Knives for Cutting?

[Emilee]

What does everyone use to cut bones for the ferrets? Last night I got some 1st and 2nd section wings for Jasper, and cutting them was a NIGHTMARE! The marrow would all splatter out. It took me about 30 minutes to figure out a way to cut, and about 10 minutes to cut one wing segment. I had to take our biggest knife, wedge it as far as I could, then cover my hand with a towel and repeatedly hit the dull end of the knife to further wedge it. And it's just a chicken wing!!! I was wondering what you all suggest to cut bones.

[lnsybean44]

I bought a cheap knife from Christmas Tree Shop. I start by whacking the bone to get a cut in it. Then I place my knife in the groove and rock it back and forth while applying pressure with my hand. You can put a towel over it to protect your hand. For super big bones, life turkey thighs. I take it outside, put it in a bag and hit it with a meat mallet. Then I will bring it back in and cut it up where the breaks in the bone are.

If it is that nights dinner and the size is okay, I just whack it with a knife to break it up a bit and toss it in with the ferrets... or use the meat mallet and a bag.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the knife I have is about seven inches long and looks like this... just not as nice

www.chefscatalog.com/img/products/285x285/90844_285.jpg

the blade is wider too.

[Emilee]

Thank you, I might try that!!! It's extremely difficult for me to break the bone- I can cut it at the joints and snap the bones, but right now he's not liking that size, so it needs to be cut! I'm thinking a huge, sharp knife, or maybe some poultry shears.

[Lynxie]

I have no problem getting through the bone, and I use a little, cheapo kitchen knife. I just make sure to line it up with the joint, and then whack.

[spiritualtramp]

I just use my hands and break them! I like the mallet idea though for larger bones.

[Emilee]

I tried using my hands to break them, but I can't seem to get them any smaller than 1 1/2 inches, not to mention all the meat comes off!

[konotashi]

I use meat scissors. We also have a pair of regular heavy duty scissors that I use sometimes that work quite well!

[Kerit]

Poultry shears for me, too. What I can't get through, my husband can.

www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kitchendining/brandsforkitchen/foodnetwork/cutlery/PRD~251878/Food+Network+Poultry+Shears.jsp

I have two pairs of these... They come apart for cleaning. Love 'em.

[josiesmom]

A GOOD set of kitchen/poultry shears are indispensable! Look for a pair that the blade is all in one piece with the handle. The mid range and low end ones will have "comfort handles" that are plastic and eventually these handles WILL break .

WHen cutting poultry I just cut at the joints and between the ribs. Turkey neck bones can be tough, but usually chicken necks shear with moderate effort.

Cheers!

[Heather]

A good set of kitchen shears. The best piece of equipment bar none for cutting up bones. I use them to separate backs, legs off of the carcass. An amazing tool. Just don't cut yourself in your enthusiasm, because it seems to go through human flesh far easier than game
ciao

[Emilee]

I'll try the shears, then! I'll also make sure to get ones with metal handles that are part of the blade.

I can't promise you I won't cut myself, though.

[sherrylynne]

Here's what I also find really handy:
www.workingdogs.com/people/kitchen-284507-B00004RFMX-JA_Henckels_International_Classic_Stainless_Steel_Meat_Cleaver.html
If you can imagine me wielding this first thing in the morning on turkey necks . Needless to say- hands stay well out of the way!

[rarnold18]

I use the utility scissors that came with my knife set to cut up things like chicken backs, wings, and beef heart and other organs... For the bigger stuff I have a big meat cleaver (faberwear I think) that I bought at walmart for about $7...when I have that in hand, run! Because I am VERY accident prone and someone always ends up bleeding (usually me but there have been a couple of incidents where an innocent bystander was injured) For the REALLY big stuff I have a sawsall that I plug in, the "wood" style blade cuts through big bones like "butter"!

[Emilee]

I know, today someone was talking about chainsaws and I was like "CHAINSAW! THAT WILL GET THROUGH THAT BONE!"

I might not have to buy anything, after all. I learned that the knives we have need to be sharpened fairly regularly, and my cutting skills are getting pretty good if I say so myself. I can cut through it easier now than before.

[rarnold18]

yup! A chainsaw would do it!!! but the chain oil would contaminate the meat... My mother-in-law has a commercial bone saw it looks just like a ban saw that you would find in a woodshop but the teeth on the blade are a bit different... we both feed our dogs raw and she has giant breeds (ovacharka, irish wolfhound, great pyr, and tibetian mastiff.. I just have 3 pits and a chihuahua!) so we go through some BIG bones cow femur and knees/knuckles, pork necks, venison necks and backs I know it went through the last skull I had really nicely! Once you get used to seperating and cutting up the bones and joints it goes a lot faster and if you used kitchen scissors your hands get much stronger too... When we started feeding raw I used to have to cut up the chicken necks for Lola my 13 year old Chi that was suck tedious work but after a few weeks I was able to fly right through it and Lola had the jaw strength so I didn't have too... the same with chicken backs now that I have better hand strength cutting up backs when I need to goes alot faster!