Meat knife

Meat knife from Japan

To be able to prepare food gently you need good cooking knives. Food should be divided by clean cuts to prevent that the important ingredients do not escape but are preserved. This is also true for meat and therefore a sharp knife is a basic requirement. Meat knives are available in various designs in Japan, such as the all-purpose knives (Gyuto), special knives for boning (Honesuki) or the so-called ham knife (Sujihiki). These types of knives are the most famous Japanese meat knives, but in general some Japanese knife types can be used for cutting meat.

Sharp knives for meat

Fibers in meat can be a real challenge if you don't have a sharp chef's knife. Often the meat is then torn rather than cut, which results in the meat structure being lost and the flavorful meat juices escaping during cooking. Japanese meat knives, such as the Sujihiki can be seen as a counterpart to the Yanagiba fish knife. The usually long blade of 210mm - 300mm allows to cut the meat in a clean cut while preserving the meat structure. Japanese knives have a clear advantage over European blade types in this respect, as they can be sharpened to a much higher degree.

Japanese meat knives: all-purpose knives and special knives

The use of a Japanese meat knife is not limited to meat, but can be used in many ways. True all-purpose knives such as the santoku knife, gyuto or bunka can be used for precise cuts as well as the sujihiki, but the latter can have advantages due to its special shape when cutting ham, for example. The long and saber-like oscillation of the blade of the Sujihiki is ideal for pulling cutting movements as known when carving poultry, roasts or even ham.

High quality meat knives - a good investment

Good Japanese knives for meat are not only useful for special occasions but also for regular everyday cooking. Knife care and good handling of the high-quality blades can be easily integrated into everyday life and you don't have to worry that these chef's knives might break. We also privately use Japanese knives exclusively and have done so for many years.