Food must not only taste andsmell good, it must also enter our eyes. In the case of cold cuts, cuttingthem into thin and even slices is essential. With a good slicer you willget slices measured to the millimeter, something very difficult to achieve evenwith the sharpest knife. Do you want to know more about these useful machines?
What are the advantages ofusing a slicing machine?
Cold meat cutters are veryuseful tools, whether you are several at home and consume many cold cuts or ifyou just want to take care of the presentation of your dishes. However, a slicing machine offers more benefits that should not be overlooked.
Innovation: Slicing food will allow you to prepare new dishes and recipes. The precision and quality of the cut of these instruments will make it possible.
Savings: You will no longer have to buy sliced cold cuts, with the extra cost that this implies. It is always more profitable to buy whole pieces and cut them yourself.
Ease of use: These tools are very safe and easy to use. With a slicer you will be able to slice easily what is almost impossible to cut well even with the sharpest knife
Greater freshness: When slicing food, they lose some of their properties. In addition, they dry out and spoil sooner than if you keep them in whole pieces. With a slicer you will prepare only the amount that you are going to consume at that time.
Versatility: Slicers are not only used to cut cold cuts, you can also slice cheese, meat and bread, among many other foods.
Hygiene: A clean and well-kept home slicing machine guarantees you germ-free food. With it you no longer have to wonder how often your butcher cleans his machine.
Are there any drawbacks to meat slicers?
If you have decided to buy aslicing machine, you should know that the initial investment in a quality modelcan be somewhat high. However, the expense pays for itself in a short time. You should also take into account that they will occupy an important space in your kitchen, so you should have planned where to store it.
As for handling, it will bedifficult at first to achieve the perfect cut. But don't worry, thetechnique is achieved with continuous practice. On the other hand, some people are wary of having such a device at home, especially when there are small children. Manufacturers have thought about this eventuality, providing their slicers with very effective safety systems.
Shopping Guide: What You ShouldKnow About Slicers
How is a home sausage slicer differentfrom a professional one?
Sausage slicers are generallyclassified as professional and domestic. The former are more powerful andresistant, as they must withstand intensive use. They are bulky and quite heavy devices, made of stainless steel or anodized aluminum, a material highly resistant to corrosion.
Household meat slicers havesmaller dimensions than professional ones. Some models are foldable, whichmakes it easy to store them in any kitchen cupboard. The blades are also smaller, no more than 7.8 inches in diameter. Its power usually oscillates between 100 and 200 watts.
How many types of slicers are there?
Cold meat slicing machines canbe manual or automatic. In the first, we will have to slide the food sothat the cut takes place. Electric or automatic slicers perform the cut without the need for us to push the piece that we want to slice. Household slicers are mostly manual.
Slicing machines are alsoclassified according to the format and the cutting mechanism. These are the main types.
Gravity slicers: It is usually the cutting system of machines for professional or semi-professional use. The cut is produced by the weight exerted by the piece of cold cuts on a slightly inclined blade.
Vertical slicers: They are designed to slice raw or cooked meat without jamming. In them, the blade forms an angle of 90º with the cutting base.
Belt slicers: They are cheaper than previous models, but less accurate. Power from the motor is transmitted to the blade via belts, rather than directly.
Gear slicers: They are designed for hard sausages, such as cured ham or cheese. They are the most used system in professional meat slicers due to their great power, precision and resistance.
Automatic gear slicers: They are like the previous ones, only they perform the cut automatically. It is the system used in industrial slicers.
What foods can we slice with aslicer?
Slicing machines are not onlyused to slice cold cuts, they can also be used to process other foods. Todo this, it is convenient to choose a model with interchangeable blades. The serrated blade is better for slicing hard foods, while the smooth-edged blade is more suitable for cutting soft foods.
These are some examples of thefoods that you can process with a slicing machine.
Pork: sausage, chorizo, lomo,mortadella, ham, boneless ham.
Meat: you can cut perfectfillets of chicken, turkey, beef, pork or lamb breast.
Dairy products: cured, fresh, semi-cured,ball cheese.
Hard vegetables: pumpkin, cucumber,carrot, potatoes, onions.
Bread: with a slicer thebread does not break when cut and all the pieces come out the same thickness.
How do you sharpen the blades of a slicer?
It is important to keep theblade of our slicer sharp. A sharp blade ensures a clean and regularcut. In addition, it will wear less, since it will be easier for you to make the cut. Upper-mid-range slicers usually include a sharpening attachment. If your slicer doesn't come with it, you can buy a universal sharpener, compatible with most models.
But how do you know that ourslicer needs sharpening? For example, when you notice that the slices aretorn and they are not all the same thickness. Let's see how to sharpen with full safety guarantees.
Unplug the slicer: Before attaching the sharpeningattachment, unplug the machine. Make sure the blade is completely clean.
Remove the disc cover: Once this is done, adjust thesharpener on the blade. In the models that include the sharpener, thiswill not be necessary.
Use lubricating oil: Some manufacturers recommendimpregnating the blade with a little lubricating oil.
Turn on the appliance: Start at low power, togradually rise for about a minute. Turn off the machine.
Check the sharpness: You can do this by cutting theedge of a paper. If the cut is satisfactory, clean the blade well with acloth moistened with alcohol.
How to clean a meat slicer?
We must be especially carefulwith the maintenance and cleaning of this type of machine. A slicer withfood scraps can be a risk to our health. In fact, effective cleaning and disinfection of these utensils are key to preventing diseases such as listeriotic. But how to clean them properly in complete safety?
Unplug the appliance: For added safety, unplug thepower cord.
Clean the arm and the car: If they are removable, removethem and clean them well with warm water and a neutral detergent.
Clean the base and tray: Thoroughly scrub both the baseof the machine and the tray where the slices are deposited.
Clean the blade: Clean the blade disc carefullywith a soft cloth moistened with mild soap and water. Don't use a scouringpad, as you could scratch it. It's not a bad idea to wear safety gloves for this task.
Dry all the pieces well: Use kitchen paper. Somemanufacturers recommend lubricating the carriage and mower arm for betterglide.
Put the removed parts back.
Purchase criteria
The tips below will help youchoose the most suitable slicing machine. These criteria are applicablewhether you are going to give it a domestic use or if you are going to use it in a bar or delicatessen. In any case, it is an investment that you will immediately appreciate having made.
Materials
Electric or manual
Size
Blades
Power
Cut regulation
Easy cleaning
Materials
We recommend that you choosemodels made of stainless steel or anodized aluminum. The latter materialis very resistant to corrosion and wear, apart from being lighter than steel. Both steel and aluminum are very hygienic and easy to clean. In addition, the slicers with the metal frame have a longer service life.
Plastic slicing machines arecheaper, but less sturdy than metal ones. In addition, they are lesshygienic and it takes more work to clean them well. They offer the advantage that they are lighter than steel or aluminum. However, being less heavy, they also run a higher risk of accidental shifting or sliding while in use.
Electric or manual
Apart from the electric ones,there are also manual slicers. In these, it is necessary to hold the pieceof cold meat with one hand while, with the other, we handle the blade. To avoid accidents, the piece is held by a handle or support. Both the cut and the thickness are less precise than those offered by electric slicers.
Size
If you are going to use theslicer occasionally, choose a compact model. Some can even befolded. These models typically have 6-inch diameter discs. On the other hand, if you are going to give it an intensive use, choose a semi-professional model. With it you can easily cut meat, cured ham, cheeses, hard sausages and a wide variety of foods.
Take into account the size ofthe food you are going to slice. The blade must be at least the samediameter as the piece you want to cut. Furthermore, the carriage travel must be at least twice as long as the diameter of the cold cut. As a safety measure, the piece of food must not protrude from the cart. If so, you must cut it beforehand.
Safety
It is important that the slicerhas security systems that minimize the risk. To prevent accidentalactivation, some models have dual switches. It is also vital that the blade is not exposed other than where it is cutting. The arms to hold the food are another important part of the safety of these machines.
Slicers must have clampingsystems to prevent them from shifting. Some have suction cups at thebottom, while others have non-slip bases.
Blades
There are sausage slicers withinterchangeable blades. The cheapest models, on the other hand, only bringone. There are two types of cutting discs: smooth and serrated. The smooth blades are suitable for soft foods, such as meat or cheese. The serrated, on the other hand, for the toughest bread and foods.
Power
The more power the slicer has,the more electricity it will consume. If you are going to use it onlyoccasionally and to slice small sausages, it is not worth spending a lot of money on a very powerful one. A 100 or 150 watt one will suffice. For heavy use, you should invest in a powerful slicer, as it will offer better results.
Cut regulation
It is important that the slicerhas a cut thickness regulator. In this way, you will be able to select themost suitable slice thickness for each type of food. Most slicers can cut slices that range from one millimeter to two centimeters thick. The machine must also allow a wide range of thicknesses to be chosen.
Easy cleaning
Make sure that the deli slicerof your choice is easy to clean. The main parts must be easy todisassemble or, at least, you must have good access to all its recesses. Remember that the slicers with the metal body are more hygienic and easier to clean than the plastic ones.
Resume
The presentation of cheeses andsausages is very important, which is why domestic slicers have become sopopular. They are not only used to slice sausages, but also foods such as bread, meat or cheese.
In this article we have coveredthe different types of slicers, as well as the best way to use them. Wehave also taught you how to clean them and how to safely sharpen their blades. Finally, we have offered you some simple purchase criteria. With them it will be easier for you to choose the ideal slicer.