It’s Sunday, and the bell tower is ringing the twelve strokes of noon. Wearing your apron, you remove the roast beef from the oven and place it on the cutting board. Your hand grabs the knife and bim! You slip. The butcher has guaranteed the tenderness of the fillet. It’s your blade that fails. The dull edge jeopardizes your culinary masterpiece. Just as a delicious carbonnade requires the finest ingredients, a good meat knife deserves a quality blade, the right steel, and a handle to match your movements. But without expert craftsmanship and noble materials, it will never be just a good knife. So, which meat-cutting knife can make you proud of your dishes?
Why does a good knife make all the difference in the kitchen?
Have you too torn your hair out over a duck carving? Worse still, have you witnessed the mass destruction of your magnificent filet mignon en croûte? Whose fault is that? That damned blade that cuts as it sees fit. Whereas a quality edge guarantees a clean, precise and fluid cut. Cooking becomes a pure pleasure. Gone are the tedious tasks of peeling and boning. Hello harmony of texture and gesture. Like a rhythmic, joyful symphony, you cut, pare and trim in rhythm.
Back to more material considerations, a good knife is a lasting investment. Buying quality also means saving money in the long term. It’s better to have one efficient blade than several utensils that become dull with fear at the mere thought of attacking the Christmas turkey.
The different types and shapes of meat knives
Blade shapes for meat preparation
An encyclopedia of the perfect kitchen knife lists the blades:
🔪 straight skinning knife ;
🔪 thin, often curved upwards on boning knives;
🔪 short (about 15 cm) on the bleeding knife;
🔪 long and flexible, with an angled cutting edge, on the paring knife;
🔪 long and tapered on the carving knife, also known as the tranchelard ;
🔪 thin and up to 30 cm long on the slicing knife.
Culinary professionals group them into three main categories: slicing knives, paring knives and boning knives. However, there’s no need to have every blade model in your kitchen (unless you’re a collector 😉 ).
The butcher’s knife
Also known as a boning knife, the butcher’s knife is designed for professional butchers. Its thin, curved blade easily debones meat. The long edge removes fat, cartilage and tendons. Most people ask their butcher to make these cuts when they buy their meat.
The slicing knife
The famous tranchelard tackles large cuts of meat. It cuts without tearing. It’s a formidable weapon for slicing leg of lamb into thicker or thinner slices to suit your guests’ tastes.
The trimming knife
This knife thins meat. Its long, flexible blade and angled, accent-shaped cutting edge remove sinew and fat. Here again, many customers have their favorite butcher perform this gesture.
Meat-cutting knives: kitchen essentials
Let’s concentrate instead on the more versatile knives. These are the knives that will last a lifetime, replacing an army of utensils.
The essential chef’s knife
Its broad, rigid blade (4 to 5 cm) slices, dices and chops (like a Japanese Santoku knife). It can be used to prepare parsley or to carve game, beef or pork quarters. The width of the blade acts as a cleaver for slicing bones. When flat, you can crush garlic, shallots or crush nuts to spice up your dish.
Depending on the model, the blade varies between 15 and 35 cm, with an average of around 20 cm. Morta chef’s knives, in stainless steel or Damascus versions, offer a useful cutting edge of 16 cm. Use them on a daily basis, even for the toughest tasks (silencing your commis, for example 😅 ).
How to choose the right one? Trying it out is the most effective way to make an informed decision. You need to feel a perfect grip and immediate comfort to recognize the knife that is now yours. Your safety depends on these ergonomic points.
The irreplaceable paring knife
This one never leaves you, never fails you. Versatile and small, it works with precision. All-purpose and handy, it peels, slices, slices, peels and peels. No, it doesn’t do the housework while you’re enjoying your best bourguignon. Why not? Because it followed you to the dining room and now serves as your table knife. Inseparable, did we say? You’ll find it with either a curved or a straight blade. At Couteaux Morta, we prefer the more universal straight blade.
Will you choose the 9 cm or the 12 cm blade? Both are 2.5 mm thick and made of Sandvik 14c28n steel. Use the straight blade to peel, dice, mirepoix or brunoise vegetables. Ideal for pot-au-feu, bourguignon, curry or blanquette. For a colorful, sweet touch, consider adding fruit (pineapple, apricots) to your tagines.
The paring knife is the perfect steak knife. Imagine its gentle cutting edge against that meltingly tasty Sunday rib steak.
The magic of the paring knife: its ability to disguise itself as a fish knife, cheese knife, spreader or dessert knife. Make the most of it!
The indispensable table knife
No, cooks aren’t the only people who cut meat. Around the table, too, you need the right equipment. Whether you’re grilling flank steak with shallots, pan-frying pork chop or lovingly preparing beef curry, meat is always tastier with the right knife. All gourmets agree.
-
Morta table knives (x6)
580,00 € This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
“Prestige” Table knives (set of 6)
2.650,00 € This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Morta table knives (x2)
220,00 € This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Choosing the right kitchen knife: our best expert advice
What type of steel should I use to cut meat?
In the kitchen, hygiene comes first. That’s why dishwashers and detergents are out of the question. Regular cleaning with a damp cloth for the blade and a dry cloth for the handle is perfectly effective. No trace of corrosion or rust will mar your knife if you take good care of it.
We offer you a choice of knives with exceptional blades:
- Damascus steel (RWL34 and PMC27), with arabesques that sublimate your blade;
- in carbon steel with the brut de forge range (90MCV8) for lovers of authenticity and natural strength;
- N690 Trapper stainless steel for adventurers.
Steel hardness
If you’re going to be boning, slicing thick cuts of meat or cutting bones, you’ll need a quality steel. At Morta Knives, we believe that all steels can make good knives. What sets them apart is their heat and surface treatments. Our range of handcrafted knives offers a minimum hardness of 59 HRC on the Rockwell scale.
A quality blade means safety.
Slip and slide because the blade breaks and you cut your hand. Don’t you know it 😉?
Ergonomics
Of course, it’s the blade that cuts. But you’d be making a mistake if you chose your meat knife without considering the handle. It’s precisely the balance between the handle and the blade that makes cutting pleasant and easy. Size, weight, shape – a good cutler takes all these ergonomic aspects into account when designing his models.
A knife is for cutting, of course. But you can cut with pleasure, or with difficulty.
Choose one that’s adapted to the size of your hand and the strength of your wrist.
What price a good kitchen knife?
We talked about this at the beginning of the article.
Knife budgets vary according to the materials used. Manufacturing costs also reflect the knife-maker’s know-how and processes. The more handcrafted and made in France, the higher the price. A handcrafted knife is a durable object, a benchmark of quality.
Investing in an artisanal tool also means supporting local purchasing and the national economy, and giving pride of place to regional materials and ancestral know-how.
This knife may cost more, but it will remain in the kitchen for generations to come. Your children, grandchildren and other future cordon-bleus will simmer their best recipes with this knife in hand. Maybe they’ll even know the story of the day you gave or received it. You know, those old stories we like to tell on winter evenings in front of the fireplace.
To activate the family memory, offer a blade of emotion with a personalized knife.
The handle, the unknown ally of every gastronome
Let’s add the emotional dimension. How do you feel when you take hold of your plastic-handled knife, made in far-off lands, bought in the first supermarket?
Nothing at all? It’s only natural!
Maybe you don’t know it, but a knife handle has a soul. To want it in an organic material, whether living or in the process of fossilization, is to honor its value, its raison d’être.
So yes, it should fit the palm of your hand when you pick it up. That’s why we offer our different models in two or three sizes (mini, standard, XL depending on the collection).
Maybe, in the end, it’s the knife that chooses you and not the other way around (hello Harry Potter fans 🪄).
Once you’ve found yours, it won’t leave your side.
Did you know?
Cooking with the Morta Trappeur knife is like improvising a wilderness barbecue.
Alter ego to its sharp steel sidekick, the handle tells a story, a region, a know-how, an era. The Morta (for example, in all assumed subjectivity 😉 ) traces 5,000 years of Brie geology.
The story of Morta told by the Brière marsh oak.
Maintenance tips: knife cleaning and sharpening
🔪 Keep your Morta handle dry.
A soft cloth is all you need to clean it. Nourish it from time to time with a little natural beeswax.
Remove all traces of moisture from your blade to keep its original shine.
🔪 The frequency of sharpening depends on the steel and your use. At Morta Knives, we prefer natural stone.
We explain it all in this video.
🔪 A tidy kitchen means hygiene, pleasure and safety. An organized drawer, storage case or sheath help protect wandering fingers from sharp blades.
A good knife doesn’t make the cook, but it helps. Choosing the best meat knife is up to you, because it has to fit you. However, if you opt for a knife of artisanal quality, crafted with love and tradition, you can guarantee that your dishes in sauce and your grilled meats will have an ally of character to sublimate them.
My meat deserves a knife worthy of the name, so I’m giving it a Morta knife.
Article written by Christelle Lorant 🪶
Key questions in this article
Which knife should I choose to cut meat with precision?
A quality meat carving knife is essential for cutting meat properly.
The choice of the ideal carving knife depends on the type of meat to be sliced: a slicing knife is perfect for large cuts such as roasts, while a boning knife is designed to separate meat from bone with precision.
Why is it essential to have a good knife in the kitchen?
A quality knife makes all the difference in the kitchen: it cuts straight and clean, preserves meat fibers and prevents tearing when cutting. It reduces effort, guarantees a smooth cut and turns preparation into a pleasure.
Investing in a durable meat-cutting knife is also more economical than multiplying utensils that don’t stand the test of time.
What are the different types of meat knives?
Meat knives fall into three broad categories:
- Slicing knives, such as the ham knife or the tranchelard knife, ideal for effortlessly slicing large pieces of meat.
- Trimming knives, such as the paring knife, designed to remove fat and sinew from cuts of meat.
- Boning knives, like the boning knife, ideal for separating meat from bone.
Which knives are essential in the kitchen?
Some kitchen knives are versatile and indispensable:
- The chef’s knife, a true kitchen essential, is used to cut and chop steaks and vegetables alike.
- The paring knife, handy and precise, is perfect for slicing meat, fruit and vegetables.
- The more robust cleaver knife is designed for slicing through bones and large pieces of meat.
How to choose the right meat knife?
To choose the right meat-cutting knife, there are several criteria to consider:
- The type of blade: a thin, flexible blade for slicing meat into strips, a rigid blade for roasts.
- Steel: a quality meat knife has a sturdy steel blade for precise cutting.
- Ergonomics: a good knife should offer a comfortable grip and a good balance between blade and handle.
Why is steel important when choosing a carving knife?
The quality of the steel influences the life of the knife and its ability to cut with precision. Meat carving knives are often made from stainless steel, carbon steel or Damascus steel, each offering advantages in terms of strength, sharpness and maintenance.
How to care for your kitchen knives ?
To ensure long life for your kitchen knives, follow these cutlery tips:
- Clean the blade by hand with a soft cloth and dry immediately.
- Sharpen your carving knife regularly to maintain its cutting edge.
- Store knives in a storage case or block to protect the blade and avoid accidents.
A meat knife is the perfect tool to enhance your dishes and make every cut a precise, controlled gesture.
Share on social networks
