GadgetGuy
(Formerly Shermie)
I've become so spoiled with this preparation tool!
I use it for ALL of the chopping, slicing & dicing chores! I DO have chef's knives, but I've been using this so much that I hardly every use any of the chef's knives.
Who has a Chinese Cleaver?
- Thread starter GadgetGuy
- Start date
I've become so spoiled with this preparation tool!
I use it for ALL of the chopping, slicing & dicing chores! I DO have chef's knives, but I've been using this so much that I hardly every use any of the chef's knives.
OhioTom76
Guru
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
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Interesting, this looks quite a bit thinner than what I would say a more traditional (in the US at least) meat cleaver is. For many years, I often neglected the meat cleaver in whatever set of knives I had on my counter. I wasn't until recent years, when I started getting more and more into breaking down whole chickens myself, that I started using my meat cleaver more, and I will admit as well, I never realized how versatile these things truly are. One of the biggest advantages when cutting through bones and joints with it, is that it's a much sturdier blade and it has the weight to break through bones when whacking them with it.
But it also works fantastic for stuff like mincing cloves of garlic, dicing onions, chopping herbs, and more. The only thing I would hold back on using it for, would be stuff like really ripe tomatoes or any other soft items which could get damaged easily. Sometimes the blade of the cleaver itself is too thick, that it will break apart stuff like ripe tomatoes - especially if the blade hasn't been recently sharpened, and perhaps dulled a bit from cutting through a lot of bones/joints. Also, when cutting through things like hard cheeses, the thickness of the blade can also cause the cheese to split and fall apart, instead of maintaining a slice shape.
But it also works fantastic for stuff like mincing cloves of garlic, dicing onions, chopping herbs, and more. The only thing I would hold back on using it for, would be stuff like really ripe tomatoes or any other soft items which could get damaged easily. Sometimes the blade of the cleaver itself is too thick, that it will break apart stuff like ripe tomatoes - especially if the blade hasn't been recently sharpened, and perhaps dulled a bit from cutting through a lot of bones/joints. Also, when cutting through things like hard cheeses, the thickness of the blade can also cause the cheese to split and fall apart, instead of maintaining a slice shape.
GadgetGuy
(Formerly Shermie)
A meat cleave (I have one also) is usually a lot bigger & heavier than the Chinese cleaver, even though some of them might look like the Chinese version.
it has a heavier, thicker & wider blade - the reason being is because it throws its weight around, which is an advantage when chopping though meat, especially through bone.
Most of them have a carbon steel blade, which is prone to rusting. Care must be taken when cleaning & storing it. When not in use, I keep it in a plastic tool box dry, & away from moisture. I rarely use it, but It is there when I need it.
Berties
Guru
i use one of these for splitting through bone,and batting out meat,and also a saw for removing some bones
GadgetGuy
(Formerly Shermie)
Looks like a hammerhead shark!! Hah!! 
worldmachine
Veteran
- Joined
- 10 Mar 2015
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- 5:16 PM
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- 36
I have a Chinese cleaver, it is a great multipurpose tool, it can be used as a hammer and the side of the blade can be used as a crusher. It is excellent for cutting items in to the smallest shreds, these cleavers do require a fair amount of practice to use properly in my experience though. I always keep mine extremely sharp and it serves me very well. Every part of my cleaver gets used in preparation and cooking.
GadgetGuy
(Formerly Shermie)
Yeah, just before chopping garlic, I turn the edge of the Chinese cleaver on its side and whack each clove with my fist on the side of the blade. This makes it much easier to chop!