Of all the things I use in my kitchen, a good Chef's knife has been the best investment I have made. It's not the top of the line or an expensive brand, but it's good and sharp and that saves me money. Oh sure I want a full set of Shun someday and I look at them every time I go to the kitchen store. But, this one knife I have right now does a great job and I have many others, but the one chefs knife I use the most can cut thru a rib end pork roast to give me chops as fine as any butcher would sell. I get more for the dollar buying the roast and with the ribs as a guide they are easy to cut. Everything from whole beef tenderloin to a whole chicken will save money if I buy them and cut them up myself. It might seem challenging but there are so many resources online and on the food network that will show exactly how to do it. I don't do the whole chicken very often but it's good to know how. I just remember my grandparents didn't have stores that did all of these things for them and they managed to do it on their own. If they can do it I can do it, if I take the time to learn. Even if I make a mistake it's still edible and I learn more each time. I need more practice with the chicken, but The chops are simple, cheap and they look pretty good when they are done.
