How to Use a Meat Slicer

Author : Efrain E. Silva

Want to know how to use this bad boy? Yup. We know you do. We see that fierce look in your eyes as you glare into your PC screen and read this piece. Read forward…I am about to spill all the beans and then some…..

So as you might know if you read my other blog, there’s two meat slicers — we’ve got the manual and we’ve got the electric. I can show you a bit on both. Bear with me for a good read worth your time.

Now first off, let’s start with the electric one. We know that’s the one of choice. Most people who can afford one opt for it, whether for their business or their home, even. With this one, start off by simply raising the clamp’s arm and move it right away from your slicer. Put the meat on. Pull the arm back then place some paper (of wax form) right on the slicer’s main surface. Turn things on and let the noise begin.

After that, just make sure the meat moves along nicely by pushing the slider tray as needed and make sure it keeps hitting the rotating blade. Slice away at everything to your desired size / shape. Then, turn off, unplug, remove the meat and clean the machine nicely. Leave it ready for when you need to slice again.

Easy, right? Since it’s an automatic slicer, you won’t really break much of a sweat. Now let me show you, as I promised, how the process goes with a regular manual meat slicer, which can take a bit more work but is still do - able (and sometimes even fun to use, he he heh)…. In most models, you ought to have the blade and cover, the carriage, the active pusher, the thickness regulator, the handle and the base all included. Use the thickness adjuster to make sure the thickness is just what you want. You simply place the meat right in the center under the blade, after uncovering the blade if it was properly covered up from the last use (and also cleaning it and lubricating it from the last use), then hold both hands down carefully right on the active pusher and handle….keeping things firm to avoid the meat from wobbling around or falling off. Slice back and forth until you have the meat right down to the thickness you choose.

And unless you’ve got a super - fancy, powerful steel blade sort of slicer, that has been directly marketed for being able to slice through meat that has bone in it, avoid slicing down on bone. Separate the meat from any bone attached to it. Also avoid slicing frozen meats as they lack the proper moisture and can even damage the blade or nullify it upon its impact. It’s not like you’re trying to use a slicing knife instead of a professional meat slicer, in which case I would instead tell you to freeze that meat for just 15 minutes (read my other blog for more on that).