Chinese Cleaver 101: How to Chop, Slice, and Dice | Hunger Pangs

[@rustybearden1800]

My first job as a professional cook was at a very famous Asian "fusion" restaurant in NYC - you were only allowed to use a chinese cleaver (they gave me one as my standard issue tool) to do ALL tasks associated with your position - I already had pretty good knife skills at the time but this forced me to focus my ability on this one tool. Took my knife skills to a different level (and I still have that cleaver in my knife set along with a lighter, thinner vegetable cleaver) It is a very versatile and useful tool and can help anyone with modest skills achieve new abilities and confidence - great post!

[@toddellner5283]

Some time back a friend took me to a shop in Seattle where a man hand-made Chinese cleavers. Same knife. Three weights. Wish I could remember the name because I want one of each.

[@leviXlush]

That's awesome, just ordered the Takeda NAS large cleaver!

[@xpkalipuryt8130]

do you remember the name or brand

[@rustybearden1800]

@@xpkalipuryt8130 China Grill

[@rustybearden1800]

@@xpkalipuryt8130 It was in the ground floor of the CBS BlackRock building, on 6th Ave between MOMA and the NY Hilton on the north side on 53rd St and the 21 Club on 52nd St, just a few blocks norrth of Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. Dining room shaped like a figure 8 with the open kitchen in the middle flanked by two elaborate cocktail bars. We did two seatings a night, rarely less than 500 covers total and a banging patio service right on 6th Ave. 5:30 on weeknights it was ten deep at the bars, mingled with the CBS notables and Wall Street schnooks ogling the models and actresses left and right. Crazy place to start my culinary career - our sister restaurant was Asia de Cuba

[@es330td]

Thirty years ago my Mom bought me the Yan Can Cook Chinese cleaver. It is my go to knife ever since. I can’t speak highly enough of this knife.

[@D3R3LICTRECORDS]

I especially liked the technique for mincing ginger. Very clever!

[@always_trust_all_scientists]

My roots are Jamaican, raised in Canada. Been cooking for a while now. But three years ago I bought my first meat and vegetable cleaver. It's my favorite knives I've ever owned. Inspires me to get into the kitchen..

[@damianrhea8875]

Thank you for this tutorial! I notice that some non-Chinese nowadays once they get hang of Chinese cleavers, are using them enthusiastically almost exclusively.

[@devonboy3410]

Just got myself a cleaver I was shocked at how sharp it is and thin it cuts, now my go to kitchen knife. I'm English and never knew how versatile they were

[@JR-zw2vb]

Wow. Never thought of shredding ginger with the back of the clever. Brilliant!

[@carrieannmcleod5219]

I really enjoy watching segments of father and son. Good rapport and information. Thanks

[@smalliebiggs3836]

Awesome father & son team great job.

[@barbaracholak5204]

ATK Clever usage 101 Thanks Chefs for the safety tips. Salutations from California

[@defel1]

I've been interested in the cleaver for some time and am glad to find this video. Excellent!

[@1111MeditationPortal]

Nice tips for being professional at the kitchen

[@ratlips4363]

Years ago, I purchased a Martin Yan Chinese Vegetable Knife (that was the title of the knife). I was promptly informed by the cutlery salesman that it was NOT a cleaver. He then produced a heavy cleaver and told me that it was for "chopping" through bones with one chop. I still have my vegetable knife and love it, but I have added a boning knife, a chef's knife, and a karambit (just for fun)

[@FunAtDisney]

The wisdom of your dad is priceless! I have always used a chef’s knife, although we also have a santoku (Rachel Ray brand) but I just may add a Chinese clever to my knife set.

[@marilynsnider8183]

Very interesting lesson. Thanks ATK.

[@dianedonald9319]

Thank you for this so informative video! It warms my heart to see dad and son working together in the kitchen. I've had an old antique meat cleaver in my cupboard for years and it's made with forged steel. I never knew how to use it until today. I think I'll get it all cleaned up, sharpened and ready to use. Thanks especially for the 'safety' tips because I want to keep my 'pinkies'🖐lol

[@lagreen2122]

Excellent video!! Since knife skills are so required for making great Chinese foods, this is really a perfect video. No one need fear the cleaver after watching this!

[@jonny9884]

I recently bought my first cleaver. Been wanting it a while, but had been waiting for it to go on sale. The blade seems to be shorter than the one dad is using in the video, a tad longer than 6 inches, but I believe that may actually work better for me in my tiny kitchen. Thanks for all the tips, and showing us some of the ways we could all use one.

[@LpoolDogLover]

Thank you Jeffrey and Kevin for another great video! I will have to buy that clever!!😊

[@mentaritravel1004]

thank you for the ginger trick!

[@kathysanchez5945]

Love watching these videos...the experience of Mr. Pang & his son is much appreciated...Thank you for sharing!!!

[@Mark_Nadams]

This reminds me I need to sharpen my cleaver. I found a vintage Foster 2190 and love it. However it does need a fresh edge.

[@GDubyah]

Aren't they using a traditional meat cleaver and not a chinese vegetable cleaver? Their winner shun, also makes a vegetable cleaver, but that is not what they linked or are advertising.

[@RavP34]

Yep it looks like it, in my experience with some friends they'd often have a thinner blade. Which means less force is used to cut through things.

[@engineerncook6138]

They are using and recommending the Shun Classic Meat Cleaver 6", To short at 6", too thick for vegetables, too expensive at $200. Fortunately this meat cleaver has been discontinued so none of ATKs viewer will be unfortunate enough to buy it. In all their previous videos they use a Japanese Misono UX10 chefs knife instead of this hachet. I wonder why?

[@RavP34]

@@engineerncook6138 likely considering the way the video is shot it's aimed at armature cooks looking to enhance their skillset, but mainly focusing on basic techniques with using a cleaver. I assume the choice of cleaver must have been used because they may have prior research as to what the average amateur cook has at home.

[@Bluecrabsandsushi]

fwiw the shun vegetable cleaver is a terrible representation of a Chinese cleaver or cai dao, too. it's way too heavy, slow, and thick.

[@daveklein2826]

Absolutely not

[@D3R3LICTRECORDS]

Thank you for this video. I love the techniques as well as the cultural and family connection. My mom just bought a nice stainless Chinese cleaver and a stout wooden chopping block for me, and I am excited to continue my journey of delicious Asian cooking!

[@b_uppy]

Great ginger tip!

[@emiliogonzales658]

You guys are the best cooking show on KZbin!

[@Stellaperez658]

My favorite friends!!!! Love you guys!!! More of these chefs please!!!!!

[@chihuahuasrule1175]

I've been waiting for this channel to recommend a great cleaver. Thanks so much! Now I only can anticipate an updated winning knives set recommendation in the future. :)

[@stevelogan5475]

Outstanding lesson, technique, skills, this show needs to be on everyday

[@Bluecrabsandsushi]

except it's not a Chinese cleaver and it's doing a terrible job because of it

[@kefsound]

LOL

[@genehammond7239]

Great info Thanks !!!

[@reginaa7270]

When I a buy a cleaver, how would measure it? Do I measure from one end of the blade to the other end of the blade? Or do I measure it from end of the handle to the end of the blade? Thanks

[@asigwalt6098]

Now I need to get a cleaver.

[@MrVeeco]

I have been exclusively using a cleaver in the kitchen the past two years. Wish I started earlier. Give the cleaver a try, you can't go wrong. Check out the Lamson Chinese Veggie cleaver.

[@marnellecorege5595]

Do you have a link for the clever you use - thx

[@PokhrajRoy.]

‘Hunger Pangs’ is just awesome! Great work 👏🏽

[@WhiteSpatula]

Slightly off topic, but, back in Vegas, my neighbor (who was coincidentally Chinese) used a kitchen cleaver to prune a large acacia tree on his property. I shamelessly GladysKravitz’d the guy from four different windows in my house to be sure I was seeing correctly: Uh-huh. It was that (coincidentally Chinese) neighbor dude, all shirtless and muscley, full-on Tarzan grappling the Dr Seuss Tree (I nicknamed it the Dr Seuss Tree cause all the other trees around looked like inverted lightning while that one looked all swoopy like some’m outta Dr Seuss, plus it had rose colored roots, but I digress..), pruning the entire thing from the inside out, with a (is that a.. yup.. hole in the blade.. well I’ll be.. that’s one helluva sharp..) KITCHEN CLEAVER. For the record, his elderly parents helped clean up the cuttings, the tree sprang back beautifully and didn’t need pruning again for two years. So.. I guess.. Ancient Chinese Secret (or Modern Not Necessarily Chinese Coincidence): Tell me you learned cleaver skills by way of China and I’ll surrender my kitchen to your will. Oh and.. um.. just a random thought but your instructor didn’t happen to integrate any horticultural or landscaping methodologies into his or her tutelage, did they? Just wondering is all.. you noticed the acacia out front?

[@deecee9561]

Thank you for the tips. How about Stinky Tofu recipe

[@tackjames5613]

Cleavers been discontinued via Shuns site. Updated review definitely needed!

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

Thank you! Replaced with our other top recommended choice.

[@reddottx]

Looks like a great choice but I’m not seeing it do anything my chef’s knife can’t already do. What’s unique about it?

[@briansss6869]

Chefs knife is much more useful. Rocking motion to cut veggies with minimal effort and a tip to cut around bones... I just don't see how a cleaver could be better for any application except hacking through bones when butchering meat.

[@kiltedcripple]

A cai dao, or slicing knife, is not a cleaver. This video had so much nonsense it almost makes me cry. TL:DR, a cai dao is a thin, razor edge, enabling easy slicing that no western chef knife can match, because of the difference in mass behind the edge. It can be used as a bench scraper too, making good movement easier. The tip of western chef knife you instead replicate here with the heel of the edge, ending you better control. If you want more, there's another great channel on KZbin called Made by Lau where he gives you a tutorial on knife skills and maintenance and he's a retired restaurant chef who still uses his knife at home, and is a dirty dollar knife now (was about 15 when he bought it IIRC) further cementing that you don't have to spend a car payment to get a good knife. Or watch any Martin Yan cutting demo to see what this knife can do in the hands of a master. Yan Can Cook was entirely film using a Messermeister Cai Dao.

[@reddottx]

@@kiltedcripple I don’t doubt this knife has some superior qualities, they just weren’t represented here. I suppose the ginger trick is something. If I had that knife I’d still use my microplane. I have a blunt nosed knife and I prefer a sharp tip rather than heel. Personal preference. Also western knives have evolved so that you can choose bevel angles, spine thickness and overall weight. They aren’t all 20th century French anymore.

[@kiltedcripple]

@@reddottx I'm an admitted knife need so this kind of stuff gets me very talkative... I'm going to try to keep it reasonable, but don't sue me. Despite the "one knife to do everything" nonsense in Chinese knives, they're using several knives too, they just tend to look like what we call a cleaver. That said, I have 3 myself, from a very thick actual bone cleaver to a cai dao, and I'm not by any stretch a gifted knife user, but in my home cook skills, there are definitely things I reach for the cai dao for over every other knife in my collection. To start here, my thick guy is heavy and solid, you cut chop through small bones quite easily, which you see chef's all over Asia do with poultry or thin pork bones. Still not a viable option on thick bones, that's a job for a band saw, not a knife. My oldest cleaver, inherited from a relative, is an old CCK cleaver, and is a mid thickness, about 5mm, and functions essentially like the cleaver they use in this video. It's heavier than my butcher knife or Henckles 8 inch chef knife. My Mercer is my first real cai dao, and it's stupid thin, a hair under 2mm at the spine, and because it's a full flat grind, the thing cuts like a laser. It's also very light, barely heavier than my Henckles paring knife. I can make deli thin slices of meat like nothing. Thin cuts, like for julienned vegetables, are incredibly easy, and the ease of "slice and move" makes the work flow faster. I bought a brisket slicer years ago, 10 inch long, you've seen them in every doner kebab or gyro restaurant in the world, and it's a damned nice knife, but it can't produce the cuts my cai dao can, it's a much shorter blade, and with a thicker spine, this adds up to meat pulling away from the cuts and not that translucent thin deli cut. As far as hell cuts for precision, clearly, there are various styles of cutting grip, and variable skill levels with a knife reading this, so I will say, for me, getting used to heel cuts for precision over tip cuts was a shift in skills, but I like it better. I feel more in control, and thus safer. That said, there almost nothing I do that requires heel cuts with that cleaver, nor tip cuts with my chef knife. Like, if I'm boning out meat, I cut into it and remove it with the edge of my knife. The only thing I really use heel cuts for is taking the top out of large squash. I need the length of the blade for batoning through the mass. But as an example, if I'm taking the top off a pepper to stuff it, I just use the front corner of my cai dao exactly as I'd use the tip of a chef or pairing knife, you just draw to start the cut instead of stab. The upside is, that flat end yields FAR fewer accidents for chefs-in-training than a tipped knife. Taught both my kids on my older cleaver, will teach my nieces on that knife too. For new knife skills, the added height of the blade and blunt tip is just after to teach that "food claw" holding technique. I have not, and will never, surrender my chef's knife, but honestly, once I got proficient with my cai dao and q couple other knives, I just rarely grab for it. Not saying it's for everyone, it's just way easier for me, and this video, sadly, really makes a better case against buying one than for them, and that's a shame. I usually like this specific channel, and ATK as a whole, but this video is not accurate or demonstrative of the abilities of this style of knife. Made with Lau, Chinese Cooking Demystified, Wang Gang, are all KZbinrs providing info on the knife, what is does well, what it struggles with, and/or show it in use, and there's a fantastic Korean channel, Aaron and Claire, that showcases that you can, if you prefer, do "Asian" style cuisine/cuts with a Western style chef knife, a cai dao isn't necessary. Just a matter of preference.

[@jayceperlmutter4317]

I like the traditional carbon steel cleavers I've been using for years - Chinese manufactured.

[@incanada83]

Hmm....Thank goodness for kitchen gadgets. Cleaver to me, is like trying to cut with machete. Interesting to watch but I value my fingers too much LOL Thank you for the demonstration 🙂

[@avocadotoast4934]

Nobody mince garlic better than Martin Yan

[@reginaa7270]

What size is the cleaver your using?

[@katieanderson7163]

Love your videos! Question: It seems that the cleaver you recommend is no longer available (I checked multiple sites). Any other recommendations?

[@kittychatalot]

JEFFREY!!!!!!!

[@ChickensAndGardening]

Thanks for this tutorial. Unfortunately the cleaver is listed as "Currently unavailable" at your Amazon link.

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

Thank you! Replaced with our other top recommended choice.

[@jonidavis9469]

Where is the link to the cleaver?

[@tayloralbrecht8362]

What brand knife is this?

[@mariannefung9131]

The Pangs give very good advice so if you follow the instructions you’ll never slice your fingers!!!

[@mtnx7]

Search for Masterchef John’s videos on KZbin if you want to see a Chinese cleaver being used to its full potential 🙏

[@CreachterZ]

In ATK fashion, where can we learn what products are a good buy?

[@tamarahavard3491]

This cleaver recommended has been discontinued. Can you do a cleaver recommendation that can be purchased

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

Thank you! Replaced with our other top recommended choice.

[@mikenyc1589]

this is why recommending one model is not good...should always list 2

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

Only things I don't like about cleavers is when you're cutting something like spring onions or capsicum. The cleaver is great for chopping up and down but these kinds of things need a rocking motion that a german style chef's knife can do better.

[@somethinlike23]

I always heard these were called Chinese Chef's Knives. What's the differences between a western cleaver and a chinese one?

[@michaelvilain8457]

Wouldn't it be easier to slice the meat if it had been in the freezer for 30 minutes? That's a common AmTK trick. Note the meat is sticking to the cleaver blade. That's why they make knives with a "hallow ground" surface so that won't happen.

[@C2C.]

It's a common Chinese technique, too.

[@jayceperlmutter4317]

Smile - "hollow ground", I think - although some knives seem divinely inspired!

[@dizzyboy92]

A knife: it cuts! Also, not a Chinese vegetable cleaver, just a meat cleaver.

[@Makron5]

Wait isn't this a meat cleaver rather than a vegetable cleaver?

[@chuck7190]

Is a Cleaver a knife or is it it's own thing. Please forgive my ignorance. TY.

[@nyanuwu4209]

It was cutting stuff in a kitchen so...

[@yvonnesantiago7637]

Cleaver is sold out everywhere.

[@JohnDoe-xr5is]

The link is to a different cleaver. The video has been out less than a day.

[@flybyairplane3528]

ATK,,, PANGS, I own 2 CHINESE SLICERS, & a western CLEAVER, which needs BRUTE FORCE, lots of people confuse a CHINESE KNIFE,,WITH A CLEAVER, SIMPLY PUT CLEAVERS HAVE A HOLE FOR HANGING, KNIVES DO NOT ,, THANKS 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@uncreativeprocess]

Boys the rings got to come off in the kitchen, Bacteria my guy.

[@mlegions]

How can you cube pieces on tomato then?

[@akiraigarashi2874]

Yeah used a cleaver to cut fruits all the time and preferred it over a kitchen knife

[@AlfJDale]

Its also the ultimate pizza slicer 🙂

[@SouthsideDon48]

I haven't used a knife ever since i got my cleaver. :)

[@mentaritravel1004]

does anyone notice that if using cleaver and chefs knife, the way of cutting is different? the cleaver looks like it cuts from top to bottom and chefs knife is like dancing?

[@tamanawilson9265]

Yes the chefs knife needs a rocking motion whereas Asian knives just need a diagonal up-to-down cut

[@kierran5021]

Ahhh so like a knife!! Thank you so much for this informative video.

[@infin1ty850]

That's just how you should properly be holding almost every knife, it's not distinct to a cleaver.

[@genehendrix1847]

You have better precision and more speed with a good quality chef's knife..

[@bitmau5]

Nice sponsor, kidding aside, Thanks. My left hand middle finger is messed up from bad technique. I’m trying to get better.

[@DoughboyGod]

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@fialee8]

This is NOT a Chinese cleaver... this is a medium sized meat cleaver.

[@keysersoze503]

Ever since I saw the movie Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte cleavers scare me.

[@craigblum5385]

Your website crashed. Please fix it ASAP

[@OkieJammer2736]

💜

[@Romafood]

👍👍👋🇮🇹

[@deeblack9393]

The cleaver is Currently Unavailable!

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

Thank you for calling this out! Replaced with our other top recommended choice.

[@ronchristoffel]

The co-winning cleaver handle appears to many little holes around it. It serms to me that would be a poor design as far as cleaning it thoroughly especially when working with raw meat.

[@engineerncook6138]

The "holes" you see in the Global Meat Cleaver handle are just dimples to improve the grip. Global knives and cleavers are NSF approved and clean up easily. But don't buy it for vegetables, both cleavers ATK is currently recommending for slicing and dicing vegetable are inexplicably heavy MEAT cleavers.

[@ddpwe5269]

Must be a really popular cleaver, as it's out of stock =)

[@engineerncook6138]

It is a MEAT cleaver and a bad choice for slicing up vegetables and boneless meat. Read some of the other comments for details and don't buy a MEAT cleaver for delicately slicing vegetables.

[@paulsmith1807]

I don't quite get it - the vegetable chopping looks quite clumsy compared to the chefs knife. Am I missing something?

[@andrei-misterio]

What about pealing? Also, when smashing garlic, be prepared to clean up your kitchen..

[@vaultchang3651]

There better be a 201 coming up

[@roospike]

That looks a lot like a thick meat cleaver versus a thin vegetable cleaver. 🤔 ...

[@ahheng6402]

I going replace all my chef knives with a cleaver. Also going to get a thicker chopping board too ..

[@Geco-Bro]

Gyutoh or western chef knife are more useful

[@stevethea5250]

2:09,

[@Vamtal]

Come on! That's not thin chinese slicing cleaver. That is thick european style meat and bone cleaver Kai Shun DM-0767. You've completely messed up the the purpose of these knives.🤦‍♂

[@ebaz15]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@saulgoodman2018]

Will he also use a cleaver in a zombie apocalypse?

[@kenmore01]

Is this the same way one would hold a Beaver Cleaver?

[@philipp594]

I don't understand why anybody would pick this cleaver for anything .... it's to thick to cut vegetable (not usuable as a cai dao) and too light / hard to go through bones ... hell it's not even chinese.

[@BaoS-gu6pb]

WTF?this is a chopper for bones.99%chinese won't use it and thoese asian looking guys didn't know it?

[@gunbirdx]

You’re using the wrong cleaver. Thumbs down 👎🏼

[@mikenyc1589]

Of course its sold out......put some in stock items in there please

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

Thank you for calling this out. Replaced with our other top recommended choice.

[@YSColin]

That's not a Chinese cleaver. At least not the ones used in most families. This is more like a meat cleaver to me, too thick for precise work.

[@milesmccall2301]

So it's a knife

[@wowyzaoy]

that is not a Chinese cleaver.

[@twatmunro]

Video goes on about how important a Chinese cleaver is and how it's the only knife you'll ever need. Video then attempts to flog us two massively overpriced non-Chinese cleavers. I guarantee that no Chinese restaurant chef anywhere in the world has ever used either the Global or the Shun cleaver.

[@nyanuwu4209]

Very unusual hearing that white guy's voice come out of an old Asian face.

[@avocadotoast4934]

TBTH, he cuts really bad