Cutting meat down into smaller bits and separating it from bones requires a bit of skill. Nevertheless, the most significant factor is the quality of the tool used. Butcher knives come with enough cutting power and stability to handle the somewhat rough butchering process. Today, we have selected and reviewed some of the best butcher knife sets available on the market, so you can find it less overwhelming to make a good choice whenever you need to get one for your kitchen.
What Is the Purpose of Butcher Knife?
There are several cutting tasks we carry out from day to day – culinary-related or not. These cutting tasks have specific types of knives suited to them, and if you prefer an efficient cutting process, you will do well to get the knife type best suited to your cutting needs.
Butcher knives are designed specifically for hacking down cuts of meat, cutting meats into smaller bits, and separating them from bones. It usual for a butcher knife to come with a slightly curved process to make meat cutting more straightforward. Butchering is a handy process that requires skill and precision. For this, there are several types of butcher knives you can get.
Boning knives, like the name suggests, is a type of butcher knife used to separate meat from bones. Slicing and carving knives are used for slicing meat, but carving knives feature thinner blades for more precise slices. Cleavers are heavy-duty tools used or hack through meats and bones. A filleting knife is used to get rid of cartilage, skin, and bones from fish and meat.
There are a couple of other dedicated butchering knives, but the best thing to do is to buy these knives in a set. Get a set that features the right types of knives you need for your cutting needs, so you won’t have to shop separately for these different knife types.
Top 4 Best Butcher Knife Sets To Buy
| Rank | Butcher knife set | Blade Material |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victorinox Swiss Army Field Dressing Kit | High Carbon steel |
| 2 | Dexter Rusell 3 Piece Cutlery Butcher Chef Set | Carbon Steel |
| 3 | Jero 4 Piece P3 Butcher Meat Processing Set | German Steel |
| 4 | Case Household Cutlery Knives | Stainless Steel |
1. Victorinox Swiss Army Field Dressing Kit – A good deer processing knife set
The Victorinox Swiss Army Field Dressing Kit is one of the best meat processing knife sets you can get today. It is a versatile knife set that can either sit in your kitchen or be brought along on your hunting trips. The set features a paring knife, a boning knife, a filleting knife, a slaughter knife, a cimeter steak knife, and a couple of additional accessories. The blades are made from high carbon stainless steel, which hand finished in Switzerland. Thanks to the special tempering process, the strength and stain resistance of the blade is significantly increased.
We love that it comes with sharpening steel that you’ll find useful, as you’ll have to need to re-sharpen the blades often if you use the knives regularly. Furthermore, you get the package comes with a shoulder bag for easy carriage. Although they are heavy-duty knives, the full tang design help to achieve impressive balance. The knives have bolster-free edges, but you don’t really have to worry about that with these butchering knives. The Fibrox pro handles are relatively comfortable to hold for extended periods, but what we love is that they are stable enough to handle intensive butchering.
Pros + Key Features
- Lightweight design
- Full tang design
- Versatile knife set
- Ergonomic handles
2. Dexter Rusell 3 Piece Cutlery Butcher Chef Set
A butcher knife set doesn’t have to feature all types of cutting knives. The most important thing is that it has the right types of knives to fulfill your cutting requirements. This Dexter Rusell Knife set features a trimming knife, a boning knife, and a steak knife. We were surprised to discover the heavy-duty nature of the knives. It doesn’t matter if you need professional butcher knives set for a home kitchen, a commercial kitchen, or even hunting trips; you’ll find this collection sufficiently functional.
Like you may have guessed, the blades are made from high carbon stainless steel material, but the major highlight is the hollow ground edges that are razor sharp yet resistant to chipping and breakage. Furthermore, we found the handle quite interesting. They are made from high-impact, slip-resistant polypropylene material that’s extremely durable. Butcher knife sets can be quite expensive, but if you need a reasonably priced functional collection, the Dexter Rusell 3 Piece Cutlery Butcher Chef Set is the best butcher knife set for the money.
Pros + Key Features
- It is reasonably priced
- High carbon stainless steel blades
- Full bolster and full tang design
- Durable polypropylene handle
3. Jero 4 Piece P3 Butcher Meat Processing Set
These German blades may not be as sharp or hard as Japanese style knives, but they are strong enough to handle high-impact butchering. They are made from high-carbon stainless material for strength and edge retention. The set features a 6” boning knife, an 8” breaking knife, a 10” cimeter, and a high-quality sharpening steel. With these knives included, the set is perfect for well-rounded butchering, in the kitchen or on hunting grounds. The blades’ curved profiles help to achieve additional precision when cutting.
Related: Best Japanese Kitchen Knife Sets
Also, the handles are some of the most durable you’ll get on butcher knife sets in this price range. They are made from temperature and impact resistant polymers that are molded onto the handle for improved sturdiness and seamless bonds. Compared to the average meat processing knife set, it is reasonably priced and offers value for your money spent on it. The set is sufficiently versatile to serve other kitchen cutting purposes outside of butchering.
Pros + Key Features
- Impact and temperature resistant handles
- High-carbon steel blades
- Slightly curved blade profile
- The knives are very durable
4. Case Household Cutlery Knives
The Case Household Cutlery knife set is probably the most diverse knife set on our list, but does it do the job when it comes to butchering meat? Yes, it does so reasonably well. While it may not be the perfect set of knives to bring when you’re hunting, it is one of the best butcher block knife sets for your kitchen. The set features a paring knife, a tomato slicer, a boning knife, a santoku, a slicing knife, a chef’s and bread knife. What’s better? You get a sharpening stick and knife storage block that holds the knives when they’re not in use.
The blades are made from a unique and durable Tru-Sharp stainless steel material. All the blades have straight edges. Additionally, the natural wood handles are triple-riveted for improved durability and stability. They are comfortable to hold and cut with as well. To further assure you of the durability, the manufacturers have included a limited lifetime warranty offer. If what you need is a versatile butchering knife set with enough knives for a large variety of cutting tasks, you should check out the Case Household Cutlery Knife set.
Pros + Key Features
- It comes with a storage block
- Comfortable natural wood handles
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Versatile knife set
How to Choose a Good Butcher Knife Set?
You shouldn’t pick a butcher knife set randomly. Instead, you should review the features while considering specific factors. Here are some of the factors and features to consider if you hope to choose the perfect butcher knife set.
Material
Right from the handle down to the blade, durability is significantly influenced by the material used. As butchering is a relatively heavy-duty process, you need knives that are equally tough. Stainless steel is the commonest material used, but there are varieties of it. We recommend knives with VG-10 core – the material is extremely hard and has good edge retention. The edge retention is why it can be sharpened to a finer angle than most steels.
German steel is another great material to go for. While it is not as hard as the VG-10, it is still sufficiently durable and resistant to corrosion and stains. You should also consider the handle material. It is really important that the handle is sturdy and durable enough to handle the intensity of cutting and separating meat.
Number of Knives
A knife set that’s made for butchering should feature a variety of knives suited to the cutting process. A boning knife is used to cut meats from bones, a slicing knife cuts meat into slices, while a cleaver hacks through meat and bone. Several other types of butchering knives are suited for different cutting tasks, but the most important thing is to pick a knife set that features the right variety of butchering knives that suit your cutting requirements.
Handle
Really, there’s not much to expect from the handle in terms of ergonomic and comfort because butcher knives don’t come with the most ergonomic handles. Still, they should be comfortable enough to grip, and better still, resistant to impact.
Price
There are expensive options and relatively affordable butcher knife sets, just like with any other commodity. The price is usually influenced by the number of knives and additional accessories included. This is why it is important to buy a set with just the right set of knives you need. The quality of the materials used will also influence the price. Nevertheless, you’ll always get a reasonably-priced set that’ll serve you well.
So, What Is the Best Butcher Knife Set?
Our pick as the best butcher knife set is:
Victorinox Swiss Army Field Dressing Kit
If what you’re looking for is the best butcher knife set for deer hunting deer or other animals, it comes with the right variety of knives for dividing and boning meat. Nevertheless, it’s also suitable to use in home and restaurant kitchens. It features high carbon steel blades that were hand finished in Europe and have undergone a special tempering process for improved strength. It also comes with a carrying bag for mobility.
Conclusion
These are some of the best butcher knife sets for those looking for a decent meat processing knife set for home and restaurant kitchens or hunting purposes. They are Western-style knives, quite different from their Japanese counterparts in thinness, sharpness, and hardness. Nonetheless, they are sturdy and durable enough to handle high impact butchering. Also, we have discussed some critical things to consider before you make your final selection.
Buying new kitchen knives can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. It’s best to go to a store that specializes in selling kitchen knives. You can get a lot of very good information about the different kinds of knives on these sites.