Go to any Chinese supermarket, and you will find Chinese cleavers sold in the corner with the other kitchen supplies. Unlike a Japanese kitchen, which has over a dozen specialty knives, the Chinese kitchen focuses on just one do-it-all knife—the cleaver.
The term cleaver is misleading. It is not for “cleaving” large cuts of meat as you would in a butcher’s shop, rather it is an all-purpose knife. I have seen it used to slice garlic, thinly slice scallions, trim pork, chop herbs and to cut up just about any vegetable you can think of.
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Milk Street Cleaver takes this simple concept and does it one better with a razor-sharp, super-thin 2-millimeter blade, a lock-in grip handle and an extended file pattern, which makes the blade almost nonstick (food is less likely to stick to the blade during slicing). At 7 inches long, 3 inches tall and less than half a pound in weight, this tool is an inch shorter than most cleavers for a lighter, more nimble experience.
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Unlike most cleavers that feature a basic rectangular blade design, the Milk Street Cleaver blade arcs inward at the heel with a “cutaway” notch to allow for multiple grips, while keeping your fingers guarded and preserving the length of the blade. To feel and function like a smaller knife, the cutaway heel lets you choke up close and tight on the blade. Or slide your hand back on the extended lock-in-grip handle for more clearance, leverage and power.
So what’s wrong with my 8-inch chef’s knife? Why do I need a Chinese cleaver?
Here are a few suggestions from my kitchen…