Butchering knives & cleavers for poultry -- which are best?

Hi guys,

We need some new knives and a cleaver. I want something REALLY NICE, they will be used mostly for chickens and turkeys. What do you reccommend?

Thanks so much,

Anne

I actually bought some nice cleavers off of e-bay, a vegetable cleaver and a heavier meat cleaver for going through bone. My wife will use the vegetable cleaver for chicken though with no problem she keeps them very sharp.

These are what I use:

Knife
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=5198

Shears
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=651

I use the knife for everything from killing to piecing, except for cutting off the head and neck. I use the shears for cutting off the head/neck and for cutting through the bones of the carcass after taking off the meat. The best part about the shears is that they come apart into two pieces, so they're extremely easy to clean.

We decided to buy some good knives after taking a Knife Skills class at Central Market and found out that our favorite knives (which whe brought to class) were worthless. One of the "skills" taught in the class was how to take apart a chicken (already eviscerated, of course!). We bought a set of 3 knives and a sharpening steel from the above site, and got the shears at CM (had a coupon).

wustoff knives are very good knives. they're not so good for cutting bone, but they will slip right through the cartilage with a little practice.

sherryberrybee said:

These are what I use:

Knife
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=5198

Shears
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=651

I use the knife for everything from killing to piecing, except for cutting off the head and neck. I use the shears for cutting off the head/neck and for cutting through the bones of the carcass after taking off the meat. The best part about the shears is that they come apart into two pieces, so they're extremely easy to clean.

We decided to buy some good knives after taking a Knife Skills class at Central Market and found out that our favorite knives (which whe brought to class) were worthless. One of the "skills" taught in the class was how to take apart a chicken (already eviscerated, of course!). We bought a set of 3 knives and a sharpening steel from the above site, and got the shears at CM (had a coupon).

Click to expand...

My Father and I have butchered our chickens before and we will be doing our next slaughter next weekend. I am looking for some good info on tools, and have never heard of using shears! We have always used a chopping block. I'd love to find an easier way. Can you give me some more info on how you use the shears?

TaraBellaBirds said:

My Father and I have butchered our chickens before and we will be doing our next slaughter next weekend. I am looking for some good info on tools, and have never heard of using shears! We have always used a chopping block. I'd love to find an easier way. Can you give me some more info on how you use the shears?

Click to expand...

since the last post to this thread was from 2007, not sure how fast you will get an answer i was also looking for additional info for processing, our first attempt did not go as well as hoped. We did find this video VERY helpful and it is much less traumatic then a chopping block. I would suggest that you keep combing through the threads, found some good "beginner" type articles with pics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_S3P0eU0lE

TaraBellaBirds said:

My Father and I have butchered our chickens before and we will be doing our next slaughter next weekend. I am looking for some good info on tools, and have never heard of using shears! We have always used a chopping block. I'd love to find an easier way. Can you give me some more info on how you use the shears?

Click to expand...

I have two tools that are indispensable for chicken in the kitchen and at processing time. First I have a piranta edge razor knife from havalon. It is great for separating sections of chicken and for deboning breasts. Love this knife and it is m y go to knife all the time.

The other tool is HME bypass shears. I got these in a combo pack with a small folding saw for 16$ and they are great for cutting through bones and through the neck and backs. Other than these I don't need any other tools.

MeAndTheBoyz said:

since the last post to this thread was from 2007, not sure how fast you will get an answer i was also looking for additional info for processing, our first attempt did not go as well as hoped. We did find this video VERY helpful and it is much less traumatic then a chopping block. I would suggest that you keep combing through the threads, found some good "beginner" type articles with pics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_S3P0eU0lE

Click to expand...

I agree there are a lot of articles out there and a lot of us that have done this more than once and can give feedback if you ask.

Thank you MeAndTheBoyz and LillyD. After I posted to this thread I noticed the date and started my own thread. MeAndTheBoyz, I got some good tips on this thread and LillyD is actually the second person to recommend that knife (I'm ordering one BTW!) ! Thanks again, Here is the new thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...hose-with-a-bit-more-experience#post_11975288

I use the havalon baracuta for everything (same as the piranta just bigger). No need to hack through bones, just slip the blade between joints and your meat stays bone fragment free. If you go easy and don't cut bones the blade will easily last 30+ complete birds from killing, to gutting, to cutting up. If it dulls just slip on a fresh blade in 5 seconds.

lokua said:

I use the havalon baracuta for everything (same as the piranta just bigger). No need to hack through bones, just slip the blade between joints and your meat stays bone fragment free. If you go easy and don't cut bones the blade will easily last 30+ complete birds from killing, to gutting, to cutting up. If it dulls just slip on a fresh blade in 5 seconds.

Click to expand...

I looked at that one too but decided on the piranta edge because it was smaller so I was less likely to cut myself. I tend to be a bit of a clutz lol. I use it for everything including cutting the neck and deboning the meat. But my sister works with me and she has advanced rheumatoid arthritis so she has trouble with pulling on things and doing a lot of grabbing a pulling. She finds the shears to be easier to separate the joints because they take no pressure and she can cut through in between the bones with no trouble at all.

I don't change the blade on the piranta with each processing. It honestly just doesn't get dull. I test it before we start but it is still sharp. I still have like 8 of the 12 extra blades in the packages after the last two years of processing. It's awesome.