cold cooked chicken Xs 200

[sel1k1]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of helping banquets for a few hours before service, went through a ton of prep for a party of 200 and then came the chicken breast, roasted, slightly overcooked.....cold...-_- My 210mm chef's knife flew through everything else with little to now effort. I had sharpened a few of my knives earlier that morning, deburring with cork and finishing with .25 microcarbide loaded latigo.

Dicing the chicken breasts was a real hassle. I havn't had a blister on my hand from cutting since 2006. What knife will suit tasks like this best? I was thinking a 180mm or 210mm deba.

 

[obtuse]

What knife are you using and what's your sharpening progression? My theory is your edge was too refined for protein.

 

[Salty dog]

To small a knife for the task.

 

[Vertigo]

Use a longer knife and examine your technique. You aren't trying to chop it like a veggie, it has a dense protein structure. Instead, slice it like meat--even if it's just stupid old cold chicken, the same principles apply as making paper thin slices of fish. Long pull cuts, letting the knife do the work.

 

[Justin0505]

I think that you where on the right track thinking deba in terms of something with some heft to it / blade heavy balance so that the weight does some of the work for you. But, I agree with Vertigo, that you also need more length. My DT ITK Chinese style cleaver does a great job with protein and the extra height you get with a cleaver really helps with big mountains of product. My other thought would be something like a 270 shige gyuto: nice thick, round spine (some cushion for the pushin'), but great (one of the all-time best) slicing geometries, and nice blade-heavy balance.

 

[ecchef]

Long pull cuts, letting the knife do the work.

Not in this situation; takes too long. He was dicing this stuff for banquet service. Time for the 'mighty' gyuto or cleaver.

 

[Vertigo]

I dice a few dozen pounds of chicken every morning for our chicken salad. It takes like 3 minutes. Pull cuts don't have to be slow.

 

[Eamon Burke]

CCK = Cold Chicken Knife

 

[obtuse]

CCK = Cold Chicken Knife

I like it

 

[ecchef]

I dice a few dozen pounds of chicken every morning for our chicken salad. It takes like 3 minutes. Pull cuts don't have to be slow.

I've been doing this banquet bullsh*t for so long that sometimes expedience and a crew with marginal knife skills gets in the way of applied technique in my case.
Still..24# of chix in 3 minutes?! Damn...you gotta make a video of that! :headbang: