What is a Meat Slicer
A meat slicer is, literally, a device that slices meat thinly.
There are various product lineups depending on processing capacity, target ingredients, and temperature ranges.
Small machines are tabletop devices. They are mainly used in restaurants and test kitchens (for research).
Medium machines (general-purpose machines) are devices fixed in position and typically operated by one person. When most people think of “meat slicers,” they imagine this class of equipment. They are widely used not only in butcher shops but also in supermarket meat departments (back yards) and factories.
Large machines are primarily used in factories. Most models capable of continuous feeding and continuous slicing discharge onto conveyors, with the mainstream setup being multiple workers arranging slices onto trays.
Small Machine (HBC-2S/B)
Medium Machine (Pegasus)
Difference Between Cut and Slice
Cut
Slice
Both words mean “to cut,” but “cut” is used in a broader sense, while “slice” is used in specific cases.
“Cut” refers to the general act of severing an object and is used when the cutting method or thickness is not particularly specified. On the other hand, “slice” refers to the act of cutting thinly and evenly. It is mainly used in cooking and food-related contexts, with the nuance of “creating thin, flat surfaces.”
In other words, a cutter is a machine that cuts anything regardless of the object or cutting method, while within that category, a slicer is a machine that cuts thinly and evenly.
About Meat Slicer Blades
When it comes to meat slicers, devices that slice by rotating a circular blade are most common.
The most typical type slides ingredients against a rotating circular blade to slice them.
↓Reference video: from 45 to 53 seconds
Conversely, there are also devices that slice by sliding the rotating circular blade rather than the ingredient.
Since the ingredient side is fixed, it becomes possible to change the slicing angle.
↓Reference video: from 56 to 70 seconds
There is also a rotation-revolution type that slices with orbital motion while rotating the circular blade, designed for high-speed slicing with beautiful shingled arrangement.
↓Reference video: from 25 to 37 seconds
Besides circular blades, various shapes are used, including comma-shaped blades, scythe blades, and band-shaped blades (band knives).
Next time, we will explain the basic structure of meat slicers.
