There are two knives in my kitchen which are unique from others; a Serbian chef knife and a Chinese cleaver. I started using these two knives when I was trying to learn cooking and I absolutely loved them. I usually use them in our kitchen however, I bring these knives once in a while when our camping group goes hunting. Many people are curious to know about them.
Even today, most people aren’t aware what their differences are and that’s why I’m writing this post to help them. Just give me a minute or two and I’ll clear your doubts today.
What is a Serbian Chef Knife?
It comes with the combined features of a cleaver and a chef knife. It’ll have a long, thick and sharp blade with curved spine for start cuts. It is designed to perform various tasks from chopping to slicing and dicing.
Many countries have their popular knives such as Japan has Santoku & Gyuto, China has cleaver, France and Germany has its own chef knife. Similarly, Serbia has its chef knife and it is one of the most underrated among other knives.
There is no official data to confirm the origin of this knife but Almazan Kitchen is the brand behind the popularity in the United States.
I’ve also purchased their Original Serbian Kitchen knife and used it for more than 3 years and I must say, it does the job well. The overall size of this knife is 12-inches and has an 8-inch blade with 3/16 inch thickness. The blade is made out of high carbon steel and weighs about 2.39 lbs. I prefer this knife mostly for performing demanding kitchen work when my other knives struggle.
Occasionally, I use this knife for processing games I hunt for butchering, trimming and slicing. The strong and the heavy build of the knife makes these jobs much easier compared to a general chef knife.
What is a Chinese Cleaver?
It features a tall, rectangular blade with a blunt tip and suitable for meat processing and vegetable prep. They are mostly heavy knives and excellent for powerful kitchen tasks.
I’ve been used to western style knives for the past few years until I tried this knife for the first time. It took me several months to get used to this blade and right now, I use it without any issues. If you are also planning to use it, it’ll take some time to get used to but it’ll be worth it for sure.
I have owned WÜSTHOF Chinese Chef’s Knife for more than a year now and I’m absolutely loving it. It comes with a 7-inch rectangular blade made out of high carbon stainless steel knife and weighs about 0.6 lbs. I had several other knives in the past but they lack quality blades and this one was suggested by a friend and I use it regularly. I prefer this knife for processing soft bones and other demanding tasks in my kitchen.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between Chinese cleaver and Serbian cleaver?
The major differences are their blade shape and thickness.
A blade of a chinese cleaver is rectangular with no tip whereas the serbian one features a drop-point like tip suitable for precise tasks. The chinese knife is relatively thinner which provides flexibility while performing any task and the serbian cleaver often comes with thick blades.
The chinese cleaver is designed for kitchen preparation tasks, crushing and slicing tasks and the serbian knife is an excellent choice for processing raw meats, butchering and slicing.
2. What is the difference between a Chinese cleaver and a chef knife?
A chinese cleaver features a rectangular, wide and thick blade. The size ranges from 6-9 inches and is mainly used for heavy-duty kitchen tasks.
A chef knife is a compact and multi-purpose kitchen knife 6-14 inches. It features a cut-out edge and a sharp point to perform various kitchen tasks.
3. What is the advantage of a Chinese cleaver?
The major advantages are; it can be used as a primary chopping and crushing tool for any ingredient in your kitchen.
4. Can Chinese cleavers cut bones?
Yes. Due to its rectangular shaped blade, it is an excellent choice for cutting bones.
5. What is the best size Chinese cleaver?
The best sizes are between 6-9 inches and are sufficient to perform most tasks.
Conclusion:
As my kitchen is filled with various knives, I had the confusion of choosing the right one between a chinese cleaver and serbian chef knife. Once I started using them on a regular basis, I understood the one I needed to use.
For raw meat processing, you can go with the chinese cleaver and for other demanding kitchen tasks, I would recommend you go with the serbian knife. If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comments and I’ll get back to you soon. Thanks.
