You’re working on learning to butcher your own meat for survival. So which knife should you choose to trim the fat from meat? It may surprise you to learn that an excellent butcher style boning knife is ideal for more than its name would indicate. Thin and flexible, you want this blade style for removing thick fatty deposits.
Luckily you can practice in the kitchen even when it’s not hunting season. The opportunity to learn a skill at home is always a major bonus. Choose a high-quality kitchen blade for this task, and you’ll be able to bone and trim ft like a pro butcher in no time. The practice is the most important thing you can do with a survival skill.
Why Trim Fat With a Butcher Knife
In a professional butcher’s shop, a butcher knife or boning knife is typically how they trim fat from meat and make cuts for cooking. I recommend taking a page from the pro’s book and following that standard. You’ll find that people who trim meat daily know their business well.
Despite coming with different names, a good trim knife has an easily recognizable blade style. The long, slim, slightly curved toward the tip knife is outstanding for separating meat from the bone without losing too much. Likewise, you’ll find this type also takes fatty deposits away without mangling the actual meat beneath.
Choose The Best Fat Trimming Knife
To pick the right fat trimming blade, you need to consider your meat source and your size. A longer blade is better suited to those with bigger hands. Additionally, it will make quick work of whole slabs of beef or wild game animals like deer.
However, for those with little hands, a knife with less length will help you finish the job efficiently. Regardless of size, you need to choose a higher quality blade. Dollar store versions are too flexible and brittle. Sadly a cheap knife will break long before you get good use out of it more often than not.
Top Five Best Knives for Trimming Fat from Meat
Narrowing down the top five knives for trimming fat off of meat was a difficult feat. There are so many excellent kitchen blades available it can be hard to decide. That said, you’ll find all the selections on this list are superb for trimming fat and useful for separating meat from the bone.
The style of a butchers’ or boning knife also lends itself easily to skinning animals. The curve on the blade helps you remove layers smoothly instead of merely jabbing into them. Although it will take time and practice before you learn the skill and
1. Jero Pro Series TR
As a high carbon stainless steel knife, the Jero Pro Series TR is excellent for cutting away fat from meat. Moreover, you can use this knife to make outstanding cuts for cooking. However, a carbon steel knife needs a little extra TLC. Avoid using a Jero for double duty cutting fruit because the citric acid in berries, oranges, and other non-meats can ruin your blade.
If you’re not a professional cook or butcher, then it may surprise you to learn Jero’s are among the most popular kitchen blades. Fortunately, that means you know you have a high-quality knife. Hence this well made and popular knife made the top of our list.
Guaranteed
The solid polymer core of a Jero handle helps keep your knife in good condition for years to come. The outside of the handle is injection molded on the blade for an extra firm hold. Furthermore, Jero gives a lifetime guarantee on these excellent knives, but there’s a catch. You need to make sure you purchase from an authorized dealer.
Great knives often have knockoffs. A lookalike might work for a costume contest. Sadly, in the kitchen, appearances aren’t everything.
Get Your Jero Pro Series TR from Amazon, right here.
2. Hammer Stahl Ergonomic
When you’re planning on trimming a lot of fat off your meats, then a great ergonomic option like the Hammer Stahl helps. Going easier on your hands might not be the first thing you think of when picking up a new blade. However, it should be on your list of considerations.
At just six inches long, the Hammer has all the power its name implies. Fortunately, as a thin, flexible blade, it’s well suited to trimming fat, making fillets, and separating meat from the bone. Yet despite the excellent flex, this knife has a Rockwell hardness of 55 – 57, making it both durable and malleable.
More Features
The quad-tang handle on this blade is a thing of beauty. The strength of German steel combines with lighter weight wood to make the Hammer both elegant and functional. The knife comes to you sharp and ready to work on the toughest gristle. Plus, it’s well balanced for smooth cuts.
Like the Jero that snagged the top spot on our list, the Hammer Stahl Boning Knife comes with a lifetime warranty. If there are defective materials or flaws in the artistry, they’ll replace your knife. Any company that’s willing to back its blades for as long as you have them is sure they put out a superior product.
Check the Amazon reviews here.
3. Victorinox – Swiss Army Fibrox Pro
Simple and straightforward, the clean, classic look of the Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro boning knife is deceptive. You might glance right past this traditional blade in a kitchen. The black handle and silver blade don’t need any fancy details to function perfectly.
Like the Hammer, this knife has a superb ergonomic handle. Moreover, the no-slip texture helps cut down on accidental cuts. Safety matters, especially when dealing with sharp tools.
As stealthy yet surprisingly high-quality blades go, Victorinox takes the cake. This is one kitchen tool that’s far more than meets the eye. You’ll be pleasantly surprised whether you want thin slices or need to cut large deposits of fat and gristle from your meats.
As one of the oldest companies on this list, Victorinox has been around since 1884. More than a century of experience means the Swiss Army Fibrox Pro from Amazon is just the latest in a long line of superbly crafted knives.
Select a sleek and superb Victorinox here.
4. iMarku Carbon Stainless Steel & Pakkawood
iMarku’s Carbon Stainless Steel & Pakkawood boning knife is a work of art. The stunning, dark finish on the sleek Pakkawood handle is both visually dynamic and lightweight. Plus, it has an incredibly sharp and durable 56±2 Rockwell hardness blade. You’ll be surprised at how easily this blade slips through your meats.
Along with a gorgeous case, you get a guarantee with this knife as well. iMarku offers a hundred percent money-back guarantee for life. Unlike most, this knife has a satisfaction guarantee, so it covers more than manufacturing and material flaws.
In addition to the usual carbon steel cautions, you should wash iMarku’s Carbon Stainless Steel & Pakkawood by hand. Use a soft cloth and never an abrasive scrubber. Moreover, always make sure your knife is completely dry before you put it away. A dishwasher can damage the precision cutting blade on this fine knife.
As a number one top-selling boning knife, you know you’re getting high-quality delivered into your hand. The edge retention and corrosion resistance are worth raving about, just watch your fingers. Always use proper knife safety when dealing with a razor-edged iMarku blade.
See the reviews of this incredibly popular boning knife on Amazon here.
5. UltraSource Butcher Knife
If you want an easy to locate, superb safety orange knife, the UltraSource Butchers’ Knife from Amazon is our top choice for highly visible and easy to use. Like all the outstanding knives on this list, our last pick is well known by professionals. In fact, it’s a top choice for industrial meat processing. Hence, this blade can handle as much meat as you need to cut.
UltraSource handles are more than fun to look at because they’re designed with your hands in mind. There are front and safety bolsters that help to prevent excessive hand fatigue while you trim and non-slip texturing. Furthermore, that brilliant orange is also NSF certified and antibacterial.
When you’re on the go, or merely stocking up for the long term, you need a reliable blade that won’t get lost in the shuffle. Butchering your own meat is a fantastic survival skill to develop, and the UltraSource Butchers’ Knife will outlast your rookie attempts, staying sharp for years to come.
Learn more about UltraSource here.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re carving brisket, or portioning up wild game after TEOTWAWKI, having the right knife to trim fat from meat helps. Survival situations are hard enough when you have the right equipment. Otherwise, they wouldn’t call it survival.
Top-quality kitchen knives aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when equipping your bug-out or bug-in location. Nevertheless, you need to eat, and that means having a fully stocked kitchen. No one wants to live on MRE’s and freeze-dried rations forever.
Make sure to plan your survival so you can actually enjoy it once the immediate danger passes. Learning to butcher meat will undoubtedly help, and the right knife makes learning much more manageable.
