A cleaver is a large knife that varies in its shape but usually resembles a rectangular-bladed hatchet. It is largely used as a kitchen or butcher knife and is mostly intended for splitting up large pieces of soft bones and through thick pieces of meat.

What do you use a meat cleaver for?

The cleaver is not only used to cut and chop meat but also vegetables. You can use it to slice hard vegetables such as butternuts and squash. Some chefs use them to crack coconuts too. They can also be used to crush garlic, ginger, or lemongrass.

What can you use instead of a meat cleaver?