Plastic sausage wrappers

dipbait

dipbait

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
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What do you cut breakfast sausage wrapped in plastic with? I use a rapala fillet knife. Razor sharp at first. Before I can finish the roll , it will be so dull that its smashing the roll instead of cutting. Man, those things dull a knife in a hurry.
 
IF it's on the counter next to the knife stand, I'll grab a paring knife.
If it's somewhere else, I'll use whatever is in my pocket at the time.

Neither blade seems overly affected by cutting the plastic.
 
if what is happening is what i think is happening im not sure if the knfie is getting dulled as much as the plastic is just snagging because of a push cut.

-matt
 
What's under the roll of sausage?
If it's a plate, pan or glass cutting board, that's your problem.
Or you could be leaving a wire edge on the blade and that is coming off or rolling, resulting in a dull edge.

Maybe even try defrosting the sausage :D
 
I'm pretty much to the point that whenever I have to cut plastic, I try to use a serrated edged knife. I have a couple of inexpensive kitchen knives with 6+ inch blades that are serrated.

In the kitchen, I have a couple of wood cutting boards to use when cutting. Do you use a board?
 
I use a bread knive--ie. serrated blade.
 
orthogonal1 said:
I'm pretty much to the point that whenever I have to cut plastic, I try to use a serrated edged knife. I have a couple of inexpensive kitchen knives with 6+ inch blades that are serrated.

In the kitchen, I have a couple of wood cutting boards to use when cutting. Do you use a board?
Click to expand...

Guyon said:
I use a bread knive--ie. serrated blade.
Click to expand...


To use my son's phraseology:
DUDE!, you're useing a WHAT?!
 
Are you questioning the use of a serrated blade or the use of a bread knife?

The use of a bread knife for many purposes in the kitchen is something I'm familiar with.

In my first set of kitchen knives, the bread knife was the longest in length and stayed useably sharp the longest. It was also the only knife in the set that had serrations (big, looping serrations that actually sharpened easily).

I wish I still had that knife.

As for serrated edge use, such edges seem to keep cutting plastic longer with less maintanance. Why expose one of my plain edged knives to a task that will dull it sooner.

Besides, for me, cutting plastic casings is pretty much a mute point. REAL sausage is made with a natural casing (as are REAL hotdogs) :) .
 
Im talking about the "Jimmy Dean'' type sausage roll. I think they are a booger to cut.
 
I have found that, when working in the kitchen with certain foods, it's a good idea to have a trickle of warm or hot water handy.

If the food I'm cutting begins to show a lot of "resistance" or "friction" symptoms, I rinse the blade to remove the residue (in this case, fat buildup) and I'm back in business.

I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound to me like your knife is getting dull. It sounds like it's getting fouled.

Try rinsing & wiping during the job. See if it changes anything.

 
ArfinGreebly said:
I have found that, when working in the kitchen with certain foods, it's a good idea to have a trickle of warm or hot water handy.

If the food I'm cutting begins to show a lot of "resistance" or "friction" symptoms, I rinse the blade to remove the residue (in this case, fat buildup) and I'm back in business.

I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound to me like your knife is getting dull. It sounds like it's getting fouled.

Try rinsing & wiping during the job. See if it changes anything.
Click to expand...

That makes sense.
 
dipbait said:
What do you cut breakfast sausage wrapped in plastic with? I use a rapala fillet knife. Razor sharp at first. Before I can finish the roll , it will be so dull that its smashing the roll instead of cutting. Man, those things dull a knife in a hurry.
Click to expand...

A wire edge on your knife might be the cause. Try making a few cuts then use a butcher's steel (which may also tear off the wire). If it continues to cut "better" afterwards, suspect a wire edge. Adjust your sharpening technique accordingly.
 
orthogonal1 said:
Are you questioning the use of a serrated blade or the use of a bread knife?

The use of a bread knife for many purposes in the kitchen is something I'm familiar with.

In my first set of kitchen knives, the bread knife was the longest in length and stayed useably sharp the longest. It was also the only knife in the set that had serrations (big, looping serrations that actually sharpened easily).

I wish I still had that knife.

As for serrated edge use, such edges seem to keep cutting plastic longer with less maintanance. Why expose one of my plain edged knives to a task that will dull it sooner.

Besides, for me, cutting plastic casings is pretty much a mute point. REAL sausage is made with a natural casing (as are REAL hotdogs) :) .
Click to expand...


Not questioning using a bread knife to cut bread.
Questioning using a bread knife to cut plastic.

Maybe it's just me, but any of my EDC's cut plastic just fine. Cutting plastic is in the job description as to what I expect an EDC to do on a daily basis. If it won't cut plastic, it does not belong in my pocket.
 
I love Jimmy Dean sausage.
Met him in Montauk LI many moons ago.
You can guess the name of his boat :D

Maybe this isn't a matter of the knife getting duller as you go thru the roll of sausage, but a matter of sausage dynamics.
Maybe...
As you have less roll left, there is less to hold onto.
There is also less sausage filling to hold the cylinder shape that provides resistance to the plastic wrapper. Without that resistance, the plastic will just give under the pressure of the knife, instead of standing up and being cut.

Try this, make twice as much sausage (how can that be bad?)
First cut one roll until the knife stops cutting.
Then start on the second roll.
If the initial cuts on the second roll work as well, they you'll know it is sausage dynamics at work.

If not, you'll have a great start for biscuits and gravy :D
 
Ebbtide said:
I love Jimmy Dean sausage.
Met him in Montauk LI many moons ago.
You can guess the name of his boat :D

Maybe this isn't a matter of the knife getting duller as you go thru the roll of sausage, but a matter of sausage dynamics.
Maybe...
As you have less roll left, there is less to hold onto.
There is also less sausage filling to hold the cylinder shape that provides resistance to the plastic wrapper. Without that resistance, the plastic will just give under the pressure of the knife, instead of standing up and being cut.

Try this, make twice as much sausage (how can that be bad?)
First cut one roll until the knife stops cutting.
Then start on the second roll.
If the initial cuts on the second roll work as well, they you'll know it is sausage dynamics at work.

If not, you'll have a great start for biscuits and gravy :D
Click to expand...

why must you talk of heavenly food when a college student is hungry, the "sausage gravy" here is bad pepper gravy

-matt
 
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