For a slice of perfectly enjoyable meat that feels amazing in the mouth, proper meat slicing is very important. We all have heard about cutting the meat against the grain. It is really important to cut the meat that way.
Cutting against the grain gives you a meat slice that feels delicious in the mouth. Otherwise, you are left with a chewy piece of meat. When I took butcher training, it was the first thing to learn. In this article, I will describe to you how to slice meat.
How to Slice Meat Perfectly?
Cutting meat perfectly is simple yet important. I will divide this into 4 steps for your easy understanding.
Sharp Knife: Sharp knife is the most important of all here. You will find your meat saggy without a sharp knife, and the cuts will not be perfectly straight. It will also result in extra effort to cut.
New knives often come razor sharp. Try to use them. But if you have an old knife that is not sharp enough, sharpen it with a whetstone. When the desired sharpness is achieved, don’t forget to clean it properly.
Base: The base is very important in meat cutting. You will need a stable base always because the meat is very slippery. A stable base will help cut the meat neatly and avoid any kind of accidents.
A plane cutting board, wood, plastic, or steel, will do your work perfectly. Just clean the board so no dirt or germs can get into your meat.
Find the Grain: Find the grain of meat means the direction of muscle fibers. You will see long stripes of muscle fibers running from one end to another on the meat. You have to cut perpendicular to the direction of the meat.
Cut the Meat: Place the meat on the base and knife on it. Hold the meat with one hand close to the knife. Make the knife perfectly vertical and move the knife forward and backward with firm pressure. It will cut your meat perfectly.
Suppose you want to cut thin pieces and the meat is soft, then you will need to keep the meat in the freezer for some time. It will harden your meat and cut thin pieces effortlessly.
What Knife Should I Use to Cut Raw Meat?
Any sharp knife will cut raw meat perfectly. Sharpness is the main factor here. But a chef’s knife will be the most useful if you want to be specific. Chef’s knives are very sharp and have some weight. The weight balancing is also great. So, it can cut through meat like butter.
Read Related: Best knife for cutting raw meat.
Is a Serrated Knife Better for Meat?
Although serrated knives cut meat finely, I don’t like them for cutting meat. A chef’s knife cuts the meat smoothly and with a little labor. A serrated knife cuts rough edges on the meat. But they are perfectly fine if you don’t have a chef’s knife in your kitchen. It is a mostly personal choice.
Do You Cut Raw Meat Against the Grain?
Always cut against the grain when slicing meat. Cutting against the grain will make it less chewy. Cutting with the grain keeps the long fibers and tendons intact. This will take a long chewing period to break the meat in the mouth.
Cutting against the grain cuts the fibers into little pieces. This makes the meat fragile and less chewy in the mouth.
How Do You Cut Raw Meat into Cubes?
Cutting raw meat cubes is simple and like cutting cubes of any vegetables. First, cut one long slice of meat with a 1-inch thickness or your desired thickness. Then rotate the meat 90 degrees and cut with the same thickness. Try to make the cubes uniform.
Which way do you Cut Raw Steak?
Raw steaks also must be cut against the grain. Look for the direction of the fibers. Then cut the meat perpendicular to the direction of the fibers. The meat should taste great in your mouth.
How to Cut Frozen Meat?
If you have a chef’s knife, you can cut the meat straight out of the freezer. It will cut perfectly. You must put your meat in water for some time when you don’t have a heavy knife. Then you can cut your meat pretty easily.
Why do you cut meat against the grain?
The meat’s fibers and tendons are very strong and help the animal move. Cutting against the grain also cuts the fibers into small pieces, which helps chewing. This will feel good in your mouth.
What does cutting meat on the bias mean?
Cutting meat on the bias means cutting it with a tilt angle. Normally you cut meat with a vertical blade. You will need to tilt your blade and cut the meat with more surface area to cut on the bias.
How do you thinly slice beef?
Keep the beef in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Then get the meat from the freezer and start slicing it thinly with a sharp knife. The knife sharpness is important here with the skill of the operator.
Conclusion
We all love meat. But small details in processing raw meat and cooking make your delicious meat heavenly. Always cut your meat against the grain. Otherwise, you will stick with chewy meat that will numb your jaw. Cutting against the grain also cooks the meat faster. That will be all in this article. Thank you.
Love Writing. Love Cooking. Love Eating.
Vivian is working in the kitchen niche since 2001. She is one of the best recipe makers. Vivian is really good at analyzing, and understanding the food quality. You will be amazed to read her writing skill on food.