In food production, the cutting of meat by hand is slow, inefficient and inaccurate. For fine dining and small eateries, a heavy duty meat cutting machine isn’t always necessary, but for many businesses such a device is essential for success. For instance, in butcher shops, delicatessens and supermarkets, the speed and exactitude of an electric meat cutting machine helps meet customer demand. Not only will workflow increase, but the quality, consistency and standard of your meat cutting will improve. So what are the basics you should think about before investing in an electric meat cutting device, and what should anyone using such a machine be aware of?
What are the Benefits of Using a Meat Cutting Machine?
As mentioned above, preparing cuts of meat with an electric meat cutting tool is significantly faster than by hand. Uniform cuts of meat, including thick or extra thin slices, are prepared easily in next to no time! Automatic meat cutting machines enable multitasking in a busy kitchen; whilst the machine does the cutting, in whatever quantity and thickness required, your staff are able to get on with other tasks. This reduces labour costs and increases profitability.
Can a Meat Cutting Machine be Used to Prepare any other Food?
Primarily, electric meat cutting is used to slice cooked and cold meats, such as ham, salami and sausages. But what about other foodstuffs? This is a question that is often asked. The simple answer is it can be adapted to prepare a variety of other foods. Most notably, a machine for cutting meat is also ideal for finely slicing firm cheese. Thin vegetable slices can also be created, for example onion and pepper rings. In fact, use the machine to cut anything you’d like to be ultra-thin or a uniform size, including bread, cabbage and lettuce.
Cutting Meat Safely
A powerful machine for cutting meat must always be treated with care, following the manufacturer’s instructions. All operators should be trained, with particular emphasis on safety measures and appropriate handling. Many machines have additional safety elements, such as a no volt quick release switch and a safety blade removal tool.
Meat Cutting Machine Operating Tips
Here are some basic dos & don’ts when it comes to using an electric meat cutting machine.
- Never attempt to slice frozen foods, bones or non-food items in a meat cutting machine. This could lead to blade damage and other serious technical problems.
- Always maintain high hygiene standards. To avoid cross contamination, never slice cooked meats directly after using the machine to cut raw meat. For this reason, it is a good idea to have separate units for raw and cooked meats, as well as for non-meat foodstuffs, like vegetables and cheese.
- As well as cold meats, you can also use a cutting machine for hot and cooked meat.
ChefQuip Meat Cutting Machines
We stock a range of heavy-duty meat cutting machines, in a selection of model and blade sizes. Take a look at individual model specifications and features for more details. All are electric and fully CE approved, with slice thickness settings, a sneeze guard and integral blade sharpener. A non-stick coating is an optional addition on some models, perfect when handling sticky food.