I love chicken because it is so versatile. Eventually, though, purchasing pounds of chicken breasts, chicken legs or any other body part of a chicken gets very expensive over time.
My remedy… Buy chickens whole and butcher them myself. And it is actually much easier than you would think. All you need is a good boning knife, and you will be on your way to saving hundreds of dollars a year by cutting your chicken yourself.
The best knife I found? The Wusthof Flexible Boning Knife from Amazon.
If you’re a chicken fan like I am, you’ll find yourself eating the bird on a daily basis. Whether you fry it, bake it, roast it, or grill it, you can be sure that chicken will be on the plate at least once per day. You can do so many different things with it, all you have to do is imagine it. Throw it on a pizza, toss it in a salad, quesadillas, and so on. Everything tastes better with chicken in it. So saving some money by cutting whole chicken yourself is a great idea.
Let’s look at a few knives that are excellent for cutting whole chickens.
Dalstrong Boning Knife Shogun Series
Dalstrong specializes in culinary cutlery and the proof is in their product. This particular boning knife beautiful and will undoubtedly catch the eye of anybody who comes across it.
More than just good looks
The performance of the knife is just as exquisite as the aesthetics. Made with VG 10 steel, it has a blade so sharp surgeons could use it in the emergency room. (It has an eight to twelve-degree angle on each side of the blade.)
Super sharp
After the forging process, it is nitrogen cooled to give it enhanced blade sharpness while increasing its strength and durability. The 62 plus Rockwell hardness also plays a major role in maintaining the sharpness of the blade.
Good handle for boning chicken
The handle is made as durable as you will find in a handle and will not be bothered by nearly any amount of heat. It is unaffected by cold temperatures as well as moisture. This is important as the job of cutting up a whole chicken can get messy. The handle is hand polished and engineered for maximum control, comfort, and agility.
Excellent warranty
Of course, Dalstrong backs all of its products with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects, and also offers their customers a satisfaction or money back guarantee.
Should you get this knife?
Dalstrong is easily one of the top tier companies when it comes to culinary utensils. Purchasing a boning knife from them will be a steep investment for sure. But it is an investment that will pay off in the end. Not only will you have it forever, you’ll start saving money right away when you purchase your chicken whole instead of already processed.
These knives are meant to last you a lifetime. If you have the funds to get one, you should do so.
Wusthof Classic 5 inch flexible boning knife
Wusthof is another company who prides themselves on making premium quality knives. I would venture to guess that every serious chef has at least a couple of knives from this company in their arsenal. And this boning knife is likely to be one of them.
Flexible blade
What makes this boning knife so effective is that it maintains exceptional strength and durability, while also being extraordinarily flexible. A boning knife that is able to flex becomes instantly better than one that can’t because it lets you get around bones without sacrificing good meat.
Good blade, good handle
The blade of this boning knife is forged from high carbon stainless steel and is hand sharpened for guaranteed sharpness. The handle is of a traditional type of composition and has three sturdy rivets to ensure high performance from the handle.
Another good warranty
This knife is dishwasher safe (although I always suggest hand washing high-end products, as dishwashers are harsher) and Wusthof provides the purchaser a lifetime warranty on this item.
Should you get this knife?
The Wusthof Classic is not nearly as beautiful as the Dalstrong discussed above, but it is just as functional, if not more so. The flexible blade is really helpful when cutting whole chicken and will prove to be useful in many other kitchen applications as well – some find it’s a great way to peel a mango. This is a very expensive knife. Although I truly believe it is worth its price.
Mercer Culinary Genesis 6 inch knife
This knife isn’t as flashy as the Dalstrong, nor is it as dependable as the Wusthof (but we’re talking about the absolute top of the line knives in those instances), but the mercer doesn’t mean that it isn’t a great value for the money.
Balanced and flexible
This knife is also flexible, so it will get around bones and help separate tendons from the flesh of the chicken. The knife has a good weight balance, helping to make the process of cutting the chicken not just easier but also much safer.
Non-slip grip
The ergonomic Santoprene handle gives you incredible comfort while cutting and offers a non-slip grip (very important when using sharp knives) and it doesn’t begin to break down once it gets exposed to water and oils.
Anti-stain blade
The blade is made of anti-stain German steel to stop rust and corrosion from getting a hold of your knife, and the tapered edge gives lets you get in and around cartilage.
Mercer Culinary will offer a lifetime warranty on this product.
Should you get this knife?
If you are in need of a good boning knife and are either not willing to or not able to pay upwards of a hundred dollars on one, then this is a great knife for you.
Wrap – Up
Getting a quality boning knife is essential when you are cutting chicken (or many other meats for that matter). Not only does it make your job incredibly easier than using a chef or a butcher’s knife, but using the proper knife is much safer as well.
Any of these three will work for you. If you want an eye popping knife, then go for the Dalstrong. If you just want the all around best knife, the Wusthof is the one for you, while the Mercer Culinary is the best bang for your buck. Personally, I like the quality of the Wusthof. Definitely worth the investment.
Alexis DeAnda is a food fanatic, library card user, and cast iron hunter, in that order. She has been cooking for anyone that will taste it ever since her mom let her make doughnuts on Saturday mornings at the age of 7.