Best Brisket Knives in 2023

Having the best brisket knife for you in your kitchen can be a game-changer. Whether you need something that can make quick work of hard-crusted bread/briskets, or you need a flexible blade to carve up the delicious roast you just cooked – a quality brisket knife can do it all!

We’re going to take a look at some of the best value-for-money brisket knives on the market that touch base with a broad set of needs, while still being functional and effective. We hope to teach you what to look for in a brisket knife and to know what kind of value and features you can expect at different price points.

By the time we’re done here, you’ll have everything you need to make an informed buying decision – even if you’re just seeing what your options are. You’ll be ready and able to get the best brisket knife that’s perfect for your needs – and your kitchen! Let’s get started!

Top 7 Best Brisket Knife Reviews in 2023

We’ve carefully chosen 7 brisket knives at different price points to give you plenty of variety. You’ll find shorter knives, some that are more durable, and even some options for the dedicated professional chef. We’ve brought you knives that have something unique to offer, ranging from hammered finishes to stunning handles – they all specialize without losing functionality.

You’ll find what stands out about each knife, why you should be paying attention to it, the type of user/use it best suits, where you can get it, and what we did (and didn’t) like about each of them. By the end of the guide, you’ll know what features are right for you and exactly what you’ll need in your next brisket knife! Let’s get into our best brisket knife reviews!

Ergo Chef Prodigy Series Brisket Knife

Kicking it off with the most popular knife in the review. The Ergo Prodigy is a 12” functional powerhouse brisket knife – and it’s super-affordable. It’s designed not only for briskets and bread, but also for carving thicker meats, roasts, and large hams.

The steel has a high carbon content which gives it excellent corrosion resistance as well as a wicked-sharp edge with fantastic edge retention – despite the softer steel. There are dimples along the blade’s length caused by the hollow grind edge. This helps create air pockets between the blade and the food, letting you get extremely thin, straight, and accurate slices without tearing the food.

You’ll find the handle to be exceptionally comfortable and ergonomic, and give you plenty of slip-resistance when you need it. It’s contoured and has finger choils near the handle and the base to protect your fingers and improve your grip. Overall, this is one of our favorite choices for the best knife for slicing briskets, and offers you massive value for money!

Sedge Slicing and Carving Brisket Knife

If you could turn a Formula One race car into a chef’s knife, this is probably what it would look like! Sedge is known for making an interestingly unique and attractive knife with non-standard aesthetics – and it looks amazing in this case. Not only are you getting premium looks, but the performance is also up to standard.

The high-grade Japanese AUS-10V Damascus steel is finished in the famous dragon pattern. With an HRC rating of 62+, this steel can hold an extremely sharp edge for longer than most Western chef knives. It’s sharpened at an 8° – 12° bevel to give you the smoothest and most effortless slicing experience.

You’re also getting a military-grade G10 handle with excellent durability and bacteria resistance. Although its shape is a little strange at first, it quickly grows on you. It’s thicker toward the blade-side of the handle and this guides your handle into the perfect pinch grip – right on the knife’s balance point.

The handle widens a little at its base to stop your hand from slipping off the back. It comes in a classy red case that further protects it between uses and adds a stylish touch to your kitchen. This is probably the best knife for slicing briskets if you want something stylish and attractive.

Wusthof Hollow Edge Brisket Slicer

Shifting up the price by a decent amount, here’s a full-sized brisket knife by the legendary Wusthof. It’s a basic-looking knife with excellent professional performance – the kind of knife you’d find in a professional kitchen. It’s been crafted from a single piece of molybdenum vanadium steel, giving it excellent blade strength and a very high resistance to corrosion and rusting.

Laser technology is used to give the knife a razor-sharp edge that holds well thanks to the high-grade steel. The blade is also stained and fade resistant so it will still look great after you’ve owned it for a long time. The handle is triple riveted to tang for extra strength and reliability during heavier cutting tasks.

It’s comfortable and has a ridge near its base to stop your hand from slipping – and to guide it into a solid grip. Despite the longer blade, the knife is incredibly well-balanced and effortlessly cuts through more demanding tasks like roasts and hams. This is one of the best brisket knife you’ll find on the market – made even better knowing it comes from a renowned and respected maker.

Kai Brisket Pro Full Tang Kitchen Knife

Here’s a fantastic brisket knife for cutting large slices of meat. The 12” blade is more than enough to handle large hams and roasts while still getting accurate and thin slices. The knife is crafted from high-quality Japanese AUS6M steel that’s sharpened to a dual-sided 16° bevel. This might not seem that sharp, but it slices easily.

Food doesn’t stick to the side of the blade and it’s exceptionally accurate. The hammered finish adds to both the unique look and the excellent slicing performance of the knife. You can get very thin slices of meat and bread without tearing through and ruining it. You’re also getting the added strength of a full-tang handle. It helps to balance the larger blade and gives it extra robustness.

The riveted pom handle is a little on the thin side, but you get used to it relatively quickly. The steep incline from handle to blade doubles as a finger guard and helps you better grip the knife. Overall, this is one of the best brisket knife options that come in this size and with this level of performance and reliability.

Devoir Chef’s Carving Brisket Knife

Scaling back in size a bit, here’s another excellent 8” brisket/chef knife hybrid. You can comfortably use this knife for general utility as well as carving and slicing larger cuts of meat. You don’t have the size of a normal brisket knife, but this one makes up for it by being nimble and lightweight.

It’s exceptionally accurate and easy to control thanks to the large and ergonomically shaped handle. The knife is made from high-grade German stainless steel and comes very sharp right out the box (9-11N), so you can take it to the cutting board immediately. It’s very resistant to corrosion, rusting, fading, and bacteria. This makes this knife super-easy to maintain and clean.

The smooth transition from handle to blade further helps this. You get the knife in a cut and fitted black case with a foam interior. It does an excellent job at protecting the knife and keeping it corrosion and moisture-free. All in all, you’re going to cut meal prep times significantly with a top-quality best brisket knife like this.

Shun Kanso Hollow-Ground Brisket Knife

Here’s another wonderful 12” hollow-grind brisket knife. It comes with a classy and natural wooden sheath that looks fantastic and is very effective. The blade is slightly narrower than most 12” brisket knives, which gives this Shun knife exceptionally smooth and effortless slicing ability.

You’ll find the thin handle comfortable once you get used to it (though that might take a while if you’re used to chef knives with western-style handles). There isn’t such a steep incline where the blade comes out of the handle, which loses a little in terms of safety – but makes up for it in comfort and functionality.

We love that the blade is hand sharpened at the optimal angle for thin and accurate slicing. It’s a great choice for carving up roasts and large hams without fatiguing your hands. There’s also a rounded tip that ensures you don’t accidentally pierce the bread or meat, and to make sure it doesn’t catch as you slice.

You’ll find the knife is lightweight and highly portable – especially since the sheath is so simple and minimalistic. It will help you keep the knife safe if you travel or move around a lot. Finally, the handle is crafted from treated Tagayasan wood. Its finish hides scratches and improves the handle’s resistance to rusting and corrosion.

You can get a good and safe grip too as the handle widens near its base, improving its handling while slicing in larger cuts. While it’s a bit on the expensive side, you’re getting the premium performance and great value for money. This heavy-duty brisket knife is one of the best on the market!

Nexus Hollow Edge Brisket Slicing Knife

This knife is made from American BD1N Stainless Steel and is very resistant to corrosion and rusting. It also resists chipping despite having an HRC of 63. The 15° grind gives you an exceptionally sharp edge and edge retention is excellent considering the use of harder steel.

You’re also getting a fantastic G10 handle that’s bacteria and scratch-resistant. It’s non-slip and ergonomically shaped so you don’t need to worry about your hand slipping off the edge. With a lifetime warranty and an affordable price, this is a very hard choice to pass over.

How You Could Pick the Best Brisket Knife

One of the steps to preparing briskets is having the best brisket knife. It would be frustrating using a dull and low-quality knife to prepare brisket. In preparing a delicious brisket, you need an excellent brisket knife to slice your brisket to get the best presentation and taste.

Hence, to do things right in the kitchen, you need to select the best brisket knife on the market. You might not know how to achieve this, but with this buying guide, it becomes easy-peasy.

Blade Material

Several materials are used to design stainless steel blades, but there are three common types: VG-10, San Mai, and German.

The VG-10 takes its origin from Japan, and it is usually used for the professional-grade variety. It is notable for its sharpness, durability, and excellent edge retention. This is why it is an ideal choice for international chefs.

The San Mai brisket knife undergoes a forgery and laminating process to create long-lasting blades. This process involves integrating high-carbon steel and flexible low-carbon steel. Hence, the blades forged from this are durable, excellent, and flexible.

The last type is German steel. It is featured by high-carbon and stainless steel construction alongside various steel types. The blade created is durable, excellent, and resistant to corrosion. You will find several Western knives made with German steel.

Weight

When it comes to the weight of a brisket knife, it is up to the individual’s preference. Hence, you can either opt for a heavy or light brisket knife, depending on how comfortable you are when using them.

Handle Material

The handle material determines the comfort you gain when you use the brisket knife. Generally, wood, stainless steel, and plastic are the most popular handle materials. The wooden variety is durable and comfortable to hold, but it has been found to harbor bacteria and other contaminants. Stainless steel is excellent and durable. However, it can be slippery if it is wet. Plastic is easy to clean and durable. And it gives a non-slip off grip.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What Kind of Knife Do You Use to Cut a Brisket?

A: Technically, you could use any sharp and heavy-duty knife to cut a brisket. However, appearances matter, and if you haphazardly butcher the brisket you’ve spent hours perfecting, it would be such a waste.

That is why we would suggest you use a knife specifically made for cutting briskets. Granton Edge brisket knives are quite capable, as they’re heavy and sturdy enough to cut through thick chunks of meat, sharp, and the dimples along the edge make sure the slices are pristine.

Q: Can You Use a Bread Knife to Cut a Brisket?

A: Yes, you can. Serrated or scalloped bread knives are capable of cutting through thick chunks of meat and making neat slices. However, make sure your bread knife is very, very sharp. This way, there won’t be any tears or uneven sections left.

Final Thoughts

You should have quite a good idea of what you’ll need in your next brisket knife. It’s important to list down exactly what you’re looking for so that we can narrow down the features that will best suit you. Use this list in combination with what you’ve learned here in this guide to find the best brisket knife for you and your kitchen! You’ll save time preparing your meals and have more fun cooking with the right knife. Good luck and enjoy effortless cutting!