# What knife to remove fat and rind from pork shoulder.



## LexB89 (Jun 7, 2020)

Hi guys,

I want to get a knife to prepare a pork shoulder for smoking.

I want to remove the rind and some of the fat 

Not sure what type of knife I need.

Can anyone help me out?


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## civilsmoker (Jun 7, 2020)

A knife is a very personal thing so the sky is the limit....however there really isn’t any special knife needed pretty much any knife will work.... I prefer a chefs knife profile but have been gravitating to a cooks knife profile.  I like the skinning profile for trimming fat and such.....but a pairing knife will work.







this is my new fav....


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## gary s (Jun 7, 2020)

The Knife I use most often for my prep work is a boning or filet knife

Gary


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## sawhorseray (Jun 7, 2020)

gary s said:


> The Knife I use most often for my prep work is a boning or filet knife Gary



Same here, you want a blade so sharp you can kind of shave the fat off. RAY


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## uncle eddie (Jun 7, 2020)

I use a sharp, emphasis sharp, carving-type knife.  It is a big versatile blade for fine trimming to slabbing off the fat and skin.  No small finesse blade needed for that big hunk of meat in my opinion.


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## noboundaries (Jun 7, 2020)

A 5" or 6" kitchen utility knife is my go to. Whether trimming fat, meat, slicing oranges/onions/etc, it serves a variety of purposes. The ability to keep sharp and hold an edge is essential.

4" is too small. Anything larger than 6" just feels a bit clumsy to maneuver easily.  But, like was said above, knives are VERY personal choices. And they absolutely must fit your hand, feeling balanced and controllable.


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## mike243 (Jun 7, 2020)

6" filet knife or a 6" paring knife,


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## pops6927 (Jun 7, 2020)

I use a 6" curved Victorinox .  https://www.bunzlpd.com/victorinox-curved-boning-knives-with-fibrox-handles  boning knife -






They run about $22.00 each.  Very affordable, Victorinox quality!


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## Bearcarver (Jun 7, 2020)

You can get a Wusthof for 100 Bucks or more.

Or you can get the same thing at a Sporting goods Store for 20 Bucks or less.
I've been using the same one for 20 years, similar to the one below, but back then it was only about $6---Now it's about $20:






Bear


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 7, 2020)

I'm with Pops. Both of us taught by Old School Butcher Dads...JJ


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## LexB89 (Jun 7, 2020)

Thanks for the help. 

I think I know what I need now.

Appreciate the input!


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## thirdeye (Jun 7, 2020)

LexB89 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I want to get a knife to prepare a pork shoulder for smoking.
> 
> ...


First off, you need something you feel comfortable with and is easy to maintain an edge on, however blade shape is an important consideration and has been proven out over time.  Although I have my Grandparent's butcher knife (top) and still use it for certain tasks...., I use semi-flexible boning or fillet style knives for nearly all my prep work.  My smallest is a 4" Rapala fillet knife that I keep scary sharp. 






These are from the "Blade Trader" series and have excellent grips, and are just as handy in the field as in the kitchen.  Sadly, I think these are out of production. 





Here is a Blade Trader knife roll, which is a handy assortment have on hand just in case you get volunteered to help out..... I hate using other people's knives. 





On a newer twist, for about a year I've been testing a Havalon folding knife that has scalpel style replaceable blades that are sold in quantities of 6 or 12.  I have both a fillet style and the skinning style. The main advantage is the sharpness of the blades, but this knife is very portable as well. So far in the kitchen I'm very pleased. It's easy to clean, and has a great grip. My buddy used the same skinning  blade to dress and skin-out 1 elk, and 2 deer last season, so they are durable.


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## gmc2003 (Jun 7, 2020)

I use an electric knife for trimming. 

Chris


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