Looking for an all-purpose meat and veg chopper? Enter the chuka bocho!
The Chinese cleaver, aka: chuka bocho, without a doubt, is one of the favourite knives of Chinese chefs. The knife has a broad surface area with a squared-off nose.
The blades on Chinese cleaver's can vary quite a bit, with some reaching a whopping 200mm in height!! They can be made up of carbon steel or stainless steel.
Chinese cleaver uses
Chopping vegetables
Veggie chopping is one of the primary functions of a Chinese cleaver, as they allow a chef to perform both rough and fine chopping tasks. These knives are built with a tall blade, making them super fun if your are a push/pull chopper!
Mincing herbs
Herbs can be found in cuisines around the world. Cleaver's will help you ace mincing herbs like cilantro and parsley. These knives are also great for mincing garlic and ginger. With the wide surface of the blade, it’s possible to mince large quantities of ingredients in less time, saving your precious time for other tasks.
Slicing meat
Cleavers can be sharp, precise, and quite heavy. They are a great choice to slice meat, whether it’s poultry, pork, or beef, cooked or raw.
Sectioning poultry
Given the significantly heavier (front-heavy) blade of the Chinese cleaver, this knife is perfect for sectioning poultry, including whole chickens and ducks.
The sharp and broad blade easily cuts through ligaments, joints, and bones, giving you control over portioning the meat.
Crushing garlic
Garlic is cut in many different ways depending on the recipe. In any case, it’s one of the most important ingredients in a recipe and gives flavour to it, while being healthy. The cleaver's flat surface can be used to crush ingredients, like garlic cloves, to release their oils and flavours with little pressure.
Miscellaneous tasks
Cleaver knives are great for a range of miscellaneous tasks. One of the main miscellaneous tasks is scooping ingredients from the cutting board to a bowl or a pan as needed, with minimal spill out. Almost all ingredients on the board can be scooped out at once, considering the wide surface of the blade.
The Cook’s Edge, located in PEI, Canada, is one of the best stores that offers a wide range of Japanese knives, Chinese cleaver knives, and western knives. From affordable to rare finds, invest in a genuine quality knife from the store in Canada by visiting their physical store. If you live elsewhere, find the perfect knife to meet your needs at their online store.