By rob eagar 
If you’ve ever watched a professional chef in action or seen someone chopping through large cuts of meat with ease, you’ve probably spotted the mighty cleaver knife. With its thick, wide blade and intimidating appearance, the cleaver often gets mistaken for a tool that only professional butchers can wield.
But in reality, the cleaver is an incredibly versatile and valuable tool that every home cook can benefit from. In this guide, we’ll explore what a cleaver knife is, how to use the best cleaver knife UK, its benefits, and how to take care of it.
What Is a Cleaver Knife?
A cleaver knife is a heavy-duty kitchen tool with a thick, rectangular blade. While more frequently associate with meat cutting, this versatile knife cuts and chops vegetables, breaks up large pieces of food, and serves other purposes.
Unlike other knives with a more fine blade, the broad, robust design of the cleaver knife makes it ideal for jobs requiring force and precision.
Key Features Of a Cleaver Knife
- Thick Blade: The cleaver has a thick and wide blade to use in cutting bones, cartilage, and tougher meats.
- Rectangular Shape: The width of the blade is flat and square at the end, assisting in its cutting power.
- Heavy Weight: The cleaver is heavier than the other knives and provides the force necessary for chopping through tough materials.
- Versatility: Though cleavers are more famous for cutting meat, they are reasonably versatile and can easily be used to dice, mince, and chop vegetables.
Types of Best Cleaver Knife UK
The best knife set with cleaver differs. The kind of cleaver you want will depend upon what you will use it for. Here are the main sorts:
- Chinese Cleaver (Cai Dao)
The Chinese cleaver, also known as a vegetable cleaver, is enormous and multipurpose. Use primarily in the Chinese kitchen; it may be unsightly, but it can do more than just hack away at meat. It chops herbs and crushes garlic. A thinner blade cleaver is generally what people use, as it really is a great all-rounder.
- Butcher’s Cleaver
The butcher’s cleaver is the heavy-duty cleaver which most people think when they come into their head about that particular knife. It is especially prepared for bone cutting as well as on tougher portions of meat. Its thick blade with heavy weight allows it to be sliced clean on dense pieces of meat as well as through bone.
- Bone Cleaver
A bone cleaver is a butcher’s cleaver but with an even thicker blade to cut bones. The bone cleaver is an indispensable tool in meat processing and butchering.
When To Use Top Quality Kitchen Knives
A cleaver seems like a one-trick pony but actually is one of the most versatile tools when use in the right context.
The following are instances where to reach for the cleaver knife UK:
- Cut Through Meat And Bone
Top quality kitchen knives chop through bones, cartilage, and dense meats. Their weight and strength make it possible for them to chop through bones. Use this cleaver when you need to chop up big pieces of meat or prepare stuff like ribs or chicken.
- Chopping Vegetables
A cleaver has a wide surface area, which is best for chopping vegetables. You will chop onions, slice squash, or cut cabbage more easily using the cleaver since it gives you the stability and power to cut a lot of produce in one go.
- Smash Garlic or Ginger
A wide cleaver blade is suitable for smashing cloves of garlic or ginger root. It will crush ingredients by slightly applying pressure while using the flat side of the blade to release the juices and flavors.
How To Use Best Nakiri Knife Properly
Although the best nakiri knife is pretty powerful, mastering the correct way of handling it does not come easy. Below are a few guidelines on how best to utilize your cleaver knife effectively:
- Hold the Knife Firmly
The cleaver is a very heavy tool; therefore, it should be gripped firmly and comfortably. One should use his dominant hand to grip the handle, ensuring that his hand is dry so that it does not slip. More control over the blade is achieved through a pinch grip where you hold the blade just above the handle by your thumb and index finger while the rest of the fingers will wrap around the handle.
- Cutting Surface
As the weight is involved, cut it using a strong wooden or plastic cutting board. Do not cut with granite or glass, as that surface may damage the blade.
Is a Cleaver Knife Right for You?
The cleaver knife is probably one of the most versatile knives that need to be found in professional and home kitchens. Be it cutting through bone, chopping vegetables, or mincing garlic, a cleaver will do the job for you fast and effectively. It may seem intimidating at first, but once you know how to use and take care of it, you’ll realize just how indispensable this kitchen tool can be.
If you’re going to purchase a cleaver, first think of what you want to use it for, and then take the correct type based on your requirement.
A good cutter, if maintained and looked after properly, will be one of the most reliable and useful tools in your kitchen arsenal.