Which knife is typically used to remove skin and trim fat?

• A. Paring knife
• B. Chef's knife
• C. Boning knife
• D. Utility knife

Answer: (C)

To remove skin and trim fat effectively, you need a blade that can work closely to the meat’s contours and separate tissue cleanly. A boning knife fits this need with a narrow, often slightly flexible blade and a sharp tip, which lets you slip under skin and along bones while trimming fat with precision. This control helps you remove skin and fat without taking off excess meat. A paring knife is too small for larger skinning tasks, a chef’s knife, while versatile, has a broad blade that isn’t as maneuverable for delicate skinning, and a utility knife isn’t specialized for tissue separation around bone or skin, making it less ideal than a boning knife.