The 5 Best Butcher Knives of 2023, According to the Pros

Our Favorite

Finding the right butcher knife is one of the most personal choices you can make for your kitchen. No matter which knife you choose, they can all get the job done of cutting, slicing, and chopping through various meats and fish. That’s why it all comes down to the feel — because every knife feels a bit different once it’s in hand. The versatile and durable Victorinox Curved Cimeter 10-Inch Blade is our best overall butcher knife.

Factors to Consider

Type

Five types of butcher knives should be on your radar, each used for varying tasks. First is the boning knife (5-7 inches), arguably the most popular knife type among butchers and chefs. A small, pointed, and stiff blade is used for deboning and trimming the silver skin, fat, and sinew from the meat. This knife can slice small steaks, dice meat, and cut delicate portions. If you only purchase one butcher's knife, most chefs agree this should be the one. Look out for a 6-inch semi-stiff boning knife for butchering meat or a 6-inch flexible boning knife for fish.

The breaker knife (8-12 inches) is similar to the boning knife but slightly larger. This knife is used professionally to trim larger cuts, subprimal cuts, excess fat, silver skin, and sinew. Get one of these if you are trimming large cuts into roasts and steaks regularly.

The chef's knife (8-12 inches) is every kitchen's multi-tool. Most butchers can get by with a boning knife and a chef's knife — this knife slices, dices, and portions meat. While the thin, pointy boning knife is good for smaller tasks and works tightly against the bone, the tapered triangular blade on a chef's knife takes care of the larger tasks. Get an 8-inch version if you want tighter control with larger cuts, like breaking down a chicken, or a 10- to 12-inch version for large roasts or splitting lobsters.

The cimeter (10-12 inches) is used like the breaker knife but also handles cutting and portioning larger steaks, like a ribeye or New York strip. This knife has a taller blade for precise, even cuts through the thicker muscles. Add this knife to your list if you routinely portion large subprimal cuts like strip loins or chuck rolls.

The meat cleaver is the large rectangle knife often seen in photoshoots, horror movies, or hanging in the background of a decorative kitchen. This knife is used for less accurate splitting of thick bones in place of a medium-size hatchet. Get this knife to use with a mallet to butcher beef bones or split hogs.

Balance

“Balance is definitely the key to a good knife,” adds Pawan Pinisetti, executive chef of Serevene in Miami, Florida, and winner of Food Network’s Chopped. “A well-balanced knife will be critical to how well you can perform with it.”

The knife's balance refers to placing the knife across the pointer finger of your dominant hand and letting the knife teeter-totter find the point where it levels flat. This spot should be around where the base of the blade meets the handle. The balancing point is where you should base your grip on the knife for accurate control of the blade and to avoid wrist fatigue.

A well-balanced blade can make all the difference in the ease of smooth, even cuts. In addition, it takes the work out of your hand and wrist and can greatly reduce fatigue. In other words, you want the knife to feel natural in your hand.

Blades  

Like all our top picks, you’ll want your butcher’s knife to be made of durable stainless steel. From there, consider the type of meat you’ll be chopping to determine the right shape, length, and thickness of the blade. If you’re filleting fish or cutting through connective tissue, you’ll want a smaller blade with a curved tip and a little bend to maneuver in tight places. To break through bones, look no further than a thick, sturdy cleaver knife.

Handle

The handle of a good knife should be made of wood or textured rubber. A slick handle will allow the knife to slip from or roll within your hand, causing the blade to turn and possibly cut you. Lighter wooden handles shaped to grip the fingers are often preferred; however, some prefer rubber handles as they are easier to maintain and more economical.

Price

The pricing of butcher knives varies. The good news is you can find a strong, powerful option for well under $50. Our chefs recommend asking yourself how often you envision yourself using the knife and what you plan on using it for (smaller, more straightforward tasks like slicing steak versus deboning and trimming large chunks of meat). Depending on your answers, you may want to invest in the knife instead of opting for the least expensive pick.

Our Expertise

Clarissa Buch Zilberman is an acclaimed food writer with nearly a decade of experience. She spoke with more than a dozen chefs and butchers, including Rusty Bowers, Heather Marold Thomason, Victor King, Cesar Zapata, Isaac Toups, John Villa, Brian Whalen, Ryan Pera, Michael Buhagiar, Bryce Shuman, Easton Sadler, Adam Glick, Ray Rastelli, Jr., Jacqueline Kleis, and Kelly Kozak. She then rounded out the list with market research.