The Best Knife for Cutting Meat

When it comes to cutting meat, the quality of your knife makes all the difference.

A great knife makes the process efficient and safe, allowing you to quickly slice through even the toughest cuts regardless of the type of meat.

Different knives also have different purposes. You use a paring knife for fruits, and a utility knife for veggies. The best knife for cutting meat, though, is strong, sharp, easy to handle, and lightweight. Several blade types meet these requirements, including carving knives, bone knives, chef knives, and slicing knives.

Beef, turkey, veal, venison, chicken, and lamb are all fair game if you have the right knife. What’s the best knife for cutting meat, then?

In a hurry? Check Our Top 5 Picks

1. Best Overall: Victorinox Swiss Army – 47645 Fibrox Pro Slicing Knife
2. Best Professional: Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro Straight Butcher Knife
3. Best Carving: Mercer Culinary Genesis 10-Inch Carving Knife
4. Best Value: Victorinox Swiss Army 6-Inch Flexible Boning Knife
5. Best Lightweight: DALSTRONG Butcher’s Breaking Cimitar Knife

What Kind of Knife Is Good for Cutting Meat?

Home cooks mostly use carving and slicing knives to cut meat, but professional chefs often have a complete set with two or more. The following list includes the different types of knives used for cutting meat, as well as their shapes, common uses, and ideal length.

Butcher Knife

The traditional butcher’s knife features a large blade with a prominent belly, and it usually comes with a clip point. Size varies, but the ideal length is 9 inches long. It is used to butcher and dress animal carcasses to turn them into edible meat cuts. Additionally, the hefty blade is perfect if you need to split, strip, and cut venison.

Slicing Knife

Slicing knives have long and flexible blades sporting a narrow cross-section to cut large meat, like large roasts, prime rib, turkey, brisket, and whole poultry or salmon. These knives are similar to carving knives, but slicers are usually lengthier and narrower. You may find them with plain or serrated cutting edges, and Granton Edges. The ideal blade size is between 12 to 14 inches.

Boning Knife

Boning knives usually feature blades of 5 and 7 inches, which are generally flat and have a straight but slightly curved sharpened point. Furthermore, the blade can be stiff or flexible. Flexible boning knives are ideal for cutting around the joints of chicken, turkey, beef, lamb and duck to remove the bones. Stiff boning knives are better for trimming harder game, such as pork or deer.

Carving Knife

Carving knives feature narrow and thin blades that end on a pointy tip. This particular blade shape ensures that the knife faces less resistance while performing a back-and-forth cutting motion. The length of the blade is usually between 8 to 15 inches, and the purpose of the knife is to slice thinner layers. It’s primarily for prepping poultry, roasts, hams, and other meats of similar size.

Cleaver

Meat cleavers are unique and one of the most recognizable kitchen knives. They have a large, thick, rectangular blade. The cleaver blade usually measures 6 inches long for home use, but larger models are available for professional use. It has a sharped and convex edge for cutting large meat pieces, splitting ribs, and chopping through cartilage in a single blow.

Flank and Shoulder Knife

Featuring longer blades, this knife is a boning knife variation primarily used to cut flank steaks. The blades are straight and stiff, allowing the knife to create precise cuts whether you want to pierce or debone beef and pork.

Cimeter

This knife is large and features long, curved blades. The curvature is highly prominent in the blade, allowing it to slice with great precision. You can find cimeters with 8 to 14 inches blades and with or without Granton Edge. Ideal uses for this type of knife include poultry, roast, and ham into small cuts, as normally seen in steaks. It also works perfectly for trimming large fat pieces.

Breaking Knife

A breaking knife is primarily for breaking down carcasses. It features a long and curved blade that measures between 8 and 10 inches, perfect for cutting through small bones, hard skin, and cartilages. Usually, you would use this type of knife to prep the carcass before moving on to the butcher knife. 

Chef’s Knife

The ideal chef’s knife has an 8-inch blade with a curved belly, perfect for a variety of tasks in the kitchen. You can use it to slice and dice vegetables, cut poultry, and peel fruits. 

Steak Knife

Steak knives usually have blades measuring between 4.5 and 5.25 inches long. This blade style has a sharp point and may feature serrated, straight, or hollow edges. Serrated steak knives are for cutting thick brisket or fat ribs and bones that a chef’s knife can’t cut. Straight steak knives are for making cleaner cuts, and hollow steak knives slice through without food sticking over them.

Utility Knife

The shape of utility knives is similar to chef’s knives, but they’re smaller and slimmer. They have different blade sizes varying between 4 and 7 inches in length. This type of knife is ideal for slicing tender meat pieces, like chicken, fish, salami, and sausages.

Gyuto Knife

Gyuto knives are Japanese knives with blades featuring a slope from the blade’s heel up to the tip. The size varies between 8 and 10 inches. Short blades are nimble, middle-sized blades are good for general use, and the longer blades are ideal for more slicing power. You can use it to chop vegetables and push-cutting thicker rib, pork, and poultry pieces.

Fillet Knife

Fillet knives are similar to flexible boning knives, featuring blade sizes from 6 to 11 inches in length. The primary use of this knife is for filleting and preparing fish. It offers the flexibility to maneuver the blade over the backbone and under the fish’s skin to remove the bones seamlessly.

What is the Best Knife for Cutting Meat? – Reviews

1. Victorinox 12 Inch Slicing Knife – Our First Option

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With over 130 years of experience, Swiss company Victorinox is known for their quality blades. This carving knife is no exception, having received glowing reviews on America’s Test Kitchen and becoming a frequently-used favorite there.

Featuring a European steel blade, this carving knife provides great slicing performance for all kinds of meat. It can cut flank steak, smoked tri-tip, prime rib roasts, brisket, Thanksgiving turkey, strip loins, and so much more!

One of the most useful features of this knife is its Granton Blade, designed to minimize friction and make cutting meat easier. With this specialized blade, you’ll have a much easier time trimming fat from meat and removing gristle.

While this knife is heavier than Victorinox’s past offerings, this extra weight provides the product with more stability, allowing you to slice meat easier. Not just that, this product is extremely sharp right out of the box which means you can use it immediately after you get it!

One of the only drawbacks of having a 12-inch long blade is that it might be challenging to store safely due to its length. To ensure this product is properly protected, we suggest using a long knife guard.

If you’re looking for a carving knife to be a mainstay in your kitchen with superior performance, the Victorinox Fibrox Pro should be on the top of your list!

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• Non-slip fibrox handle that fits all hand sizes comfortably. 
• Lifetime guarantee from Victorinox, protecting against material defects.
• This product meets public health standards set by the NSF.

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2. Mercer Culinary Genesis 10-Inch Carving Knife

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This carving knife is best for slicing and carving your Thanksgiving turkey, ham, skinning salmon, mincing veggies, and large roasts. ​It has a precision forged single-piece construction made of high carbon stainless German cutlery steel. In fact, it resists corrosion, rust, and discoloration. Moreover, it has a sturdy structure that enhances its strength and durability.

In addition, it has a taper ground edge which provides for easier honing, greater stability, and long-lasting sharpness. All of these lead to more accurate chopping and precise cutting.

Furthermore, the knife has a patented ergonomic Santoprene handle that offers you a comfortable nonslip grip, even under wet conditions. This improves the safety and efficiency in your kitchen. And, the handle is approved by the National Sanitary Foundation (NSF).

The Mercer Culinary Genesis carving knife has a sturdy design and will not be affected by exposure to kitchen oils, or hot and cold temperatures. Also, it has a substantial bolster which strengthens it, making it more durable. The tang provides an impressive balance allowing you to handle it with ease. It is easy to clean and for the best results wash it by hand with soapy water.

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• Sturdy construction
• Slip-resistant Santoprene handle
• Holds the edge for long
• Great balance
• Limited lifetime warranty

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3. Victorinox Swiss Army Boning Knife

Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated

The knife has a unique “S” shaped edge that offers you exceptional control. This feature, combined with its enhanced flexibility and thin blade, makes it perfect for separating fish, poultry, or meat from the bone.

Read our boning knives buying guide before purchasing one!

In addition, it’s one of the top-rated slicing knives; you can actually use it to slice through cartilage and joints. It is also suitable for removing skin from the meat.

Moreover, its high carbon stainless steel blade is expertly structured to create an exacting angle that maximizes its sharpness. In fact, it is noted for its maneuverability, dexterity, and precision, because of its flexible blade and razor-sharp edge.

Furthermore, the patented Fibrox Pro handle provides a superior grip and is designed to minimize tension in your wrists as you work. In fact, the non-slip ergonomic handle provides an exceptional grip irrespective of the size of your hand. Also, it does not matter where you grip the handle, you stay in control. To cap it, the handle is approved by the National Sanitary Foundation (NSF).

The knife is designed for use by professionals who work with knives throughout the day. In fact, this knife has been highly recommended by one of the leading gourmet magazines that feature reputable reviews and ratings of kitchen and cookware equipment.

Most noteworthy, it has been expertly crafted by a leading Swiss knife house since 1884. Furthermore, it comes with a lifetime warranty against workmanship and material defects.

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• Cuts through bone and meat with ease
• Holds sharpness for long
• Sturdy construction
• Easy to clean

4. DALSTRONG Boning Knife – German HC Steel

It is made of a single piece, wear-resistant, ultra-sharp, and precision-forged high carbon stainless German cutlery steel. The knife is specially designed for skinning, trimming, filleting, deboning, and butterflying your meats. In fact, it is ideal for beef, and wild game.

The blade shape allows you to easily maneuver around joints and bones. What’s more, it has a narrow blade that is designed to glide along the contours of the bone and effortlessly separate the meat. You can use the tapered tip to work on hard to reach areas.

The edge is expertly handcrafted to 16-18 degrees per side. This means it maintains an excellent balance between maximum resilience and blade sharpness. It has a sturdy and polished design which is skillfully tapered for enhanced flexibility, improved hardness, and marginal slicing resistance.

The knife features a triple-riveted black pakkawood handle which offers you a comfortable and secure grip. It also provides for impressive flexibility and maneuverability. In addition, it is laminated and polished giving it a sanitary design.

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• Comfortable and secure grip
• Exceptional quality
• Holds edge for long
• Value for your money
• Razor sharp

5. Mercer Culinary 11-Inch Slicing Knife

This is one of the best quality knives for cutting meat. In fact, it’s great for BBQ.

This 11-Inch knife has a single piece of precision-forged design. It is made of high carbon stainless German cutlery steel. This means you wouldn’t have to worry about corrosion, rust, and discoloration. It has a taper ground edge which provides for easier honing, greater balance, and long-lasting sharpness. This makes the knife more precise when you use it for cutting vegetables.

Its short bolster exposes the full blade edge. This makes it ideal for cutting large chunks of meat. This is because the long blade allows you to cut larger chunks of meat. It also allows for easier sharpening.

The knife has an ergonomic, triple-riveted and patented Delrin handle design which provides exceptional balance. In fact, the full tang runs across the entire length of the handle, giving it great balance. Its rounded spine gives you a comfortable and secure grip. The Delrin handle will not break down due to exposure to kitchen oils, or hot and cold temperatures.

This feature, combined with the sturdy design, makes the knife stronger and adds to its durability. It also provides an impressive balance when cutting beef. This improves the safety and efficiency of your kitchen. The handle is approved by the National Sanitary Foundation (NSF).

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• Impressive balance
• Holds an edge for long
• Great for slicing thin portion of meat

6. J. A Henckels International 5.5″ Knife

J. A Henckels International Classic 5.5- Inch Stainless Steel Boning Knife has the heft and shape of the classic chef’s knife. It is made to serve a variety of purposes in the kitchen but what it does best is removing bones from white meat.

This Knife is a forged blade constructed of stainless steel. This knife can slice your meat for as long as possible. Maintaining it is also easy because the steel doesn’t stain easily. The knife comes with a full tang, three rivet and black plastic handle that is extremely comfortable to handle. Carved with the aid of modern technology, this knife is here to give you another experience breaking the normal slicing knife style.

In a nutshell, the small knife has a strong blade, straight edge for cutting plus an incredibly sturdy tip and is great to consider when looking for a knife for cutting meat.

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• The knife can peel and cut fruits and vegetables respectively
• The knife is a forged original
• It is extremely safe to use
• The blade is stainless steel
• The grip is ergonomic

7. 14-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife

The 14-Inch Granton Edge Turkey, Salmon, Ham Slicer, Meat Slicing Knife has all the qualities a great cook looks for in a knife. You can rely on this knife because it’s crafted from ICEL, a well-known brand. This knife is environmentally friendly and safe.

The 14-Inch blade features a rounded tip for safety. You will also get to enjoy long and fine slicing. Constructed from high-quality carbon, the knife guarantees you durability. The blade is also stainless and requires minimal maintenance.

If you are looking for a turkey carver knife, this is the one. The blade is stamped. It has a conical ground giving it a wider breaking point. Ice tempered blades for maximum durability. On top of that, you don’t even need to sharpen this one often.

Let’s look at some of the other key features:

• It is great for commercial and home cooks
• The knife has a comfortable grip
• Sustainable sharpness
• High-quality knife for cutting meat

8. Victorinox Cutlery 12-Inch Knife

The Victorinox Cutlery 12-Inch Straight Butcher Knife is from a brand that for many years has ruled in the cutlery production sector and the swiss army. It is reputable and just like it, and the knives are loved across international borders.

Also whenever you see a deletion show of a professional cook, the Victorinox cutlery is always behind the delicious scenes. The butcher knife is 12 inches in size. It is also tough enough to handle 24/7 butchering job with so much ease. You can also use it to cut roasted meat and slice down big chunks of meat.

Similarly, the high-quality carbon and stainless steel blade will offer you maximum sharpness. The edges are retainable because you can ice tamper to maintain sharpness. On the same note, the knife is a stamped knife meaning it is light and sharpening is easy. Maintaining the knife is easy because you only need to hand wash it. This is the best knife to cut beef.

Let’s look at some other key features:

• It has all the basic features of a good knife
• Has comfortable and safe handles
• The blade is incomparably sharp
• The knife is slip resistant
• The blade is NSF-certified
• Lifetime guarantee from Victorinox for protecting against material defects

Related Products: Best Electric Knife to Cut Frozen Meat

9. TUO Cutlery Brisket Carving Knife

Zelite Infinity isn’t the only Japanese knife company. TUO makes excellent knives as well. When it comes to meat slicing knives, this is one of the best. In fact, it has an anti-stick hollow ground blade which is great for cutting meats and veggies.

This award-winning knife has a modern design and an ergonomic Pakkawood Handle. Moreover, its Japanese steel blade has an optimal angle design with a 15 degree per side cutting edge.

It features an ergonomic Pakkawood handle with a unique design that gives you a comfortable and secure grip. The unique handle shape also minimizes wrist tension and fatigue when you have to use the knife for a long period. The full tang design enhances its balance, strength, and durability.

The unique handle design and blade of the TUO Cutlery Carving Knife give you exceptional control, making slicing meats very easy. To sum it up, this Japanese product is an excellent knife for cutting meat and will provide you with an impressive performance. You will also find it easy to maintain.

Related products: Best Bread Slicer for Sourdough

Some other key features:

• Ergonomic Pakkawood handle
• Great balance
• Unique design
• Razor sharp

10. 12 Inch Granton Edge Ham Slicer Knife

I love how modern technology has transformed everything in our lives today. That is why I couldn’t miss having one knife on this list that has the touch of modernity. ICEL is a company that produces incomparable products that have everything you as a professional cook looks for in your kitchen accessories.

The knife, most commonly used to make thin slices, can slice through ham, turkey, prime rib, chicken breast, or smoked brisket without any resistance. The high-carbon stainless steel blade is 12 inches in length, and its tip is rounded to ensure safe use.

On the same note, the long blade will allow you to finely slice your meats, perfect for beef jerky. The cutting surface is amazingly sharp. You just won’t believe how fast you can dice with it.

The stamped blade is crafted from cold and rolled steel which is stain and rust free making the blade perfect for both home cooks’ and professional chefs’ use. And it has a lifetime warranty against any manufacturer defects.

Some other key features:

• It is a high-quality blade – x50CrMoV15 steel is used.
• Designed for safe use
• Performs excellently
• It is NSF-certified
• The blade is sharp
• Can be hand washed

Why Do I Need a Meat Cutting Knife?

So why is it so important to have a good quality kitchen knife to cut meat?

Because cutting raw meat ain’t easy. It never goes smoothly. Well, that’s what I used to think because of my wrong selection of butcher knives. Silly me.

Butchering, trimming, and prepping, that’s a whole ton of work. Having the perfect knife will make a huge difference. It makes the work simple and neat. As a professional, a fantastic knife will help you come out with masterpiece meals.

Read Also: Butcher Knife vs Cleaver

The ideal meat cutting knife will depend on whether you are cutting raw meats or slicing cooked meats. So make sure you have the right type of knife for the right job. For example, the meat carving knives and the meat slicing knives are the best options suited for cutting cooked meat. A utility knife will do in a pinch, but you don’t want to use a bread knife.

The best knife for trimming raw meat will depend on the type of raw meat you want to prepare. The boning knife is for removing fish, chicken, or meat from the bone. This is one of the best butcher knives.

The cimeter knife is great for cutting, trimming, and slicing meat of any size. The meat cleaver is excellent for cutting beef bones.

Let me make this short and simple. What do we all want in a quality knife set?

The ability to chop down cuts of meat into the right size. The hardest part is in finding the best knives.

I did the dirty work of sorting, testing, and comparing for you. Took me quite a while to test different types of knives for cutting meat.

What’s the Best Knife for Cutting Meat That’s Tough?

The title of the best meat cutting knife would most probably go to The Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef knife. Sturdy handle, laser tested and tapered handle and precise angle of the blade make it one of my top picks for cutting meat.

That’s not just my sentiment, this knife is also a lot of other chefs’ choice. I’m not just talking about the blade quality, the handle of the Fibrox pro gives excellent grip and control. Ideal for professional chefs and home cooks.

What Kind of Knife Should I Use to Cut Raw Meat?

There is a difference between cutting cooked meat and raw meat. You could get away with just having one type of cutting knife, but for the best kitchen experience, you will need only the best knife for cutting raw meat. Pick a sharp knife. Size and length depend on your style of slicing. Get a finger guard just in case you cut too close to your fingers.

Type of meat will also play a vital role in your hunt for choosing a knife. I could go on and on about this topic, but to make it short, go for the traditional butcher knife. Even a cimeter will get the job done if it’s sharp enough. For smaller cuts, a utility knife will do.

What’s the Proper Way to Cut Meat With a Knife and Fork?

Good food, fine dining, and dinner parties. There’s nothing better than that. Although there are different ways to cut meat with knives and forks, I’ll just briefly mention the American way. Hold the knife with your right hand and place your finger on the top part of the knife. Put the fork on top of the meat and start slicing.

Now here is where things get interesting, Americans will place down the knife, take the fork on the right hand and eat. That’s perfectly fine. However, that’s not the proper etiquette of eating. The Europeans don’t let go of their fork and knife. They pile up all of the pieces of food on top of the fork using the knife and eat. It takes some time to get used to but it’s more functional this way.

Features to Look for in an Ideal Meat Cutting Knife

Ready to pick a knife? This list isn’t working out for you?

Don’t worry, you’ve got options…

I’ve got you covered. If you go out there looking for a raw meat cutting knife, you will realize that many stores have people who are ready to assist you to choose the best knife.

Most of them just want their stocks to be sold, and you may end up making a mistake, buying a bread knife or a utility knife when you needed a stronger, Zelite Infinity knife. It is, therefore, good to remind yourself of the following basic elements that will guide you through the best knife-choosing process.

Blade Material

The ideal blade material is stainless steel. Cutting meat involves getting plenty of blood, cartilages, and other sticky or moist stuff on the blade. Exposure to these elements may cause rust or corrosion if the blade isn’t resistant enough, which is the case with carbon steel. You have to maintain it regularly to avoid rust or corrosion, whereas stainless steel does well with blood or water even after a considerable amount of time.

Size

Knives for carving meat vary in size from 4 to 14 inches, depending on the type of knife itself. 

If you usually work with small pieces like poultry or chops, smaller knives are the better option. You get more control over the knife to make precise cuts. These knives can also be more flexible, allowing you to cut around the bones or joints. Lastly, if you’re a hunter, you can carry them easily due to their lightweight design and portable size.

Larger knives are better for bigger chunks, such as venison or turkey. You can slice faster in a single cutting motion, and you can use the larger and thicker blades to chop through bones.

Handle Material

Butcher knives may have handles made with wood, plastic, steel, or synthetic materials. We highly recommend getting a knife with polypropylene or synthetic handles because they have textured layers. As a result, you get a firm grip over the knife even if there’s blood or water.

Wooden handles are nice, but they require maintenance, plastic may be cheap, and steel handles are often too smooth and feel slippery.

Blade Design

The design of the blade varies between straight, serrated, and hollow. 

Plain edge blades or straight blades have a smooth cutting-edge ideal for slicing and cutting. Unlike the other styles, this one is easier to sharpen should it turn dull. It’s primarily to make thin slices of venison, ham, pork, poultry, and even fish.

Serrated blades have a collection of sharp teeth on the cutting edge. This blade style can hold its cutting edge for longer, but sharpening is harder than plain or hollow edges. Use serrated blades for cutting bottom round roasts, chuck tender steak, top round steak, or carving roasts.

Granton edge blades are mostly for slicers and carvers. The blades have scallops on the blade, creating small air bubbles that keep the food from sticking to the blade. It’s a type of blade edge that you use for sticky food like beef, ham, or salmon. 

Hollow edge blades are thinner and ideal for precise slicing. You can use it to slice thin pieces of poultry, roast, or hams. It also works with other varieties of large meat previously cooked.

Balance

The very first thing you must do while purchasing a butcher knife is to feel comfortable with it. Go to your nearest store, and get a hold of the knife in question to see if you like the balance. 

You also need to consider if the blade is full tang or partial tang. Full tang knives are heftier and feel more stable in your hand, just what you need in a meat-cutting knife. Even if you want to buy online, holding different knives gives you a better idea of the ideal weight that you need on a knife.

Maintenance

Most people leave their knives unwashed, or they put the knives along with dishes in the dishwasher. Because of that, the knives don’t last long. If you want it to last longer and slice better, you need to take good care of it. For that reason, I suggest you choose a high-quality knife that’s stainless and doesn’t require frequent honing.

Cooking Style

If you are buying a whole set of knives, you should consider your style of cooking. For a specialized dish, select a set of knives. You can also buy additional ones separately. In the case of slicing meat, choose a stronger knife. The Santoku Knives work best for those who love fine slicing.

Quality of the Knife

A knife is either forged or stamped. Forged knives tend to be of high quality because they are crafted from molten steel. The blade is, therefore, tough and has a bolster and heel for protecting the hand. They don’t bend easily and last longer. That doesn’t mean the stamped ones are bad. Despite the fact that they are the total opposite of forged knives, they still perform marvelously.

Know the Basics

Buying a knife is also like buying clothes. Measure twice cut once, or in this case, measure twice buy once. You have to know your size. If you want to equip your kitchen with knives, pick the ones that are eight inches long. This size is ideal for slicing, chopping, and dicing many foods. In the case of raw meat, you need a slicer. It is four to six inches and a bit thinner for convenience.

Conclusion

When you have top notch kitchen appliances together with good cooking pots and pans, is there any reason to have clumsy knives?

As you can see there isn’t any single knife that fits all or anything and don’t expect a knife to do everything. And, for any odd jobs in your kitchen, the cleaver, butcher, and the cimeter steak knives will come in handy. You just have to pick the right one for the right job.

My team and I researched thoroughly the knives above to measure how well they can cut and retain their edges after slicing and chopping. We also gauged the ease of use in terms of grip comfort and general experience. We found out they are incredible. It’s time for you to enjoy their greatness.