The 6 Best Poultry Shears

What to Look for in Poultry Shears

Blade

It’s important to consider that poultry shears not only need to be proficient in snipping through fatty, slippery skin, but they also need to be able to force themselves through tougher, thicker bones. Because of this, you need to look for a blade that’s just as sharp and nimble as it is sturdy. Serrated blades can be helpful in gripping onto slippery skin and slicing through it, though non-serrated blades should still be sharp enough to slice through fat and flesh.

Locking Mechanism

The locking mechanism on these shears is very important. There needs to be a position where poultry shears clamp and store safely. If there’s no locking mechanism, this puts the blade at risk while it’s being stored. The locking mechanism will also give the shears a slight spring, which is helpful when using them because you want them to spring back as you cut through bones and flesh. The spring should be powerful enough to help you move onto your next cut, yet not so powerful that the blades accidentally come apart from time to time. The locking mechanism should be easy and simple to engage and disengage.

Handles and Grip

Cutting through bones and heavy-duty birds is a tough task regardless of whether your shears are great or not. This is a task that requires skill and force. This means that the shears should feel comfortable and natural in your hands and they shouldn’t feel forced. The grip should be non-slip (your hands might be wet and oily from handling the bird), and the grip should be an easy fit for your hands. If you’re left-handed, you’ll definitely want to try out the shears and make sure that they can accommodate you.

Hinge

Where the two blades of the shears meet is called the hinge, and the design of this element is very important to the quality of your shears. It’s ideal for this hinge to be able to detach so that you can easily take apart the two blades when it comes time to clean, maintain, and sharpen. Some shears also offer a hinge nut, which allows you to tighten or loosen the clamp between the blades. Heavy usage can cause the blades to loosen, so having the ability to re-tighten is a nice feature.

FAQs

What are poultry shears used for?

Poultry shears are used to cut through the bones and tougher limbs and cartilage in birds, such as chicken, duck, or turkey. It’s not always best to try to forcefully get your knife through a tough bone. It’s much easier and safer to use a pair of poultry shears. They are an especially great tool for someone who likes to spatchcock their birds, as shears help break through the tough backbone. They’re great for deboning cuts of meat as well as sectioning off different parts of the bird.

How do you sharpen poultry shears?

To sharpen poultry shears, you can opt to take them to a professional sharpener, as you might with your chef’s knives. If you prefer to do it yourself, you’ll need to take apart the two blades and use a sharpening stone set on a towel. With the coarse side of the stone facing upwards, place the inside of the scissor blade on the stone and give it 10-15 strokes from the back to the front. After you see some tiny metal shards scrape off (that means you’re sharpening it properly), go ahead and turn the stone over and do another 10 strokes on the finer side. It’s also a good idea to sharpen the bevel edge of the shear while you’re sharpening the blade. You’ll give the bevel edge 10 strokes first on the coarse side of the stone and then on the fine. Reassemble the two blades and you’re good to go.

Can you use kitchen scissors instead of poultry shears?

Poultry shears are much stronger, durable, and more heavy-duty than kitchen scissors, so they can cut through tougher materials. Plus, some scissors are not designed in a way that you can remove the two blades from one another, which can make it harder to maintain and sharpen them.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Sara Tane has written nearly a dozen buying guides for The Spruce Eats, understanding what consumers and cooks need to consider before making a new purchase for their culinary adventures. She is a professionally trained chef. With many years of spatchcocking Thanksgiving turkeys and plenty of smaller birds in between, she is no stranger to what it takes to use poultry shears. After researching different poultry shears and their materials, she can help you find the best tool for your kitchen.

Sources

• Cara Nicoletti, Founder & CEO, Seemore Meats & Veggies