Upgrade your kitchen by better understanding what a cleaver is

Do you agree that good cuisine depends on knowledge of culinary instruments? Knowing what a cleaver is is essential for anyone who wants to master even the details of the art of cooking. In addition, it is a great option for those who love to display good cutlery models.

Knowing the types of knives means knowing all the functionalities and possible uses of these instruments for your kitchen. There are multi-purpose knives, which are used in various activities, but some of them are designed for more specific use.

Once you have this knowledge, it becomes even easier to know which accessories will best suit your culinary style.

The cleaver is especially useful for cutting denser meats with bones. It's no wonder it's known as the "butcher's knife"! The utensil is so robust that it can be used for deboning pieces of meat, functioning like a genuine axe.

Also called by other names, such as meat cleaver and hatchet, this tool is easily recognized by the circular opening at the tip of the blade, which serves to hang it on the wall or on the belt.

When hung, the cleaver is less likely to have its blade damaged by mechanical shocks against the wall, for example. In addition, keeping your cleaver hung is a safety measure, as it prevents the blade from hitting other people.

Cleaver variations and their uses

Cleavers are instruments full of rusticity and strength, but they are also exquisite objects that allow for meticulous and more delicate cuts.

Don't be swayed by the opinion that this beautiful knife is an exclusive device for professionals. Although it requires more experienced and careful use, the cleaver is a friend to both the seasoned chef and the beginner.

Sometimes mistaken for a kind of santoku, the cleaver is, in fact, a utensil with a much larger and heavier blade.

Despite being associated with the butcher shop, it can perfectly serve in the daily home kitchen. Evidently, for this, it is necessary to keep in mind some differences between the models.

Basically, there are two types available on the market: the European and the Chinese. The first is heavier and is excellent for the deboning process. Being heavier, its blade exerts great force on the meat, so it is necessary to be careful.

European Cleaver

The European model can be found in light, medium, and heavy versions. It is a more robust knife that many consider ideal even for cutting pieces with joints and tough muscles, which are more difficult to cut! Indeed, in terms of strength, this utensil is a true machete.

The sharpness of this utensil is low, since its main attraction is the force it exerts on the food to be cut. It is for this reason that the European model has a very thick spine (back of the blade), therefore, heavier.

This characteristic leads many people to state that the cleaver is a single-use tool, that is, it serves only one function, which is to deal with operations that require more force and cutting power.

Thus, this model can enhance your kitchen, providing a more specialized list of tools, but it is not a good choice to replace your general-purpose knife, meaning it does not serve as a chef's knife.

The European variation offers great cutting precision, as its wooden handle allows more control of movement and direction in applying force.

The Chinese Model

Unlike the European type, the Chinese cleaver is a lighter culinary tool with a sharper blade. Thus, it is suitable for cutting both pieces of meat and for performing finer cuts, such as vegetables.

While the European model is almost exclusively associated with the most difficult cuts of meat pieces that present high resistance, the Chinese type is associated with more agile work, requiring less brute force.

Thus, it is possible to chop cabbage, as well as cut fillet slices and crush garlic with the same functionality, using a single utensil! Certainly, the Chinese cleaver should be on your list of tools for barbecue time!

Have you ever thought about julienning vegetables using a cleaver? Even herbs can be delicately cut when using a Chinese cleaver. Thus, you can even replace your chef's knife with this utensil.

An indispensable item for your kitchen, the cleaver is part of our rich cutlery catalog! Made with advanced laser technology, this utensil is certainly one of the indispensable valuable acquisitions for your collection.

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