The Top 10 Carving Knives for Cutting Thanksgiving Turkeys!

A good carving knife not only makes it easier to slice the Thanksgiving turkey, but it can also be used year round to carve roasts, pates, and other foods. The distinction between carving knives and slicing knives has long been obscured, although a carving knife has a sharp tip, whilst a slicing knife has a rounded tip.

In this post we take a look at the two distinct methods and learn why both work just as well when carving or slicing meat. We also examine some of the top carving knives on the market to assist you in selecting the best carving knife for your next Thanksgiving feast!

Things to Consider Before Buying A Carving Knife

While cutting and slicing knives seem identical and are both very sharp, they have historically had distinct functions when it comes to meat. Yet, since these two styles of knives have grown interchangeable, the distinctions between them are no longer as evident.

A carving knife is typically 8 inches long and tapers to a narrow and thicker blade with a pointed and curved tip meant to extract meat from the bone.

A carving knife also includes a ridged blade, which provides better control during carving and allows cutting through harder connective tissue simpler. Since you must cut up to the bolster with a shorter carving knife, it will be more difficult to cut through bigger joints.

A slicing knife has a narrow blade that is generally longer and more flexible than a carving knife, allowing for smaller slices to be sliced. The blade is generally the same width all the way down the bone, with a sharp or blunt tip.

The slicing knife may be used to slice huge roasts, deer, hog, and fish, as well as pates, foie gras, fruit, and vegetables. Hollow-edged slicing knives are often used to prevent thinner slices of meat and stickier items from clinging to the blade.

A hollow edge, also known as a Granton edge or kullenschliff, is formed by cutting indents or dimples into the blade. Hand ground scallops that extend from the blade’s edge into the middle are required for a real Granton edge. This results in a sharper edge.

The air pockets that occur in the scallops, whether on a Granton or a hollow edge, assist to keep slices together and avoid ripping, particularly when slicing foods thinly. It may also make it easier to remove stickier foods off the blade.

Knives that are NSF certified or approved have met the National Sanitation Foundation’s criteria. These knives are produced from FDA-approved materials and may be used in both commercial and household kitchens.

Most carving knives have full tang blades, which implies that the blade narrows after the bolster and goes to the handle’s end or butt. The handle is then riveted to the tang, often with three rivets. A half tang blade has just one or two inches of metal connected into the handle, increasing the danger of breaking during usage.

A forged knife has a blade that has been forged from a single piece of steel, while a stamped knife’s blade has been pressed out of the piece of steel. Forged knives are usually more costly than stamped knives, and they usually feature a bolster metal between the blade and the handle.

While looking for a carving knife, or any other sort of knife, you may come across a Rockwell hardness figure. This is a measurement of how hard the blade’s edge is. Blades with a greater Rockwell hardness are often constructed of high carbon steel and have a razor sharp edge that will last longer. High carbon steel blades, on the other hand, are more brittle and chip more quickly than typical stainless steel knives.

It is worth mentioning, however, that the kind of steel chosen for a carving knife is not usually as significant as that used for a chefs knife. Some of us may only use a carving knife a few times a year, and even in houses where roasts are served on a regular basis, it may only be used once a week or so for a few cuts.

Whichever knife you choose, the goal is to make long, thin slices with as few strokes as possible so that the slices look excellent when served at the table. A carving knife should feel balanced in your hand, and one with some blade flexibility will allow it to follow the curves of the flesh more effortlessly.

While using a carving knife, a carving fork may also be useful. A two-pronged fork with a guard and a long handle will aid in holding the meat during cutting.

If at all feasible, hand wash your carving knife in hot soapy water as soon as possible after usage. If the knife is dishwasher safe, it should be used with care since its extended length increases the danger of blade breakage during the wash cycle.

Choosing an Electric Carving Knife

While an electric carving knife limits your ability to make fine slices, it does have certain benefits, including speedier cutting of bigger joints. Look for an electric carving knife with removable stainless steel blades that are dishwasher safe. Manufacturers also offer replacement blades, so you don’t have to continually sharpening them.

An electric carving knife’s grip should be ergonomic and pleasant even while the knife is turned on. It should also include safety measures such as a double locking mechanism or a locking trigger to prevent youngsters from turning it on.

A corded electric carving knife will provide more dependability, since cordless versions sometimes lose power as the battery declines. This may be inconvenient for bigger carving projects or when the flesh is harder. The biggest downside of corded versions is that they are not necessarily as agile as cordless carving knives while eating outdoors.

Most electric carving knives also include flexible, or even separate, cutting blades that enable you to use it for cutting vegetables, bread, and meat. Some knives feature variable cutting speeds for various kinds of meat or foods.

While using an electric carving knife, use no physical pressure; instead, direct the blades and delicately push down against the grain of the flesh. An electric knife should never be used to cut through bone, and it should always be used on a carving board.

The Importance of The Carving Board

It is critical to have a separate carving board for carving meats on, and this board should never be used for prepping raw meats or vegetables.

After using a wooden or plastic cutting board, both should be cleansed in extremely hot soapy water. They may then be wiped dry with paper towels and air dried completely before being stored. As the board’s surface gets fractured and knife-scarred, it should be replaced since this damage permits germs to grow.

Some Tips for Easier Carving

Leave any skewers or threads in place when the meat comes out of the oven; these may be removed as you cut along the meat. Before carving any roast, put it in a warm area wrapped in foil for about 20 minutes. This allows the liquids in the meat to redistribute and prevents less juice from flowing out when the meat is chopped. At the same time, warm up your plates and serving dish (if using), since the meat will cool fast once cut into pieces.

When carving, always use a carving board and a carving fork to keep the meat in place while cutting. Take a slice from the rear of the roast to make it lie flat on the cutting board when you first start carving. Carving just as many slices as required for that specific meal can help maintain moisture in the leftovers.

Use the carving knife in a slicing motion rather than a sawing motion, and utilize the whole length of the blade with each slice; you should only need to apply enough pressure to cut the flesh fibers. Excessive pressure will rip or bruise the meat, affecting its look.

Unless otherwise instructed, always slice across the grain of the flesh. The grain is the direction in which the muscle and tissue fibers are oriented, or the strings are always knotted against the grain if you got the roast from your butcher.

Cutting against the grain causes us to cut through tissue fibers, which shortens them and makes the meat more soft. When you slice the meat, place it on a hot serving tray and ladle some of the beef juices over it to keep it moist.

Thinner slices of meat are generally juicier, however certain cuts, such as tri-tip or harder beef cuts, are more tender when thinly sliced.

Conclusion

We’ve shown in this essay that the distinction between carving and slicing knives has almost vanished. Carving knives nowadays may be long or short, with a sharp or rounded tip, and with or without a hollow edge to aid in food release. In addition to things to consider when purchasing a carving knife, we have included some guidelines for picking an electric carving knife.

We really hope you found our post on what to look for when purchasing a carving knife useful. Whether you like a pointed end knife for sliding around bone, a rounded tip blade with a hollow edge for slicing thinly, or even an electric carver for convenience, we are certain that you will be able to choose the ideal knife from our list of the top ten best carving knives.