How to best cut pork tenderloin

[Rebam98]

Hi-

I have a really silly, probably dumb question.

What knife is best used to cut pork tenderloin? I need to cut it into 3/4" thick slices (then pound them into 1/4" thick with a pounder).

My intuition says to get a chef's knife. As of right now, all I have are what are probably paring knifes.

I'd like to be able to make the pork tenderloin this weekend so I'd like to go to a store to buy the knife and not go online or have to go through a sales rep or anything. If I have to, I'm willing to put down money on a cheap knife and get a better one later, for the sake of making it this weekend. Or, would it be better to buy a good one then add to my collection later? Can I even get a worthwhile knife at a regular store such as Wal-mart? Or should I just suck it up and make it at a later date, when I can get a better knife .... ?

I was thinking of buying a set, but beyond a big chef's knife, a paring knife and possibly a bread knife, do I really need any others? I cut up chicken a lot, I cook a lot of fish, and an occasional steak. I'm open to anyone convincing me of the virtues of any other knives.

Since I'm at it, I cut up chicken A LOT. I make chicken salads all the time. Would a chef's knife be the best knife for this? I like to trim as much, if not all, of the fat as possible. Is there some other knife out there that will work like magic for cutting chicken? Just checking.

All suggestions welcome.

 

[Andy M.]

Any knife will do to slice pork tenderloin.

If you need a knife, buy a chef's knife. It's the most used knife in most kitchens. A chef's knife will slice pork tenderloin and cut up chicken. It will also slice, chop, dice and mince vegetables. It's the most versatile.

 

[buckytom]

agreed andy, i use my chef's knife for almost everything.

 

[Rebam98]

OK I found a store that sells kitchen knives so that answers most of my questions. I'll go there tonight and hopefully buy what I want for this weekend. I'll look at prices to decide if I want only one knife or a whole set. I thought my only option was going to be Wal-mart and I would have to buy something online .... how internet-ized am I???? (internet-ized is not a word, btw)

I'll go and feel the knives. I've been reading through the old knives posts on here to help me. So far I have found carbon = good quality but super high maintenance. (My guess is only professional chefs would use this?) Shun and Global = lighter weight but "fragile." Henckel and Wustaff = heavier, forged but can cut through a lot of stuff.

I'm not interested in a high maintenance carbon knife and also as a female I think I'll go for the lighter knives. I cook probably more than an average 20-something but not neary as much as the chefs on here do. I just want something sharp, easy to maintain (don't have to sharpen it often), and long lasting. I'm willing to shell out some money if it's worth it otherwise I will be frugal. Recommendations are welcome plus an estimated cost so I don't get shell shocked by the price ...

 

[Rebam98]

agreed andy, i use my chef's knife for almost everything.

I wondered if a "butcher" knife would be necessary; it sounded like something that would cut meat, until I saw a picture of one, I think that it would probably be a little extreme to hack at a pork tenderloin with a butcher's knife.

 

[buckytom]

hmmm, i'm not sure what is a butcher's knife. do you mean a cleaver?
once you get used to the slicing motion, a cleaver is almost as adaptible as a chef's knife.

could you post the picture, rebam?

 

[Chef_Jimmy]

Rebam98 I would really suggest spending the money on a nice chef knife instead of a sub-par block set. You can get a nice henkle classic for about 30-40 bucks That was one of my first knives, now i use global, but i also use them everyday in my restaurant. You don't need a $100 knife, but you also don't need a $39.99 "fifteen piece block set" that you will curse yourself for in a month and then have to go buy the good knife anyway. Also, Forschner (Vitronox) knives are great, they are light like a global and razor sharp with a very comfortable handle. Good luck

 

[brendanemig]

I think that a chef knife would be your best bet. Santoku knives are used more frequently nowadays, but i still think a good 8" chef knife is the most versatile cooking utensil. As for getting a cheaper one now and investing in a good one later... you can find a black handled farberware knife at wally world for around ten bucks. I bought one of those a couple years ago and it is still in good shape, i've since upgraded, but it is a great inbetween knife. hope it works out.

 

[Rebam98]

OK, I just bought an 8" chef's knife, a Wullstof (sp?). I asked the lady if a carving knife or a chef's knife would be better to cut my pork, but she said go for the chef's knife because it is versatile. I did end up paying $95 for it, but I bought it in a very ritzy type area ... I don't mind too much since it will last a lifetime plus I wanted to have it bythe weekend.

This is the picture of the butcher's knife I saw, along with a lot of other gory, Halloween, scary movie type pictures when you do an google image search for "butcher knife."

 

[Rebam98]

I think that a chef knife would be your best bet. Santoku knives are used more frequently nowadays, but i still think a good 8" chef knife is the most versatile cooking utensil. As for getting a cheaper one now and investing in a good one later... you can find a black handled farberware knife at wally world for around ten bucks. I bought one of those a couple years ago and it is still in good shape, i've since upgraded, but it is a great inbetween knife. hope it works out.

The lady recommended a Santoku too. She said it's good for cutting smoked salmon. Seems like it might come in handy someday, but for now, I don't need it much.

 

[Andy M.]

Congratulations on your new knife.

The picture you posted is of a cleaver. It's used fom chopping through bone and connective tissue.

 

[Rebam98]

To answer my question earlier of whether or not to buy one knife now and add later or buy a cheap knife now until I could afford/choose a set.... I found out that buying a set of good knives is not cheaper than buying them individually. So for anyone who wants to know, buying a good individual knife and then adding to it later is probably a very good idea. In fact, it makes little sense at all to buy a set since you're just getting a bunch of knives some of which you probably won't use ever.

 

[Hungry]

OK, I just bought an 8" chef's knife, a Wullstof (sp?). I asked the lady if a carving knife or a chef's knife would be better to cut my pork, but she said go for the chef's knife because it is versatile. I did end up paying $95 for it, but I bought it in a very ritzy type area ... I don't mind too much since it will last a lifetime plus I wanted to have it bythe weekend.

This is the picture of the butcher's knife I saw, along with a lot of other gory, Halloween, scary movie type pictures when you do an google image search for "butcher knife."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++==
This is what I have always called a Meat Cleaver.

I love my 7" Santoku from Linens and Things.
I've have used it since last October and it is still sharp enough to slice a tomato 1/8" thick.

When it gets dull I won't have to worry about which sharping method to use or sharpening stone go buy. I'll just buy another one.

Charlie

 

[Claire]

I think this should be moved to the knife forum. That said, when I cut a whole chicken, I like a boning knife. It has the ability to get into the joints and cut off the legs, thighs, wings, etc, without mangling them, raw or cooked. For pork loins and tenderloins, any good knife will do, it isn't rocket science, you're basically just slicing. THere are two of us in our household, and when I buy a pork loin, I freeze it for a few hours, then slice half of it very thin and freeze all of it. The thin slices are for schnitzels and stir fries. Tenderloins usually come two to a package, and unless I'm having company, I separate the two and cut each in half before freezing.

 

[Gretchen]

I have all kinds of knives but since getting a santoku, I use it most of all. Shop on amazon for knives.

 

[Rebam98]

I did originally post this in the knife forum.

 

[auntdot]

We have a bunch of knives, accumulated over the years, but usually use just the chef knife.

My favorite knife however is the cleaver I purchased many years ago in an Asian market.

Cost almost nothing.

It is lighter than your normal cleaver and works great.

Does get dull pretty fast though.