# Breaking down whole chicken - what are you using?



## alterwisser (Feb 4, 2017)

Laugh at me.... but today I realized for the first time how much cheaper it is to buy a whole chicken than just parts of it....

So I want to do that more often and break it down myself. My mom in law just uses scissors, but I was like "no way", I wanna use knives .... and maybe I need a new one for it LOL

So what are you using? Beater knife? Cleaver? Honesuki?


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 4, 2017)

Western deba.

[video=youtube;urIeUid1TMo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urIeUid1TMo[/video]


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## Nemo (Feb 4, 2017)

Complete amateur here. I used to use a Vic boning knife and western cleaver but now I use it as an excuse to use my honyaki deba.


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## panda (Feb 4, 2017)

All.you need is a petty


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## easy13 (Feb 4, 2017)

Dont have to crack through cases like I used to, but back then a Fujiwara Honesuki and a 240 Hiromoto. Had this made a while back and it is perfect.


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## Lazarus (Feb 4, 2017)

easy13 said:


> Dont have to crack through cases like I used to, but back then a Fujiwara Honesuki and a 240 Hiromoto. Had this made a while back and it is perfect.




That's really a nice honesuki, and you are the first other person I've seen touting a bloodroot blade here.


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## JDA_NC (Feb 4, 2017)

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]


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## skewed (Feb 5, 2017)

alterwisser said:


> Laugh at me.... but today I realized for the first time how much cheaper it is to buy a whole chicken than just parts of it....
> 
> So I want to do that more often and break it down myself. My mom in law just uses scissors, but I was like "no way", I wanna use knives .... and maybe I need a new one for it LOL
> 
> So what are you using? Beater knife? Cleaver? Honesuki?



I use a Tojiro DP 210 petty. It is pretty darn thick and I put a very conservative edge on it. Seems to work quite well for breaking down chickens. I like the extra length over a honesuki or hankotsu.

I would recommend getting 3-4 whole chickens. By the last one you will probably have a good technique down that will stay with you. Also, you will have enough bones to make a great stock.

Have fun! I really enjoying prepping them.


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## chinacats (Feb 5, 2017)

Vic boner or Sab petty depending on mood...


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## GorillaGrunt (Feb 5, 2017)

I use one of my big European chef knives, either a Wusthof or Sabatier. JDA's video makes me want to get a garasuki though!


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## Ivang (Feb 5, 2017)

150 mm petty


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## jkao (Feb 5, 2017)

Western chef knife or shun elite honesuki


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## supersayan3 (Feb 5, 2017)

I will confuse you now, but if you know where are the joints and the points that have to be cut, any non serated knife will do, I do it with whatever I have in hand, gyuto 21-24, flexible sujihiki, whatever


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## labor of love (Feb 5, 2017)

supersayan3 said:


> I will confuse you now, but if you know where are the joints and the points that have to be cut, any non serated knife will do, I do it with whatever I have in hand, gyuto 21-24, flexible sujihiki, whatever



I agree. I guess things like a western deba help for speed.


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## merlijny2k (Feb 5, 2017)

Gustav Emil Ern butcher knife with conservative edge, and Ikea Slitbar meat cleaver to chop up the carcass for soup.


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## DamageInc (Feb 5, 2017)

Either my Haburn petty or my Masakage Koishi honesuki. I always buy whole chickens, never parts. Unless I need 100 wings of course.


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## Jovidah (Feb 5, 2017)

Discovered this quite a few years ago and it has saved me loads of money. Especially when you want to eat quality meat, which always demands a huge premium in supermarkets. I've been eating mostly Label Rouge chickens for the last few years, and whenever they're on sale at the wholesaler they're quite affordable.

I started out with a cheap Victorinox boner. It works, but I found it to lose its edge pretty quickly and annoying to sharpen (due to the big belly in the front). Got a Carbonext honesuki a year ago and it's a major improvement (especially in ease of sharpening). So maintenance-wise I find it a lot easier.
I also have an old vintage carbon cleaver from a thrift store. Useful for cutting up carcasses, cutting off wingtips, etc.

To be honest pretty much any reasonably sharp knife can be used to take chickens apart. As others are said, you're mostly cutting through a few joints and most of the job can then be done by simply tearing, pulling, or riding along bones with your fingers (which often gives the best yields).
For scraping bones (if you're frenching legs or deboning the entire leg), I always use the back of the blade, so it won't stress the edge. For that reason I wouldn't want a rounded spine on my honesuki. Sharp corners scrape well.


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## merlijny2k (Feb 5, 2017)

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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## preizzo (Feb 5, 2017)

Generally a small deba or a honesuki, but like supersayan says if you know where the joint are, you should not have problems. Last week I debone 15 polle du bress with a usuba.... &#128514;&#128514;


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## Noodle Soup (Feb 5, 2017)

I have a 160mm and a 200mm Watanabe I use. Both are double ground deba style knives that work very well for breaking down chickens. At one time I used a Takeda of the same general pattern. I can take the wings and legs off along with boning the breast with just about anything but for the backbone and ribs it is nice to have something up to a little bone cutting. The same for splitting the breast bone in.


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## supersayan3 (Feb 5, 2017)

preizzo said:


> Generally a small deba or a honesuki, but like supersayan says if you know where the joint are, you should not have problems. Last week I debone 15 polle du bress with a usuba.... [emoji23][emoji23]



Freestyler


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## mcritchlow (Feb 5, 2017)

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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## limpet (Feb 5, 2017)

I use my Akifusa AS 165 Petty (Masami Asai). It's got a more robust edge than my other pettys, a bit thicker. I've given it a touch up on 1000 grit just to give it plenty of bite. 

Here it is after slicing up some chicken liver.


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## preizzo (Feb 5, 2017)

I am missing that asai.. Looking for another petty in that size.


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## cenc (Feb 5, 2017)

I use my Shigefusa Kitaeji Garasuki, and yea, chastise me for using it. I understand. How could I use such a gorgeous knife for such a rough task?

God damn, it has such a TOUGH and hard steel though.. It kept a really sharp edge after 2 - 40#cases of whole birdz. I am in love with that knife!

The length is also perfect for me when I butterfly the breasts.


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## Matus (Feb 5, 2017)

150 SLD honesuki for $70 from JKI (Hiromoto I guess), love it. I need to rehandle it though.


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## daveb (Feb 5, 2017)

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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## jaknil (Feb 5, 2017)

Kato double beveled honesuki.

I have 20 chikens myself, ever since I saw a program on TV depicting the chicken-industry, aprox 5 years ago. 
Never eat any other chicken than my own (unless served at friends house).


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## Sleep (Feb 5, 2017)

A petty. 150 Ginga. No problems using it to cut up the frames for stock.

I'm liking small gyutos for ballotine at the moment. 180 Tanaka ku and 210 Misono carbon. Both have sharp spines for scraping and enough weight to break bones.

I use a 10" victorinox for spatchcock and cleaning up the ends of frenched drumsticks.


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## mise_en_place (Feb 5, 2017)

I love my Rinkaku SS honesuki for poultry. I've been spoiled by honesuki and can't go back to using a petty.

Sometimes I'll use a 210 western Deba if the bird is very large/old or I'm cutting through the keel bone.


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## mise_en_place (Feb 5, 2017)

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]


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## fimbulvetr (Feb 5, 2017)

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.


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## Jovidah (Feb 5, 2017)

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?



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





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.


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...


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## fimbulvetr (Feb 5, 2017)

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.


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## Seth (Feb 5, 2017)

[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.


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## valgard (Feb 5, 2017)

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.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## valgard (Feb 5, 2017)

Before someone jumps in fright, I said *more* delicate, not delicate in an absolute sense.


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## daveb (Feb 5, 2017)

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.


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## jimbob (Feb 5, 2017)

+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.


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## Kingkor (Feb 6, 2017)

Bernal cutlery custon breaking knife


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## limpet (Feb 6, 2017)

preizzo said:


> I am missing that asai.. Looking for another petty in that size.


I remembered wrong regarding size. It seems it is more like 160 mm. I think there is one finished by Yamamoto at Cleancut.


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## Castalia (Feb 6, 2017)

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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## Noodle Soup (Feb 6, 2017)

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.


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?


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## swarth (Feb 6, 2017)

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?


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## Noodle Soup (Feb 6, 2017)

swarth said:


> Same problem. IE only. Works fine in Chrome. Maybe others.



I probably still need to ask what changed? Not really wanting to mess with Chrome.


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## KimBronnum (Feb 6, 2017)

I use a Toyama honesuke or a Shigefusa gerasuke. I love them both.


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## zetieum (Feb 6, 2017)

I use a Takeo Murata Buho Sabaki. It is just perfect for poultry.


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## MontezumaBoy (Feb 6, 2017)

Any one of these will do just fine (please excuse the crap pics) ... but I just grab the HHH/Randy Garasuki ... because I can ...










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


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## Noodle Soup (Feb 9, 2017)

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]



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.


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## Jkts (Feb 9, 2017)

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 ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's a cool set! Chickens won't stand a chance!


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## suntzu (Mar 8, 2017)

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.


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## JGui (Mar 8, 2017)

How bout a ontario old butchers 7" knife


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## Chef_ (Mar 9, 2017)

150mm hattori honesuki.


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## Godslayer (Mar 9, 2017)

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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