Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using a Meat Slicer

Your commercial kitchen cannot do without the perfect meat slicer or mincer. Period. The indispensability of meat slicers arises from their speed, precision and consistency. Its versatility and convenience enhance the overall experience for kitchen staff, restaurant owners and customers. However, if operators are not careful while using them, there can be severe safety hazards, operational inefficiencies, and poor performance. Want to avoid common mistakes while using meat slicers? Read on to know more.

Using Meat Slicers: Things to Remember

Slicers, mincers and other cutting/chopping tools use blades and quite sharp ones at that! As a responsible operator, you must be mindful of keeping yourself safe at the onset. Once you have the safety aspects under control, the performance, quality and precision requirements can be catered to. Also, a meticulous maintenance schedule will maximise the lifespan and effectiveness of their meat slicers while ensuring a safe working environment.

Keep Them Clean

Your meat slicer is your long-term kitchen partner, and you must keep it clean after every use – not just for a longer shelf life but also to avoid contamination and profile mixing. Meat slicers are in constant contact with food particles, water and moisture. This has the tendency to create a comfortable breeding ground for bacterial growth and fungi if not cleaned thoroughly.

Clean your blades at regular intervals. After frequent use, meat residues might stick to the blades and various ridges within. This can dampen sharpness and result in inferior-quality cuts. For best results, disassemble the machine, wash all components with warm, soapy water and sanitise them immediately. Why is this important? Because of hygiene issues and adherence to Australian food safety standards. You wouldn’t want the quality guys penalising you merely for an ill-kept meat slicer in your kitchen, would you?

Keep Them Sharp

All the desired accuracy, consistency and productivity will remain a distant dream if the blades of your slicer are blunt. Do not persist with a dull blade only for a misplaced sense of longevity – it’s a blunder that’ll cost you dearly in the long run. Sharpen your blades regularly and replace them once they are beyond repair. This will save you expensive repair costs and poor output quality. Poorly kept blades will put unwanted pressure on the motor and cost more electricity.

Don’t forget that an unsharpened blade will require more physical labour to carry out a mincing/slicing task, thereby draining your energy quickly. Also, your meat cuts will not be homogenous; there will be unnecessary wastage and the final presentation before customers will be compromised. It is quite a high price to pay for a task that requires a small fix, isn’t it? Therefore, follow manufacturer instructions diligently and perform the requisite maintenance before it jinxes the entire value chain.

Maintain Them Well

You simply cannot skip timely maintenance of your meat slicer. This oversight can have long-term ramifications for your productivity, costs and business prospects. Meat slicers are specialised mechanical equipment that warrant periodic maintenance for optimal functionality.

Keep the moving parts well-lubricated, periodically inspect electrical connections and replace aging and worn components. Draft a regular maintenance schedule, keep a record of performed tasks and stick to the guidelines to avoid unexpected challenges and troubles. The last thing you’d want is increased downtime owing to otherwise efficient equipment that lost its mojo due to lack of maintenance!

Acknowledge Safety Instructions

Ignore operational safety precautions at your own risk! Suffice to say, when you are dealing with a machine that solely relies on a blade to perform, personal safety is of paramount importance. None of the envisaged results will materialise if the operator is not skilled enough to handle precision equipment. If handled carelessly, meat slicers can be inherently dangerous and pose severe consequences.

Operators often tend to give safety guidelines a miss. Failure to wear cut-resistant gloves or ignoring the right functional angle while operating is calling for trouble! Therefore, be mindful of all safety guidelines (major or minor). Use the appropriate apparel or gear that protects you while on the machine – safety is strictly non-negotiable in a responsible commercial kitchen.

Hone Your Skills

Your kitchen is as good as the staff onboard. The beauty of a great kitchen lies in the combined talent of young minds and experienced hands working together to create that perfect dish that remains etched in the minds of your customers. Little wonder, then, that regular training and skill development will go a long way in keeping all enthusiastic stakeholders pepped up and ready to manage any equipment they are handed to operate.

Play on the inquisitive minds of your staff, train them at the onset and answer all queries so that no one falters on the job. New or amateur team members may not be privy to properly installing, operating, or maintaining meat slicers. Once they are trained, they’ll help avoid operational bottlenecks and reduce downtime. Existing and new employees must receive the right training on safety, assembly, operation, cleaning, and other essential prerequisites.

Meat Slicer: Your Trusted Kitchen Partner

Armed with the expertise, skills and strategies to operate a meat mincer/slicer, you are now ready to curate the finest, drool-worthy meat delicacies that’ll be a treat to any palate, whether a discerning customer or a food connoisseur! When you respect your equipment, it rewards you with wonders that create a lasting impression. Investing time, money and energy in your meat slicer is a sure-shot way to achieve excellence by reducing errors and enhancing efficiency.