Best Knife for Cutting Raw Chicken

If you're going to do the job, you need to make sure you got the right tools, and when it comes to raw chicken, you need to have a proper knife. When I first started barbecuing chicken back in college, we were using cheap dollar store knives. We didn't have money, so we used anything that we had access to, and on top of the cheap knives, we didn't even have a way to sharpen them. Looking back at it, I'm glad I still have all 10 of my fingers.

I value function over form and knew I didn't need one of the fancy $200 knives from Japan or Germany. I focused my research on what knives the chicken processing industry uses. What I discovered was that the best knife for cutting raw chicken is a 6 inch Sani-Safe Dexter Russell boning knife. The knife has a nonslip handle and a finger guard to keep your hand from slipping onto the knife's blade. It's very lightweight, which allows for hours of cutting chicken without having any pain in your hands or wrist. Usually, the knife can found in the 30 bucks range. I can clean and trim fat from about 40 pounds of chicken quarters before the blade needs to be touched up.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I used cheap knives at first.

I received a knife set from my parents one Christmas, and the 8-inch chef knife in that set was the first knife that I used to trim and cut raw chicken. My first knife was okay, but it got dull quickly, and the handle would get slippery. And once I started getting tired a couple of times, my hand slipped up the edge of the knife and cut my finger. Slippery handles are not ideal when dealing with raw chicken. The handle's shape also made my hand hurt after using it for more than 15 minutes.

My next knife was a filet knife from the same set, it was super sharp, but it got dull too quickly. The knife also made my hand and wrist hurt. But I knew it had to be a better way, so I started researching what kind of knife I needed to cut up many chickens all the time.

What makes the Dexter Russell boning knife the best knife for cutting raw chicken?

It's a razor blade straight out to package. The first time I used it to clean and trim chicken quarters, I cleaned 40lbs and did not even need to touch it up. One of the other benefits that I noticed when I picked a knife up the first time is how light it was. I mean, it only weighs about a quarter pound. The knife's handle is perfect and feels like it is an extension of my body. The handle is textured polypropylene which is easy to clean and it does not slip. I can put my hands underwater and grab the knife, and it will not slip even when covered with chicken slime. A good grip on the handle is what you are looking for in a knife. I can use this knife for trimming chicken for extended periods without experiencing any wrist or hand fatigue.

Common Items that weigh more than the Dexter Russell Boning Knife

1 "C" sized Battery
3 "AA" sized Batteries
1 Deck of Cards
3 Slices of Bread
3 Compact Discs
30 Pennies

What is the boning knife made of?

Carbon steel or stainless steel is the most commonly used metal to make knives. Carbon Steel is an alloy of primarily carbon and iron. This high carbon content makes the blade easy to sharpen and has a wicked sharp edge. However, you must completely dry them after use, or they will rust and stain. Stainless steel is an alloy composed of iron, chromium, nickel, and molybdenum. It does not have as much carbon. It will not hold an edge or sharpen like carbon steel but is easier to care for and does not stain or rust like carbon steel.

This knife's blade is made using Dexter-Russell's proprietary alloy Dex-Steel. Dex-Steel would be like if Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel had a baby. It combines the properties of both commonly used materials in commercial knives. This combination makes the knife strong and gives it the ability to hold a sharp edge.

How do you keep it sharp?

I have used the following knife sharpeners, and they all work to keep a sharp edge on this knife.

Advantages

Dex Steel - High Carbon, high-alloy American Stainless steel made for knives. It is harder than average steel and sharpened to a sharper edge, and holds the edge longer.
Easy to clean slip-resistant polypropylene handle.
NSF Certified blade to steel handle prevents food from sticking.
Durable and corrosion-resistant.
White handles make them easy to identify. I can tell my Wife and Son not to put the white-handled knives in the dishwasher.

Cons

The hollow ground edge is a concave beveled cutting edge that keeps food particles from sticking and reduces friction. But unless you have a wheel sharpener, your edge will be different when you sharpen it. Don't worry. It will still cut like a razor.
Not dishwasher safe – the high heat and other steels will cause pitting and rusting along with damage from other utensils hitting the knife's edge.
If not immediately washed and dried, then the blade WILL rust and stain.
Do not leave the knife submerged in bleach for extended periods. The bleach will damage the blade.

Conclusion

If you have been using cheap knives, this will feel like using a lightsaber. Buy either the narrow or wide blade boning knife, and you will be happy. Dexter Russell does make higher-end boning knives, but for most people, the Dexter Russell Sani-Safe boning knife will be the best knife you will ever use for cutting raw chicken. I highly recommend it as your boning knife of choice.