for you dehydrating folk....

[Cooldays]

do you have a slicer? do you like it? I am wondering if a slicer or an electric knife is worth it? I want something to help me slice my meat even thinner than I can do it free hand, and keep it more even.

[Skidsteer]

Never felt the need for one...

[Smile]

Make friends with a local butcher or someone at the deli department at the grocery store....you can sometimes get them to slice it for you.

[LaurieAnn]

I have an electric slicer. My father-in-law bought it for me this past Christmas because I kept borrowing his. I partially freeze the meat before I slice it whether I am using a knife or the slicer... it just makes it easier. A good sharp carver is all you need though.

I also use a mandoline slicer for doing things like veggies chips.

Of course, I'm a foodie so I might have more kitchen gadgets than what you really need.

[Enic]

I love my mandoline for veggies and have even done frozen meat on it. (Like LaurieAnn, I may be a bit of a foodie.) I already had it when I bought my dehydrator though, and just like how even I can make batches of fruit and veggie chips. The meat I figured out I'd rather do by hand though, because I find the texture of thinly sliced reconstituted meat is unpleasant. Maybe not for all but for me it's no good.

An electic knife helps me make more even cuts, but the how thin and even is still up to the user. Good luck!

[sarbar]

For meat I do it by hand (say in jerky making) but in vegetables? If I really need something uniform I just use my food processor. But overall, no, I do it by hand. I don't mind doing it.

[Wise Old Owl]

Deanna & I use a inexpensive easy model like this, we throw it into the dishwasher (except the motor) for cleaning... Found at most anchor stores...

Hamilton Beech 8 cup wide food unit, don't skimp here - worth every dollar.

[Boothill]

I partially freeze the meat before I slice it whether I am using a knife or the slicer... it just makes it easier.

this is key when wanting to get real thin uniform slices, you don't want to freeze it hard, just until there is some crystal structure in the meat, an hour or two tops, depending on how big of cut your starting with

you just can't get the same results doing in by hand as you can with a slicer if you want really thin slices, the only way to come close is to build yourself a jig and make sure you knife is very sharp

i was a butcher for 10 years and a slicer is the way to go, much easier and faster and will keep the meat uniform, just be careful they are sharp

boot

[endubyu]

I use a mandolin slicer for fruits and vegetables as well, for consistent thickness. I also put my meat in the freezer as previously posted and hand slice it.

[sarbar]

Wise Old Owl - we have the same food processor. Good one, hard working!

[johnnyblisters]

I just use a trusty chef's knife for most cutting/slicing. No need for more appliances in my tiny apartment kitchen.