Tips For Using A Meat Saw In A Commercial Kitchen
Being able to say you cut your own steaks in-house is a real calling card for customers. It's also nice to be able to cut your own pork chops, ribs, and other meat cuts since it allows you to save by purchasing meat by the primal, rather than in pre-sliced cuts. The first step to cutting your own meat in-house is to buy a meat saw. Then, the second step is to use that meat saw properly. How do you do that? Well, you start by following these guidelines.
1. Keep the blade tight.
Most saws allow you to loosen or tighten the blade. This is not to give you the option of cutting with a loose blade; it's to ensure you can tighten the blade as you use it and it stretches out a little. To keep the blade from slipping and ensure you make straight cuts, you really want the blade to be nice and tight. Check it before each use, and tighten it, bit by bit, as needed.
2. Do not apply pressure.
One the meat is on the saw platform, you will push it towards the blade. Do not apply pressure to the meat as it feeds past the blade; just let it move on its own. The blade is very sharp and does not need you to help it along.
3. If meat is frozen, keep it that way.
You can absolutely cut raw, refrigerator-temperature meats with the meat saw. But if a piece of meat is frozen, there's no reason to thaw it first. You can get even cleaner, nicer cuts with frozen meat, so leave it that way and just cut away.
4. Sanitize the machine after every use.
The unfortunate thing about meat saws is that they tend to grab onto bacteria as they work, and if you are not vigilant about cleaning, this could lead to foodborne illness. You must clean the machine thoroughly after each use This means washing, rinsing, and then finishing with a food service sanitizer. Let the saw air dry after applying the sanitizer. Make sure you get in all of the grooves.
If you follow the tips above, you should have success as you begin to cut your own meat in-house. For more information, dig into the instruction manual that came with your meat cutter. You can also reach out to the manufacturer if you have questions.
To learn more, reach out to a retailer that sells meat saws, such as Biro and Hobart meat saws, in your area.
