What is a Boning Knife?

What is a boning knife? Great question! It is a specialized knife with a narrow, flexible blade designed for removing bones, fat, and connective tissue from meat.

If you are new to cooking BBQ, you have likely heard about a boning knife. It is a knife many pitmasters use, so let’s talk about it!

What is a Boning Knife Used For

Picture this, it is a gorgeous Saturday morning, it’s early, and you are preparing to cook a pork butt. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, your pit is smoking, and the backyard is filled with our favorite wood smoke.

Now it’s time to trim that pork shoulder. The tool you are looking for is a boning knife. This knife is part of your BBQ arsenal and for good reason.

A boning knife is used by pitmasters to remove excess meat that will potentially burn up during the cook. It is also used toremove fat. Now, we all know that fat is flavor, but too much fat will not render down.

With a pork butt, for example, the fat cap usually comes quite thick from the butcher. Use it to remove the fat down to about a quarter of an inch. A quarter inch of fat will render down enough to be delicious after pulling the pork!

Why Get a Boning Knife

Ok, so one main reason to get a boning knife is for meat preparation. However, these knives also have some additional benefits. They have flexible but stiff blades. This helps with removing any thick fat or cartilage from your meats.

Additional benefits and features of a boning knife:

• It is a small knife, but not too small. They are typically 5-7 inches long.
  • This is an ideal size for getting into those tight places for intricate cuts.
• The handle design has ergonomic grips for comfort during long trimming sessions.
  • If you are cooking for a family reunion or prepping a lot of ribs for a competition, this handle helps reduce hand fatigue.
• The blade material is usually stainless steel or high-carbon steel.
  • These steels offer durability and hold edge retention longer than other steels.

Using a Boning Knife to Trim Meat

A boning knife is a necessity for BBQ. With its curved blade shape and tapered point, you can easily move around bones and cartilage.

The one I use is the Butcher BBQ Boning Knife. It is a 6-inch boning knife, which is a perfect length to trim meat for smoking.

In addition to trimming a pork butt or brisket, it is a great knife for deboning chickens and turkey. The edge design is flexible enough to get around the joints. This allows for quick and easy removal of skin and fat in these areas.

In Conclusion

Ok, so there you have it. Quick, simple, and to the point on what is a boning knife. It is a pitmaster essential for your kitchen. It meets all the requirements for a great knife to trim meat for smoking.

Now it’s your turn to get to trimming and firing up your BBQ!