You may be wondering - filleting knife vs. boning knife, what is the real difference? These two knives are often referred to as being the same because of their great similarity. But there is one characteristic that sets them apart.

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A boning knife is used to separate the meat from the bone, while a filleting knife is used to peel off the skin and then the flesh to make fillets.

The difference between their structure is that the filleting knife is much thinner than the boning knife. A boning knife can be both rigid and flexible, but a filleting knife needs to be flexible as it has to deal with delicate meat like fish.

Main Features of a Boning Knife

The main purpose of boning knives is to separate meat from the bone. They make boning easier and save time. They are strong enough to withstand the toughest meat cutting jobs. Solid blades and handles make boning knives more powerful than other pieces of cutlery.

A boning knife has a blade that is an average of five to seven inches long. The blade of a boning knife is usually flat with a hardened tip. One of the main differences is that boning knives have thicker blades and are less flexible than filleting knives.

Boning knives are used to remove fresh meat from large bones. They are also used to separate tiny fish bones from fish flesh. The handle of a boning knife is usually larger than that of a filleting knife.

A fine, flexible blade makes cutting and boning poultry or fish a breeze.
Boning knives come in a number of varieties, including ones that are both strong and flexible to handle complex tasks like trimming ribs.
The maneuverability of the boning knives allows you to serve the tastiest meat next to the bone, ensuring that little of your cut is wasted.
A boning knife has a strong blade that can cut joints, cartilage and ligaments.
Using the correct boning knife will help you make cleaner, straighter cuts and can drastically improve the look of the meat you are serving.
A boning knife can help prevent injury from excessive force on a blunt knife.
A special boning knife can help you maintain the edges and sharpness of your other knives you wont need to use for that task anymore.
It's the perfect size for removing skin from fish, poultry, or trimming pieces of meat.
In some cases, using a boning knife can make filleting fish as easily as using a filleting knife.
Many practical, unexpected uses such as peeling and cleaning fruits and vegetables.

A boning knife is an important part of your kitchen. Especially if you eat a lot of meat or like to breakdown and butcher large meat portions. Not only will it help you prepare meats, but it will also become your go to knife in other preparation activities in the kitchen.

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Main Features of a Fillet Knife

Filleting knives, on the other hand, are much more flexible and thinner than any other type. Unlike a boning knife, its average blade length varies between six and eleven inches.

A filleting knife is specially made to cut the protein without a lot of waste.

In contrast to other types of knives, a filleting knife should not require much force. It is designed to perform delicate filleting tasks. So never try to use this type of cooking knife to do forceful cutting in the kitchen. Make sure you are using high quality knives in order to perform the filleting of meat flawlessly and almost effortlessly.

A filleting knife has one main purpose and is built for precision.
A filleting knife is the perfect knife for removing scales and skin from fish and then cutting off the flesh to create a boneless fillet.
Filleting knives can be used for trimming fat, removing innards, filleting and even when preparing fruits and vegetables.
Filleting knives can be compared to a surgeon's scalpel as both are perfect for precise, fine work.
Filleting knife is a knife that you use to clean certain types of meat and prepare them for cooking. The quality of your filleting knife can ultimately determine the quality of your meat. This is especially true for fish.
When working with fish a good filleting knife will reduce the chances of scales and bones getting into your award-winning dish.

Filleting knives are considered ideal for removing bones, skin ect from fish. The reason for this is that fish usually don't have any larger bones. Fish meat can be cut precisely with the filleting knife.

Frequently Asked Questions:

At what angle do you sharpen a boning knife?

To make setting the angle easier, start with a 20 degree bevel angle.

What size filleting knife should I buy?

The ideal length of a knife is between 4 and 9 inches, depending on the size of the meat you want to cut.

What is a fillet knife used for?

A fillet knife has a thin, flexible, and typically short blade that provides the perfect precision, control, and maneuverability for cleaning fish and other meats for cooking. Fillet knives are specially made for removing the bones, skin and viscera from a fish in order to shape fillets. While cleaning and preparing fish for cooking is the primary use of a fillet knife, it's also great for other types of meat, such as poultry and beef.

Hunters and fishermen are also big fans of filleting knives for cleaning large game and fish in the field. In fact, almost everyone who cooks - from the professional chef to the common home and BBQ cook - can benefit from having a favorite fillet knife that does all of the precise filleting, slicing, dicing, and slicing of these popular knives.

Is a boning knife the same as a filleting knife?

While the filleting knife technically belongs to the boning knife family, the popular knife differs significantly in its properties and functions. A filleting knife has a thinner and more flexible blade than boning knives and allows the user to make more precise cuts with less meat wasted. In addition, fillet knives are super flexible, which allows for better maneuverability when removing the skin.

How sharp is a fillet knife?

Razor sharp. Typical kitchen knives have a 20 degree bevel, and the preferred bevel is 12 to 15 degrees per side for filleting. This extreme bevel provides precise, easy cuts with reasonable resistance to matting.

Most chefs (both amateur and professional) will likely want at least one boning knife and one filleting knife in their cutlery collection. Some prefer to invest in a single, versatile fillet / boning knife, but with a thin, flexible fillet knife and a sturdy, manoeuvrable boning knife on hand, you should be well equipped to clean and cook any type of meat or fish. Whether a chef prefers a boning knife or a filleting knife, both options can be found at Chef Supply.