Is there a way to slice meat thinly as luncheon meat at home?

[Danny D.]

At a deli, they use a special meat slicer, but, is there something affordable we can use at home to slice luncheon meat thinly?

I have my sister and her kids staying with me for a few months (don't ask), and we pack them a lunch every school day, so I picked up big hunks of Costco ham, turkey, and cheese, figuring I'd slice it up for the kids to make sandwiches.

But I can't manually knife the stuff as thinly as they do with the professional rotating blade meat slicers at the supermarket.

Is there a shop tool that's common that we can use to slice this meat up thinly? Or do I have to buy an expensive meat slicer (which is probably too expensive to be worthwhile)?

Anyone slice their own luncheon meat thinly at home? What tool do you use?

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

I answered you on the other site.

[Julie Bove]

You can buy a slicer for home use but they're not cheap.

[Danny D.]

Julie Bove wrote, on Tue, 21 Apr 2015 23:25:40 -0700:

Basically I want the least expensive *usable* meat slicer I can get (even better if it's a tool that I already have, such as a dremel tool, or a grinder motor, or a sawszall, etc.).

I should note that I googled the deli-style slicers, which run the gamut in cost from about just over a hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars.

With that kind of price range, there are going to be a *lot* of decisions and tradeoffs that have to be made at the lower end.

If I simply by a $2,000 meat slicer, I'm sure I'll be happy with it; but, to get one for less than a hundred will take the advice of others who have actual experience in the lower end models.

Questions will arise such as blade material and type, diameter, motor power, etc., that I don't even know to ask yet.

Only someone who is either happy or unhappy with the inexpensive slicers will be able to advise me which way to go, or not to go, I would think.

Here's an example of a relatively inexpensive slicer, but I don't know if its any good:

But maybe there is a fitting for my radial arm saw, or for my circular saw?

[Ophelia]

I am in UK and this is very similar to the one I have

I am sure you could get something similar.

[Danny D.]

sf wrote, on Tue, 21 Apr 2015 23:09:34 -0700:

I have tried hand sharpening knives, and that's a bust (for me).

But I have a lot of good quality shop tools, so, my *first* hope is that I can simply buy a special thin stainless-steel blade and jig for, say, my Makita miter saw or my circular saw or use a table saw with a special setup, etc.

I was hoping someone else had tried the shop-tool approach, and had recommendations and ideas for me. Otherwise, I will try it on my own, but, of course, it will take a lot of experimentation and tests.

Worst case, I can buy a crappy lower-quality dedicated meat slicer, but, I don't yet understand why a quality shop tool can't be outfitted to do the job.

I'm sure most cooks would shudder at using a shop tool, but, it's just a motor and blade after all, so, with a special blade, and some kind of clever jig setup, I don't see why an existing common shop tool wouldn't do the job as well.

But, of course, I have no experience in this, so that's why I ask.

[J Burns]

Some chefs recommend a chef's knife for meat, but their slices don't look thin to me.

To slice meat thinly, I use a knife with a thin blade. The one I have doesn't take or hold an edge like my chef's knife, but it beats my chef's knife for slicing meat.

If you look at ham slicing knives at amazon, they'll show you lots. Some have a Granton edge. I've read that's good for slicing meat thin.

[Sqwertz]

If you just want ham slices, use a knife.

But if you want serious feedback which you won't get here on Usenet RFC, try the Facebook group:

I've always wanted a commercial meat slicer.

-sw

[RobertMacy]

This is a 'temporary' problem so not much desire to invest heavily. Go to Walmart, to the sporting Section, and buy a fileting knife for around $7, comes with a solid protective sheath to mount on your belt, and sharpener!

Chill the meat as cold as possible, then slice. You'll be able to 'see' through the slices. The cheese is a bit more daunting, but just keep the blade clean and you'll get by.

The sharpener will make this knife razor sharp, so be careful. I've sliced my thumb when all I was doing was wiping the blade a bit carelessly with a paper towel. The cut was so thin barely felt the slicing but did notice the blood running out.

The sharpener that is built for this knife consists of two angled ceramic rods positioned in a plastic holder, so sharpening is easy. The blade seems to hold the edge for quite a while, too.

Note we have one of those German motorized slicers that cost $$$ but taking it out, using, cleaning, etc what a bother. I even use that filet knife to cut very thin slices of bread for hors d'oeurves(sp?) you know for brie etc.

[Jeßus]

I have a very old Acme brand slicer, it's surprisingly super sharp and super fine with it's cuts. Mostly made of cast iron and quite heavy.

Most of the time I use one of these:

I originally bought it to round out my set of wusthof knives and found it's one of the knives that gets the most use. You can cut very fine and accurately with one of these knives. Great on tomatoes.

[Julie Bove]

Since that is Amazon, I would pay heed to the reviews there. I don't have a slicer. I don't have room to store one.

[bob_villa]

I have seen good, used slicers at Goodwill...there's also CL and used kitchen supply stores.

[Unquestionably Confused]

[snip]

You give a link on Amazon to a couple of slicers you could afford. Each has a rather extensive listing of something called reviews which, since you're so inexperienced, are statements made by owners of the actual product, who've used the product for a time and yet here you are asking how to jerry-rig a Unisaw or Dremel Moto-tool.

Are you the tool?

Read the damn reviews!

[Stormin Mormon]

I think Billy Mays hawked such a device, but he died years ago. Nothing out there to my knowledge.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[micky]

You need a Flimzu Knife.

Cuts meat so thin you can use it as a screen protector on your smart phone.

Act now. Call 1=900-FLIMZU (extra charges may apply)

Or write BOX FLIMZU, NY, NY zipcode FLIMZU.

[dadiOH]

Freeze the meat and use your joiner like a huge microtome :)

[taxed and spent]

I use my Hobart. I have used the $150 slicers and they are surprisingly ok. You might just consider slicing as thin as you can with a knife, and then julienning. If they don't like it, maybe they will leave your home sooner.

[Ed Pawlowski]

There are enough bad review on them that I'd pass. I'd be willing to spend more if it really worked.

Rather than buy processed luncheon meats, why not roast a real hunk of beef and slice it, or a real turkey breast? That is what I'd do if I had one. I really don't have the space for it for the little use we'd give it.

[Don Phillipson]

An electric carving knife may do what you want. (It lets us slice smoked salmon as thinly as the texture of the flesh allows. It cost $10 used at a pawnbroker's.)

[W. Lohman]

No one cares, dwarf.