How to Cut Frozen Meat

Cutting frozen meat can be really challenging when you have no idea how to do it properly and you don’t even have the correct knife. Although it’s hard to cut through completely frozen meat with a knife, sometimes you just have to do it. But you certainly don’t have to jump into it without acquiring some skills. So let’s learn how to cut frozen meat together and find out what types of knives we should use. 

Hot Tip: Softening it under running water can make it easier and protect the edge of your knife. If you don’t have time to spare, just microwave the meat for a quick defrost. 

Pick a knife: Before you start cutting your frozen meat, you have to choose the right knife for the task otherwise, you’re bound to fail. There are two crucial aspects to consider while picking your knife; sharpness and heaviness. Choose a knife that feels heavy in your hand and has a serrated edge so you can easily cut through the meat. Make sure the knife is sharp so it doesn’t leave a jagged edge when you make your cut. If you don’t have the right knife in your collection, check out Coolina’s handmade knives and find the perfect chef’s knife. 

Now that you have defrosted your meat and picked the right knife, you will need to break apart pieces of meat that are frozen together, such as chicken legs, steaks, burger patties, etc. To do this, carefully use the point of the knife to cut into the edges of the meat where they come together. Then place as much of the edge of the knife as you can within the spaces and carefully pry the meat apart. If it’s not budging, cut slightly further into the meat and then repeat the process without using excessive force. 

Thinner meat: For thinner meat, you can utilize your serrated utility knife and use it as a saw, applying pressure and carving through the meat.

Thicker meat: For thicker meat that has been at least partially thawed, you can use your butcher’s knife and try slicing it by carefully placing your palm on the spine of the knife and pressing down slightly as you slice it for slightly more pressure.

In conclusion: Sometimes it is better to wait a little for the meat to at least partially defrost, before cutting into it. Otherwise, you might hurt yourself especially if you’ve never cut through frozen meat.