, Stainless Steel
About this item
Precision forged from a single blank of High Carbon Stainless Steel Tempered to 58⁰ Rockwell
Full bolster and finger guard Full tang that is triple riveted to the handle for precise control
Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) yields a blade that is 20% sharper with twice the edge retention
Comfortable and highly-durable polyoxymethylene (POM) handle with a traditional look and feel stickered with our red Trident logo The most versatile of all parers for mincing shallots onions and herbs as well as cleaning and cutting vegetables
Quality- Made in Solingen Germany
The BEST Selling Paring knife ranked #1 on Amazon?
Victorinox 6.7733, Black 4 Inch Swiss Classic Paring Knife with Serrated Edge, Round tip , 4"
About this item
Multipurpose serrated paring knife designed for everything from garnishing, mincing, or peeling, to slicing or dicing
The ergonomically designed, contoured Swiss Classic handle is inspired by our patented Fibrox Pro line and provides a sure grip and easy handling, even when wet
Featuring a short blade for enhanced accuracy and precision, this paring knife is optimally built for jobs where control is essential
Serrated edge allows you to easily slice through delicate, soft-skinned fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes or kiwis, without squashing tender interiors
Expertly crafted in Switzerland since 1884; designed for professionals who use knives all day, every day; lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
So which knife brand is best for your kitchen? That depends on your budget. I've owned a few Swiss Army knives over the years so I can attest to the quality of Victorinox. I also own one of their backpacks that has taken a beating on airplanes and camping trips. I can't speak on the knife itself but the brand does have recognition. They do rank highly on Amazon's best sellers in several catagories.
Mercer is a good commercial quality knife and the handle is designed to be food safe. The Kiwi brand has wood handles. Both are relatively inexpensive and can be replaced. Wusthof is a top quality brand that will last a long time and the old saying goes "buy cheap, buy twice". So by the time you replace the cheaper ones over time they will add up in costs.
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