A thinly sliced meat is the ultimate perfection for perfectly cooked meat. A slicer is a trendy and vastly used tool that is used for this purpose. But, slicing meat with a slicer is a hazardous task. Every year around 4,000 people face amputations due to injury caused by meat slicers.
So, how to slice cooked meat thin without a slicer? Let’s get into the methods and process.
What Do You Need to slice cooked meat thin without a slicer?
As we have mentioned, a meat slicer possesses so much danger and risk of injuring your finger. As an alternative, you can resort to methods that require no fancy tools or technology. You will need only some standard kitchen equipment and a fair bit of patience. To get thinly sliced meat without a slicer, you will need the equipment mentioned below:
Sharp Knife
To slice the meat thin, you need a good and sharp knife. A sharp butcher’s knife is a good option for this, but you can also use other knives as long as they are sharp and comfortable in your hand. You do not need any special meat knife or beef knife. Instead, a butcher’s knife will provide the right balance and strength, as long as good sharpness. This will allow you to slice through the ham or any frozen or raw meat.
You can easily check the sharpness with the knife cutting paper test. If the knife cuts through a single piece of paper without any abrasion, it is sharp enough to take on the meat.
Serrated Knife
If you are cutting a frozen chunk of meat, you can get great help from a serrated knife. The sharp edge of the serrated knife can grind and cut through the frozen meat block or chunk at an instance. You can easily use it to get thinly sliced meat.
Hacksaw
If You are slicing a chunk of meat with a bone inside it, you won’t be able to cut it with any of the knives mentioned above. For this task, you will need a hacksaw.
Cutting Board
This is one of the key pieces of equipment to cut raw or cooked meat thinly. A good cutting board will provide a good grip for the heart and prevent it from sliding on the board. The board won’t slide or slip on the counter when you are cutting a harder or tougher chunk of meat.
But, be careful about using the cutting board back-to-back with raw and cooked meat. You need to wash the board thoroughly before and after every use to prevent any rawness or bacteria from getting inside the cooked meat.
How to slice cooked meat thin without a slicer?
If you have all or most of the equipment that is mentioned above, you can follow the steps below for slicing meat thin:
After cooking delicious meat in a stake or some other form, you need to follow some similar steps to cut it thinly and adequately.
Step 1: Let it rest
After the cooking is complete, put the meat on the cutting board or a wire rack to let it cool down and rest for 5 to 6 minutes. This will set the meat to room temperature and seal the flavors within each slice you will cut.
Step 2: Locate the grain and cut
After the meat is cooled down, check the grain on the meat. Then, cut against the grain. Make sure you cut each piece in a similar thickness.
Beginner Tips: How to slice cooked meat thin without a slicer
If you are a beginner at cooking and slicing meat, do not be afraid. You need to follow some additional tips to make your meat taste as great as you expect it to.
Be careful while freezing the meat
- The piece or chunk of meat needs to be wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic to preserve the flavor and prevent it from drying out.
- You need to check on the freezing time to prevent any effect on the meat. Do not freeze for so long, as it will make the meat taste bad or tasteless.
- Freeze the meat so that no other liquid or anything doesn’t drop or touch the meat. Liquids from other things in the freezer can ruin the meat.
Be careful while handling the knife
- Use knives that are suitable for the job both in size and comfort. Do not use small knives like Bushcraft Knife or similar knives as they are not designed to cut a piece of meat carefully.
- Make sure your knife is sharp. A dull knife increases the chance of an accidental cut.
- Be patient while handling the knife. When you are a beginner and learn to slice the meat with a knife, go for really thin slices, which may lead to cuts on your finger. Start with a thin slice, and then, with time, progress to thinner slices.
Why is A Wooden Cutting Board Necessary?
A wooden cutting board is a necessary piece of equipment when slicing meat thin. A wooden cutting board provides an excellent grip for the meat when it is sitting and on the ground. When you are cutting frozen meat, you need to apply some pressure, and a wooden cutting board will prevent the meat and the board from sliding or slipping.
Both plastic boards and wooden boards will wear over time. But, when a plastic board wears down, tiny pieces of plastic will attach to the board’s foods, and it will go inside our system. That’s why a wooden cutting board is necessary for the kitchen for cutting meat and all the other things.
Final Words
A slicer makes life easier, but as you now know how to slice cooked meat thin without a slicer, it is better to use these methods. Using these other methods will keep you safe and increase your cooking and cutting skills.
