Do You Really Need A Boning Knife?

Stocking kitchen utensils can feel nerve-racking. Until a specialized task is encountered, it's hard to know which tools are necessary to purchase. And such intimidation is especially strong with kitchen knives. Pricey, technical, and with a hint of risk, it's not always obvious when and why to use each knife type. For example, you may take a look at the slender boning knife — some five to six inches in length — and wonder if it's essential in your kitchen.

Well, if you're going to take on any sort of technical butchering task, then you'll want to buy a boning knife. Per its name, the knife is designed to work around bones, aiding chefs by sliding into skin, meat, and other tissue, and separating with ease. It's the optimal way to break down poultry, deconstructing the many cuts with less force and thereby preventing injury. In a similar vein, it's excellent at carving large roasts and ribs, and turning primal cuts into steak. If you're not much of a meat eater, this knife is the go-to for removing the skin from fish fillets. So while vegetarians and convenience-focused cooks might not get as much use out of it, meat-focused chefs certainly need a boning knife.

The boning knife offers sharpness, precision, and strength that's unique to the style. Although visually similar to a filleting knife, this variety is more robust and straight, meaning it won't have as much give when slicing. While this causes a slight disadvantage in fish filleting since there isn't as much gentle adjustment when working around bones, it's hugely helpful with meats.

Akin to how it's riskier to use a dull knife, a boning knife enables butchering endeavors with more controlled force. With this level of precision, you'll be able to target areas and slice away, with less pushing and pulling. Plus, you can apply this controlled cutting to other applications: Work around a mango pit or remove the rind from a watermelon, stress-free. You can also heat up the blade as the technique for perfectly cut cake. Whenever measured control is necessary, the boning knife delivers. Once you've purchased your own, get familiar with how professional chefs maintain knives to make sure it will last as long as you need it.