I used to think a boning knife was just for, well, boning. Tried using my 6-inch Victorinox to break down a whole lamb shoulder last week and it was a total game changer.

3 comments

3 Comments

That's a great point. A proper boning knife really does make the job easier. The flexibility and thin blade let you follow the bone closely, saving a lot of meat. It's surprising how much cleaner the cuts are compared to a stiffer chef's knife.

derek_burns872mo ago

Yeah, the "cleaner cuts" thing is so true. My buddy Dave tried to debone a chicken thigh with his big chef's knife last week. He butchered it, left so much meat on the bone. I lent him my flexible boning knife and the next one was perfect, just fell right off. He was shocked at the difference.

norag551mo ago

Derek, the thing about Dave's story is it's not just about the knife itself. The real trick nobody mentions is how much the bone-in vs. boneless thing messes with your technique. A flexible knife works great for chicken thighs because you're curving around that little bone, but try using it on a pork chop bone and you'll be there all day. Different cuts need different flex. Your buddy probably would've had the same trouble if he'd tried a whole chicken breast, since that bone is way more solid. It's like the knife shape only matters as much as the bone shape you're fighting.