The BBQ cooking mistake an award-winning pitmaster wants you to stop making

Anyone even remotely interested in cooking knows the difference a good set of knives can make. But if you’re anything like me, you’ve bitten the bullet and invested in quality knives without really knowing how to use them.

I’ll admit it: when I’m preparing food, I usually grab whichever knife is closest. Whether I’m trimming meat, chopping vegetables or slicing cheese, my first instinct is to reach for the nearest blade. I’ve also owned my knives for six years and never sharpened them. Something I’ve only just learnt isn’t doing me or my cooking any favours.

Wanting to up my BBQ game, I asked an expert what I was doing wrong. It turns out that using the wrong knife, or a blunt one, could make preparing meat harder and undo hours of work when it’s finally time to carve.

Award-winning Australian pitmaster Jimmy Brisket comes from a family of butchers and meat suppliers and has competed across Australia and internationally. He’ll also appear at the inaugural Grampians BBQ Festival in Halls Gap in September. Below, Jimmy explains which knives home BBQ cooks actually need and how to use each one.

Never judge a knife by how it looks. Instead, Jimmy says you should factor in how it feels. 

“The biggest mistake is buying a knife because it looks impressive rather than considering how it feels and what you’ll use it for,” he says. “A good BBQ knife should be comfortable, well balanced and give you plenty of control.”

Why one knife can’t do every BBQ job

You don’t need a new knife for every new task when preparing for a BBQ, but Jimmy says, “You still need the right blade for the job.” 

“Different knives make particular jobs easier, safer and more precise,” he says. “I don’t believe every knife should be restricted to only one task — I use my long brisket carving knife for both trimming larger cuts and slicing cooked brisket.”

He adds: “Using the right knife means less waste during preparation, greater control and much better presentation when it’s time to serve.”

Flexible boning knife

If you’re preparing brisket, ribs, pork shoulder or a whole chicken, a flexible boning knife is useful for jobs that require you to trim fat, remove silverskin or work closely around bones and joints. 

“A curved, flexible boning knife is ideal for detailed trimming and working around bones, joints and uneven areas,” says Jimmy. “The narrow blade follows the shape of the meat, helping you remove fat, silverskin and connective tissue without taking too much good meat with it.” 

Butcher’s knife

Reach for a butcher’s knife when breaking down and portioning larger cuts of meat, including brisket, pork shoulder, lamb and racks of ribs. 

“A butcher’s knife is for heavier jobs, such as breaking down large cuts and cutting through thicker sections of meat,” says Jimmy. “Its broader, stronger blade provides the weight and leverage needed to work efficiently without forcing a smaller knife to do a job it wasn’t designed for.” 

Brisket slicing knife: for clean, even slices

“A long brisket carving or slicing knife is one of the knives I use most,” says Jimmy. “I use it to trim larger cuts because it allows me to make long, smooth and controlled cuts.”

“Once the brisket is cooked, that same long blade can slice across it in a single clean motion, producing even slices while keeping the bark intact. After spending 10 to 12 hours cooking a brisket, you don’t want to ruin it by sawing backwards and forwards with a short, blunt knife.”

Why keeping your BBQ knives sharp matters

“Invest in a good-quality knife sharpener and learn how to use it. Even an expensive knife will perform poorly once it becomes blunt, while a properly sharpened, reasonably priced knife can do an excellent job.

“A sharp knife requires less force, gives you greater control and produces cleaner cuts, making it both safer and easier to use. Ultimately, whichever knives you choose, keeping them properly sharpened is essential. A great knife with a poor edge is still a poor tool.”