Question for the chefs

A

aread

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Aug 8, 2012
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147
And anyone else who cuts meat

What type of knife and edge works best for slicing beef?

My wife makes a great jerky and we used to get it cut at the store. Unfortunately their slicer is broken and I have to cut it by hand. She wants thin slices about 1/8".

She is making a big batch and I'd like to use the best tool for the job.

Thanks,
Allen
 
I am not a chef but I have cut my share of jerky over the years. T best slicer I came across was a stamped Henckels 10" bladed slicer that was about $40 on the bay. It has a thin blade around .062" and is narrow at around an inch wide. I keep it sharp on a medium DMT butcher style rod. I am able to get those very thin slices in raw meat with this knife.
 
I'd suggest par freeze the meat first and then slice. It'll make it way easier to get thin slices. Doing this will allow you to even use a very sharp chef's knife to do the slicing.
 
Have a slicer by Victorinox, or a Japanese sujihiki, e.g. by Fujiwara. My own favourite Fujiwara FKH 270mm, carbon tool steel, some $80.
Problem with a chef knife is its width causing too much food contact. A slicer will normally hardly touch the board and may therefore hold a much keener edge than a general purpose knife.
 
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Thanks guys!!

I found an old carving knife in a box from my parents house and used my DMT medium. The slicing went great. The smell of the jerky is driving me crazy right now. I love that stuff!

Allen
 
I use a MAC carving knife. The current model is CK-90. I bought it at a garage sale for $2. It's thin. It slices better than any other knife I've ever used.

Partially freezing is the key to getting thin even cuts.
 
Chuzzy630 said:
I'd suggest par freeze the meat first and then slice. It'll make it way easier to get thin slices. Doing this will allow you to even use a very sharp chef's knife to do the slicing.
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Good advice. Will pass this on to my wife.:thumbup:
 
Ive worked in many restraints, most notably a 5 star private club in Tallahassee; the above advice is dead-on. Par freezing gives you enough resistance to slice easily. My mercer chefs knife has been sharpened so many times that I have somewhat changed the blade shape, but a thin edge is what we look for in a knife to be used for food prep. As thin as possible, and don't worry about any damage as if you're doing it for pay you touch up your blades before every shift. Dull knife=inefficient work.
 
I would freeze the beef until it about 1/3 to 1/2 frozen. then slice with a thin cleaver or thin chef's knife or a slicing knife.
double bevel, flat grind, total angle of less than 20 degrees
scott
 
scott.livesey said:
I would freeze the beef until it about 1/3 to 1/2 frozen. then slice with a thin cleaver or thin chef's knife or a slicing knife.
double bevel, flat grind, total angle of less than 20 degrees
scott
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Why the big deal on your suggestion of less than 20 degree's?
 
ainokea said:
Why the big deal on your suggestion of less than 20 degree's?
Click to expand...
An angle of 20 degree inclusive is rather exceptional in the case of a chef knife, which normally has a lot of board contact. A far more common angle is in the 25-30 degree range.
This is why the suggested, different angle is highly relevant.
 
Benuser said:
An angle of 20 degree inclusive is rather exceptional in the case of a chef knife, which normally has a lot of board contact. A far more common angle is in the 25-30 degree range.
This is why the suggested, different angle is highly relevant.
Click to expand...

Uh....okay:confused:
 
I will try to put it in another way. Typically, with a slicer, one will sharpen at the lowest possible angle. The limit is set by the steel - will it take this edge - and the sharpener's ability.
This approach wouldn't make any sense with blades who have to endure the impact of board contact. The edge would deteriorate rapidly. So one will choose an angle the blade may hold at least some time.
I hope this makes any sense to you.
 
Benuser said:
I will try to put it in another way. Typically, with a slicer, one will sharpen at the lowest possible angle. The limit is set by the steel - will it take this edge - and the sharpener's ability.
This approach wouldn't make any sense with blades who have to endure the impact of board contact. The edge would deteriorate rapidly. So one will choose an angle the blade may hold at least some time.
I hope this makes any sense to you.
Click to expand...

I got IT! :thumbup: Thank you for the clarification.:)
 
I use a 12" gyuto. I touch it up on a strop for 15-20 passes before slicing a bunch of raw beef. Par freezing works wonders.
 
So, what did you use to season the jerky?

+ 1 on the freezer, we cut steak carpaccio on an electric meat slicer this way
(freeze it first, then let it warm up for a few minutes before slicing it).
 
Maniacal Pete said:
So, what did you use to season the jerky?

+ 1 on the freezer, we cut steak carpaccio on an electric meat slicer this way
(freeze it first, then let it warm up for a few minutes before slicing it).
Click to expand...


My wife makes a sweet "juice" from soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and some other ingredients she won't tell me. It may be illegal it's so good and nearly addictive :)

Last night I sliced up beef for another batch. My son loaned me his Yanagi knife to use. That is definitely the right tool for this job. I've never cut meat as easily as with that knife! Combined with partial freezing, it was easy to get very thin slices. Especially after he showed me the right way to hold the knife. (he's a chef)

I've got to get me one of these knives!!

Allen
 
angle is edge of slicing cleaver i am finishing. primary angle on edge is about 8 degrees which would give you 16 degrees total. mainly for testing. 6x2 1/2x1/8 aldo1084, Rc 61-62. sliced sweet potatoes almost thin enough to see thru.
 
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