Thanksgiving will never be complete without carving a turkey. If you happen to get lucky and be given the privilege to do the job, you must learn that the skin of a turkey is obviously the most delicious part. To ensure that each slice has a bit of good stuff, you need to use the appropriate knife to cut through the meat. A dull knife will shred the meat instead of cutting through the skin. Not just on this very special occasion but on several more where you may come across cutting different types of meat which requires a different type of knife. With the right type of knife, you’ll cut through the meat much faster and with a cleaner cut. Let’s walk you through the right weapon for the right result in carving your meat most especially the turkey on thanksgiving.
The Distinction between a Carving and a Slicing knife
It is important to emphasize the difference between these two because you may encounter companies that use these terms interchangeably. They are, however, technically distinct. Let us investigate.
Carving Knives
Long, narrow blades taper to a sharp point on carving knives. They’re thin and flexible, allowing them to get into all the nooks and crannies of the turkey, including around bones and cartilage, to extract every bit of meat. The best knives for carving a turkey can also be used for chicken, a leg of lamb, ham, and other meats.
Slicing knives
Slicing knives have a long, narrow blade with a rounded tip rather than a sharp point. It’s ideal for slicing, as you might expect. The long blade allows you to cut even slices from even the largest roasts. If you only get one, we recommend the carving knife and the fork that usually comes with it because they will be the most versatile for your needs.
Here are some of the best and Evaluated Turkey Carving Knives:
1. Mercer Genesis Collection 10-Inch Granton Carving Knife
“This is the second sharpest of the three, has a really nice grip, and was clearly designed to excel when cutting cooked meat,” Fallon explained. That’s because the Mercer has a thick Granton cutting edge that takes up more of the blade than the other two knives and has spherical dimples that allow large cuts of turkey to slough off easily. Despite all the turkey grease flying around, the dense rubber handle didn’t get slippery in my hands, and I felt like I could really lay into this knife even though I didn’t need to. Because of the similarly hefty blade and handle, the Mercer had a nice balance. The Mercer was by far the most efficient for large cuts, such as separating the leg and thigh from the body or removing the entire breast from the bone. Thank you, Granton edge and long, thin blade. The knife with the most features in this test performed the best at all the tasks required for carving the bird. The ergonomics of the handle and blade made me feel like a surgeon. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s the cheapest knife here.
2. Victorinox Fibrox Carving Knife
“It’s not as sharp as the others, but it’ll be simple to resharpen,” Fallon explained. The Fibrox’s high-carbon stainless steel and thin edge contribute to this. The handle was the thickest, and the 9.8-inch blade had the most surface area. Because of its thin edge, this beefy knife performed better at the more delicate parts of carving than the others we tested. The Fibrox was clearly designed to make precise cuts on meat, such as the solid cooked breast. I expected a closer competition, but the thin, long, high-carbon steel blade was far and above the best here for uniform cuts. This is your best bet if you want chef-quality cuts in an unpretentious dishwasher-safe package.
3. Tiktaalik Field Knife Compact Chef’s Knife
The Compact Chef’s Knife, with its tough stainless-steel blade, was without a doubt the sharpest of the bunch. Fallon used it to shave about an inch of hair off his arm. “Unless it’s surgical, it’s unusual to have a knife that comes this sharp,” he said. Be extremely cautious with this one, he added. The Tiktaalik’s blade turns directly into the thin, naked stainless-steel handle, making this minimalist knife look so clean but sacrificing grip. Holding it became increasingly difficult as my hands became increasingly greasy. Despite the slipperiness near the end of the test, the Tiktaalik was balanced. The short, extra-sharp blade worked best for prying the tiniest bits of meat from the carcass, but then the handle got in the way. Its short length and thin profile made it more difficult to crank into the bird’s larger cuts. There are many other things it excels at besides cutting the turkey. However, it is the most versatile knife on this list and would be my recommendation for anyone looking for a multipurpose carving knife that can be used for more than just Thanksgiving.
4. Misono Handmade Molybdenum Honesuki
Misono has produced yet another high-quality carving knife. Chef Greg Baxtrom of Olmsted and Maison Yaki in Brooklyn, New York, highly recommends this poultry boning knife. According to Baxtrom, the Honesuki knife is a Japanese-style poultry boning knife. “It’s a high-quality knife from Korin, where I get all of my chef knife supplies,” we use it for our yakitori skewers at Maison Yaki,” he added.
5. Korin Special Inox Black Handle Sujihiki,
Korin, a Japanese supplier, is well-known among professional chefs as a knife mastermind with an extensive line of cutting-edge tools. “I like Japanese-style knives because they match my personal cooking preferences,” says chef Alexander Harris of Emma’s Torch in Brooklyn. “Because I’m short, I prefer a smaller, lighter knife.” The Korin Sujihiki is lightweight and comfortable, making it easy for me to control. This knife has never failed me, from carving the Thanksgiving turkey to filleting some salmon to slicing pounds of brisket for events.” With that, Harris makes an excellent point. Choosing a good knife follows the same rule as selecting the perfect T-shirt or pair of jeans: one size—and shape—does not fit all. He is very particular with his knives which can include choosing the right butcher knife. Another factor can be the knife proportions are relative to the person using it, so choose the best knife for you.
6. Sabatier Carving Set with Olivewood Handle
A carving set might just fit the bill if you’re feeling ambitious, perhaps because it’s your first-time hosting Thanksgiving and you want to go all out. Rocchino, like Bowser, gets all his knife supplies from Sabatier. While he stands by this high carbon steel carving knife and fork set, he admits that the level of care required to keep it in good condition may be too much for the average home cook. He added that it must be kept clean and wiped down immediately after tasks are completed, or else the knife will rust, dent, and be permanently damaged.