In Australia we love BBQs. We love the process of creating, preparing and presenting the BBQ - just as much as consuming the food that emerges from the BBQ.
Part of the process is picking the tools to prepare and present with. Over the past 6 years we have (over a BQQ) discussed which are the top 12 BBQ knives we have ever made.
So here they are - the top 12 BBQ knives created in the ever growing collection of Australian BBQ knives...
12. The "Wombat" | BBQ Chopper
Purpose - The "Wombat" Knife is a heavy duty BBQ chopper which is commonly used for chopping vegetables but can also be used for preparing meat, chopping through pumpkins or just about any hefty chopping work that needs to be done. Whilst coming it at number 12 it's a commonly used BBQ knife at Australian BBQs.
11. The "Crocodile" | The BBQ Bread Knife
Purpose - Most Australian BBQs also have bread (not all but most). The main purpose of the Crocodile or serrated bread knife is the slicing of bread (what's is better than a snag with tomato sauce on a slice of bread). The Crocodile knife is a knife for both kitchens and BBQ's and comes it at number 11 in the Top 12 BBQ knife collection for Australian BBQ gurus.
10. The Wallaby | Classic BBQ All Purpose Knife
Purpose - The "Wallaby" knife is a comfortable mid sized chefs knife used for just about anything at Australian BBQs. It will never be the best at anything but it is second best at everything. Whether your cutting capsicums, removing sinew from steak or preparing potatoes the Wallaby is a very handy Australian BBQ knife.
9. The "Kookaburra" | Intricate BBQ Knife
Purpose - The Kookaburra is the smallest knife in the top 12 BBQ knives however it is the number one knife for intricate duties. Preparation of prawns and shellfish, slicing fruit and veg or chopping herbs it's small but heavy when it comes to the work it performs at any Australian BBQ.
8. The "Joey" | Mini Multi-Purpose BBQ Knife
Purpose - The Joey is a surprisingly popular BBQ knife. It's a small chefs knife which is used for more intricate duties like chopping tomatoes, capsicums and lemons. It's essentially small all purpose chefs knife and it comes in at number 8 in the BBQ knife collection.
7. The "Big Red" | All Purpose BBQ Chefs Knife
Purpose - The Big Red Chefs|BBQ Knive is the ultimate all purpose blade. It's significantly longer and heavier than common chefs knives and the perfect knife for slicing and preparing meat and vegetables. The weight on the spine also means it a great knife for downward chopping on vegetables like corn. The Big Red knife can be used both in the kitchen and the BBQ and for the BBQ knife competition it comes in at number 7.
6. The "Barramundi" | The BBQ Fillet Knife
Purpose - The Fillet Knife is primarily used for filleting fish. As fish consumption at BBQs has risen so has the use of this blade here in Australia. The length and flexibility of the blade allows it to easily slide between the spine of the fish and the fillet to create delicate and sizeable fish fillet for the BBQ. For local fisherman who need to prepare and eat large amounts of fish (so they can keep fishing without violating laws on amount of fish allowed to be caught) this is the perfect knife for their BBQ collection.
5. The "Tassie Devil" | The BBQ Boning Knife
Purpose - The "Tassie Devil" is a boning knife which is often misinterpreted. A boning knife is made for removing meat from the bones NOT FOR CHOPPING bones. When preparing meats pre-BBQ this is the tool to cut larger pieces of meat into BBQ portions. It is also used for larger roast for removing sinew or creating cuts and slicing to allows insertion of flavors and moisture into the meat (garlic, salts, apple juice etc).
The "Tassie Devil" comes in at number 5 in the 12 piece Australian BBQ knife collection.
4. The "Playtupus" | Vegetable Chopper BBQ Knife
Purpose - The Platypus is mainly used as a vegetable chopper - and at the time of writing the knife I use the most at my local BBQs. It's easy to hold, relatively light in weight and very comfortable in the mitt. It can also be used as a blade to load sliced vegetable onto the blade and easily transport from the chopping board to a bowl. It's mainly used for vegetables and comes in at number 4 for the Australian BBQ knife competition.
3. The "Brolga" | The Cimeter BBQ Slicer
Purpose - Many of our BBQ committee members suggested the Brolga knife, the Australian version of a BBQ Cimeter, should be the number 1 knife in the top 12 BBQ list. The knife is the longest knife in the collection and is the ultimate slicer.
Given it's long length it can slice lamb, pork beef and the fine 15% edge allow it to even slice fish or eel.
It's a specific purpose knife (slicing) which is the reason it was demoted to number 3 in the top 12 BBQ knife collection.
2. The "Dingo" | All Purpose BBQ Knife
Purpose - The Dingo is another all purpose blade commonly used at BBQs in Australia. The Dingo knife has a deeper blade as you approach the tip allowing you to use the blade to chop and slice most BBQ goodies. The width of the spine is well balanced - powerful yet not overly heavy meaning it's the perfect all purpose knife if there is a large amount of chopping and preparation to be done at the BBQ.
The Dingo comes in at number 2 in the top 12 Australian BBQ knife competition.
1. The "Great White" | All Purpose BBQ Knife
Purpose - The "Great White Shark" is, quite simply, the ultimate BBQ Knife. The power and weight on the blade mean it can chop almost anything, the curvature of the spine mean it can be used either downward chopping or rolling and the size allow it to conquer almost any protein or vegetables in the vicinity.
A very difficult decision for us however after numerous committee meetings (BBQs) we have anointed the Great White Knife as the number 1 BBQ knife for barbecue gurus here in Oz.
