In a hurry? My pick for best knife for slicing brisket is the Victorinox Swiss Army Pro Slicing Knife.
Brisket is a particularly tough cut of meat to cook properly. However, with the increasing popularity of slow cooking and smoking at home, it's also an increasingly popular cut.
Setting aside the difficulty of getting a nice brisket on the cutting board, you also need to plan to cut it the right way. Nice, thin, juicy slices are ideal – and today we're going to talk about your knife block. I'll take you through picking out the best knife for slicing brisket.
Let's cut to it!
You'd be forgiven for questioning the need for a special brisket knife. And yes, to be fair, you could use your Chef's knife to slice off a bit of brisket.
However, there are a few reasons to get an excellent slicer instead of risking the Chef's knife. Remember, your brisket probably cooked for somewhere near 14-16 hours and it'd be terrible to butcher that beautiful meal when you're so close to the final stretch.
For starters, you want your brisket slicer to be a long knife. Using a long blade will make the brisket easier and faster to cut. A long knife will help to create even and thin slices instead of torn edges to your meat.
Second, pay close attention to the edge. Slicers often come with a scalloped or Granton edge. These knives have divots or depressions on the blade edge which create air pockets when slicing. Air helps prevent the meat from sticking when you slice.
Finally, pay attention to flexibility. Especially with a longer blade, you want your knife to have some give while it navigates a longer cut.
Now let's talk a bit about the edge on a brisket slicer.
Commonly, your knives will have serrated, micro-serrated, or straight edges. In that mix we'll also talk about scalloped edges, a feature I highly suggest in a brisket slicer.
Serrated – Serrated knives don't have a straight blade edge but instead many divots where there is a circular cut into the knife blade. These work fine to "saw" meat and I do recommend them when cutting on hard plates made of ceramic or porcelain, but on a cutting board I'd pass.
Micro-serrated - Micro-serrated blades are just serrated blades edges writ small. They are also suitable for cutting on harder plates, and I would keep them and the serrated blades away from your brisket slicing station.
Straight – Straight blades are the sharpest – and best – knife to use for slicing massive meat like a brisket. With a continuous edge, you won't have even the minor tearing of a serrated or micro-serrated blade and will get beautiful cuts.
Scalloped – Scalloping is an edge feature, but not on the actual business end of your knife. Manufacturers put depressions into the side of the blade where it will be narrower. This introduces pockets of air, which prevent the meat from sticking to the edge of the knife. "Granton" edges are a trademarked term by The Granton Company, but also refer to a similar scalloped edge.
There are a few things to remember when slicing large pieces of meat such as brisket.
The first thing to remember is always let your meat rest before you start slicing it. For a brisket, that probably means over an hour - wrap it in a couple layers of foil and put it in a cooler and let the temperature come down. If meat's sliced before it has time to rest, the juices inside won't redistribute.
No juices? Dry meat!
The second thing to remember when slicing large pieces of meat is that you should slice the meat gently. Do not move the knife back and forth and try a sawing motion. (Remember that this is food, not a piece of wood.)
Use the full length of the knife – one of the reasons you bought a dedicated one – to slice without sawing.
Third, remember to cut against the grain of the meat. The meat is more tender if you cut against the lengthwise direction of the tissues and muscles. Your goal is to shorten the muscle fibers instead of leaving long ones in the dish; this makes the meat unnecessarily chewy.
The Victorinox Swiss Army Pro Slicing Knife has a 12” straight scalloped Blade. The blade has a rounded tip and is crafted to reduce friction. The lower resistance of the knife gives a cleaner cut for perfectly sliced pieces of brisket.
The knife is made from fine stainless steel, and users report it can hold an excellent edge. The handle has non-slip materials making it easy to handle. There is also a lifetime guarantee for buyers against any defects on the knife.
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The blade on the DALSTRONG Slicing Carving Knife is constructed of high-carbon steel from Germany. The blade is flexible and well-balanced, making the knife easy to handle.
The design makes this an excellent knife for filleting, skinning, trimming, and even de-boning. The aesthetic handle's made with black pakkawood that polished to look beautiful. The 12” blade is excellent for carving large pieces of meat such as a roast or ham... or of course, a brisket. There is also a 100% money-back guarantee with every sale., and it even comes with a sheath.
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The Mercer Culinary Renaissance Granton Edge Slicing Knife is a triple-riveted knife with a long 11” blade. The handle is ergonomically designed to be easier to hold and maneuver.
The Mercer's blade is constructed from German steel that is stain resistant and made from high carbon. The blade's materials make it less likely to rust or become discolored. There is also a limited lifetime warranty with every knife bought.
The knife also comes with an NSF certification. The NSF gives accreditation for public health revolving around safety.
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The Brisket Hollow Edge Slicer by Wüsthof is one of the larger knives on the slicer market. The knife's made by Wüsthof, one of the largest distributors of kitchen knives in the world. The blade's made from stainless steel and bares a Germany precision stamp, and the handle is a comfortable synthetic.
The handle is triple riveted to connect through the full tang design of the knife. Full tang is the most durable knife construction where metal runs from the tip to the end of the handle. The edge features nice scallops that prevent food from sticking when cutting.
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The Mercury Culinary Millennia is another long 14" knife sporting a construction with high-carbon stain-resistant Japanese steel. The handle's made from the materials Santoprene and polypropylene. Santoprene and polypropylene construction makes the handle both durable and comfortable.
There is a lifetime warranty and guarantee that is also included with the knife. There is also accreditation from NSF as well.
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My choice for the best knife for slicing brisket is the Victorinox Swiss Army Pro Slicing Knife.
This knife has all the key elements that make it perfect the next time you need to slice up a brisket. The blade of the knife is long enough to cut through large pieces of meat such as a roast or ham. I love the flexibility and scalloping, which helps lower friction so the knife cuts clean and sure through any type of food.
The knife is excellent for those looking to safety as well. The handle's made with non-slip materials giving users a better grip. The steel of the blade is durable and lasts. I think it'll last in your kitchen as well.
