4 Different Uses for Boning Knives

Boning Knives are commonly found in knife rolls at butcher shops, and are growing increasingly popular with home cooks due to their versatility. These thin, flexible blades are most often used to separate meat from bones before trimming different cuts, but they have many different uses beyond just cutting meat. Here are our four favorite uses for this Knife, which is back for a limited time.

What Is a Boning Knife?

Boning Knives are long, straight-edged, semi-flexible, and thin blades. Their unique shape makes them easy to spot in any knife block. Usually anywhere between 5 to 7” long, they also commonly feature a flat cutting edge that curves slightly up to the tip. Beyond just being elegant, this shape helps to precisely separate meat from bones or joints with little waste.

What’s the Difference Between a Fillet Knife vs. Boning Knife?

Both Fillet and Boning Knives have similar appearances, but have significant differences when it comes to their form and function. Fillet Knives are thinner, even more flexible, and feature a curved blade with a short, pointed tip similar to Boning Knives. Usually measuring between 5 to 9” long, these blades are designed for descaling and filleting fish without damaging the delicate flesh. Its flexible blade means it’s not as durable as Boning or Chef Knives, but is ideal for descaling, deboning, or portioning fish.

Boning Knives are designed for precisely removing meat from bones, cutting through connective tissue or ligaments, and separating meat from fat or joints. The blade is slightly flexible to allow you to maneuver in small spaces such as between bones, but it’s thicker and sturdier than a Fillet Knife.

What Is a Boning Knife Used for?

While the shape of Boning Knives makes them perfect for any meat-cutting task, there’s a wide variety of uses this blade is also well-suited for. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Preparing Meat

Since this is what this Knife is designed for, it makes sense that it excels at this task. From deboning to removing skin, and almost anything else in between, the shape, size, and flexibility of the Boning Knife makes cutting, slicing, and handling all types of meat—from beef to fish to chicken—easier.

2. Cutting Fruit

The smaller size of the Boning Knife is also helpful when slicing, coring, or hulling fruit without losing too much of the fruit inside, especially ones with large, thick rinds like pineapples or melons. The flexible blade is also helpful when peeling if you don’t have a Paring Knife on hand.

3. Carving Baked Goods

While very different from the intended use, the sharp, precise nature of the Boning Knife makes it ideal for scoring bread dough, removing layers for layer cakes, shaping cakes or pastries into a new shape, or evening out or sharpening sides. The thin, pointed blade is also well-suited for removing the core from cupcakes or muffins to add a filling without crushing it.

4. Precise Cuts

A Boning Knife is well-suited for any sort of precise cutting need, as the blade aims to remove as little flesh or area surrounding the cut as possible. Whether breaking down a whole chicken or removing kernels from corn on the cob, the Boning Knife gives you maximum control and precision.

Ready to Shop?

Now that you’re familiar with what a Boning Knife is and its many uses, you now know why it’s an essential in any knife block. We’re bringing this popular Knife back, but it won’t be around for long. The Boning Knife is crafted in small batches—so, once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. Get on our waitlist, and you’ll be notified once they’re available on Thursday, October 20 at 10 am ET.