Breaking down whole chicken - what are you using?

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Some badass technique here posted on the JKI blog:

[video=youtube;-gf5QUFh3L8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gf5QUFh3L8[/video]

[video=youtube;2raI04WFJ4k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2raI04WFJ4k[/video]
 
I adore my yoshikane honesuki. One of my favorite knives in my kit. It helps, though, that I used to cut up a LOT of chicken. And I still break down more birds than the average bear.
 
merlijny2k said:
The butcher knife is of what is now often referred to as the churrasco style with a straight back. I like it, but i don't feel a 180-210mm chef knife would be any less efficient. Mostly I just like to have a few different knives sharpened to different grit, thinness and angle i guess. But then again don't we all here?
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I think the whole 'having a different knife' is the nicest part. At least having SOMETHING different so you're not ruining your well tuned gyuto and it's Ferrari edge on chicken bones. :)

mcritchlow said:
Munetoshi butcher. It's a bit overkill, and I used to just use an older SS petty I reshaped a bit. But the butcher is fun :)
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daveb said:
Yoshi Honesuki - when I have it at hand - is preferred. Have used the Mun Butcher with good results. Have used a petty. Have used a cleaver. Knowing about where the joints are is everything.
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How's that Munetoshi butcher working out for you guys? It really looks extremely badass... like the Chuck Norris of knives... but can you do the more subtle stuff with it? I'd be afraid something so thick would just wedge in the joints...or is that just in my imagination?
I gave it serious consideration but then I realized I don't debone grizzly bears and rhinos so I just stuck with the safe choice of the specialized poultry knife. ;) But everytime I browse JNS I still feel it calling me...
 
I wouldn't hesitate to use the Munetoshi to bone out a squab. I would probably think twice before using it to bone a quail. I'd waffle about whether to use it to bone out a rabbit loin.

If that helps at all.
 
[video=youtube;78IFzqczrDk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78IFzqczrDk[/video] - my favorite as previously posted...

I have:

masamoto - small and large
suisin
kato
hide

My life-long quest to find the perfect knife for chicken; haven't succeeded. Favorite recipe for chicken: debone, brine, throw away, and buy another. Very easy. Usually I don't screw it up.
 
The Munetoshi butcher is badass indeed, but the very tip is ultra fine and can do some more delicate stuff if needed. I used it a couple of times for chicken already without issues but it really shined when breaking down a pork rack at a friend's house yesterday. He was impressed with the combination of sharpness and pure toughness.
Jovidah said:
I think the whole 'having a different knife' is the nicest part. At least having SOMETHING different so you're not ruining your well tuned gyuto and it's Ferrari edge on chicken bones. :)



How's that Munetoshi butcher working out for you guys? It really looks extremely badass... like the Chuck Norris of knives... but can you do the more subtle stuff with it? I'd be afraid something so thick would just wedge in the joints...or is that just in my imagination?
I gave it serious consideration but then I realized I don't debone grizzly bears and rhinos so I just stuck with the safe choice of the specialized poultry knife. ;) But everytime I browse JNS I still feel it calling me...
Click to expand...
 
Before someone jumps in fright, I said more delicate, not delicate in an absolute sense.
 
The butcher excels at anything having to do with making big pieces of meat into small pieces of meat. Robust enough if it hits bone to just keep going. Will make a 60# round into 5# pieces for the grinder without raising a sweat. Cut apart ribs, french bones, debone.

Not much for slicing but can be done. Not worth a chit if dicing, slicing, veg.
 
+1 for m butcher. A mate took apart a whole deer no probs. And I'm guilty of using to carve roast chicken. Edged is tough enough to remove backbone for butter flying. Has become a very handy multi purpose knife for me.
 
preizzo said:
I am missing that asai.. Looking for another petty in that size.
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I remembered wrong regarding size. It seems it is more like 160 mm. I think there is one finished by Yamamoto at Cleancut.
 
How about with a Chinese cleaver?
[video=youtube;V37Pc45P4HA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V37Pc45P4HA[/video]

I usually just use a 165 Murata 'funayuki' or a 180 gyuto.
 
Castalia said:
How about with a Chinese cleaver?
[video=youtube;V37Pc45P4HA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V37Pc45P4HA[/video]

I usually just use a 165 Murata 'funayuki' or a 180 gyuto.
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OK I guess I need to ask. For the last few days all I get when someone posts a video is a black box that doesn't open to anything. That include old videos I have watched here in the past. Photos come through fine and videos on other websites seem to all work OK. Any thoughts on what the problems is?
 
Same problem. IE only. Works fine in Chrome. Maybe others.

Noodle Soup said:
OK I guess I need to ask. For the last few days all I get when someone posts a video is a black box that doesn't open to anything. That include old videos I have watched here in the past. Photos come through fine and videos on other websites seem to all work OK. Any thoughts on what the problems is?
Click to expand...
 
Any one of these will do just fine (please excuse the crap pics) ... but I just grab the HHH/Randy Garasuki ... because I can ...


IMG_3214_zpskowtwwm7.jpg


Love Randy & Marko's work & FWIW that HHH "fillet" knife is freaking AWESOME ... filleting be damned ...TjA
 
JDA_NC said:
In NC chicken generally costs next to nothing because of how strong the poultry industry is here. A lot of the terrible scenes showing poultry farms in food documentaries are filmed here... it's tough trying to juggle the desire and want of responsible animal husbandry & farming, and also having things like $3 whole chickens (or a dozen bone-in thighs for $5) widely available at grocery stores. I just moved back home and am on a limited budget, so I've been eating a boatload of inhumanely raised chicken.

A 150mm to 210mm petty has always done me well in the past. But I got a southpaw Masahiro carbon honesuki from Knifemerchant.com almost two years ago (one of the best deals for lefty knives) and I'm a big fan. It's a no frills, workhorse, professional-style knife and it really gets the job done. A honesuki isn't necessary by any means but it's a fun knife if you're interested in doing Japanese/Eastern-style poultry butchering.

[video=youtube;3fpKgXqhvtQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fpKgXqhvtQ[/video]
Click to expand...

And he never broke the back down into two cuts for frying like I do. Nice to have a knife that can handle a little bone cutting for that. My other use for that back section is making stock but a medium weight Chinese cleaver works best then.
 
MontezumaBoy said:
Any one of these will do just fine (please excuse the crap pics) ... but I just grab the HHH/Randy Garasuki ... because I can ...


IMG_3214_zpskowtwwm7.jpg


Love Randy & Marko's work & FWIW that HHH "fillet" knife is freaking AWESOME ... filleting be damned ...TjA
Click to expand...

That's a cool set! Chickens won't stand a chance!
 
i find any straight blade (not sabre) boning or rigid (not flexible) filleting knife are easiest for breaking down chooks.

light knife of medium blade length is easy to wield, useful tip makes easy to get to tendons or make precise nicks and cuts when required.

however unlike the video shown above i do not believe in any reason to put a knife down and get both hands dirty just to toss a bird around... but then again i was trained to keep 1 hand for holding the knife at all times so i tend to use the spine of a knife to help manipulate any flipping i need to do... for the 2 legs though that should be done with the bird aerial.. holding the drumstick the weight of the bird helps to part the joint so letting gravity do the work.
 
How bout a ontario old butchers 7" knife
 
Was using a masakage shimo 150mm petty, upgraded to a dalman pettysuki. maybe saturday I should make some nashville fried chicken, just need some lard or maybe duck fat ;)
 
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