Uses for a Boning Knife

The Bare Bones

A boning knife, by definition, is a knife used for removing the bones of poultry, beef, and fish. It is usually 5 to 6 inches in length and has a narrow blade. Because it is so thin, it is often slightly flexible and is extremely sharp.

Keep in mind, though, that the flexibility of a boning knife can vary. It is best to use a stiff knife on beef, and a more flexible and agile knife on poultry.

All Things Meaty

Because of a boning knife's sharpness, it has the ability to remove the membranes and grizzle from meat easily. While a meat cleaver is used to first separate bone from meat in the most basic sense, a boning knife is the instrument used for fine tuning. The thinness of the blade allows for precision and for easy access hard-to-reach bits of small bone.

Deboning a Bird

If you have never used a boning knife before, you may want to get some practice in. One great animal to test out is the turkey since most people try their hand at deboning and carving at least once a year during the holidays. All you need is a turkey, a cutting board, and a boning knife.

First, cut the backbone from the turkey with the boning knife. Once the back is removed, use the tip of the boning knife to cut down the right side of the rib cage, separating bone from flesh.

Second, snap the wing bone from the turkey, cutting through the cartilage. Continue cutting, following the rib cage and around the wishbone, separating meat from the ribs down to the thigh.

Next, grasp the leg, finding the thigh joint that connects to the breast, and press forward with your thumb to break the joint. Cut the cartilage with your boning knife, but not the skin.

Then, you'll carve the meat from the top side of the lower thigh bone, removing the bone. Repeat the same process on the upper thigh bone.

Finally, repeat the same process on the other side of the bird. You can now stuff the turkey, connect both sides with a metal skewer, cook it, and enjoy! Wasn't that easy?

More information on Boning Knives