Meat Slicers

The term “meat slicer” is a little misleading in that this machine can slice many types of foods evenly and efficiently, not just meat. The advantages of having one in your home include portion control, improved flexibility with the foods you have, making freshly sliced meat for sandwhiches etc. which improves flavor.

A home slicer can save a great deal of time for you

Currently there are two basic versions of meat slicers on the market. One is manual, meaning you use one hand to move the food across the blade. The other is automatic where the carriage moves thanks to electricity. Manual slicers put you closer to the blades, so require some care, but they also give you a lot of control.
The key feature to any slicer is the size of its blade. The smaller ones begin around 9” and large ones, suited to nearly every kitchen need, are 12-14”. Along side that the size of the carriage determines how large a chunk of food you can feed through the slicer. Additionally the carriage should be at a good angle so that the food naturally feeds down onto the blade.
Speaking of blades, don’t forget to watch for good safety features and a strong blade and machine.

The Professional meat slicer makes instant luncheon meat

Meat slicers aren’t cheap, so you want to invest wisely the first time and get something that will be functional for many years. You also want to be reasonably sure of not racking up medical bills when you use it! Watch for finger guards, a non-skid bottom to the slicer.
Beyond these basics, it’s nice to have a slicer that provides flexibility with thickness of a cut, one that offers a heated tray for sliced items, one with a portion scale and one that comes apart easily for cleaning after use. Note that many people recommend having a separate slicer for raw meat than that which is used for cooked items.

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