Automatic Meat Slicer

[billman]

Hey Smoking Family
Hope you all well

I have a Rheninghaus Meat slicer and whilst it works well it still builds up some good muscle when slicing through 20 to 30kg of meat ultra thin for cheesesteaks. I've come across an automatic meat slicer similar to this which seems to do the work for you and I'm considering buying one. Only problem is it's available from China which means I need to be extra cautious. Basically, I need to ask all the question to ensure the machine is at least decent - I don't expect a Ferrari for the price but I also don't want what to buy a piece of scrap metal.

Specs of the machine in the the picture attached.


What sort of features would you expect if purchasing a machine like this? Please help me ask the right questions.

P.S. I know I'm going to get lots of flack for buying a Chinese machine but it's the only suitable machine I could find in my budget - go easy on me :-D

Take Care
SB

 

[IMAVGAN]

This machine is specifically for slicing frozen meats for things like Korean bbq. I think it's overkill for cheese steaks. Also note that according to the video the rolls fall out via gravity which would not work for fresh unfrozen meat.

 

[billman]

Imavgan, so let me expand a bit - I've been making my cheese steaks using beef roast that's sliced very thin however I recently tested fresh steak frozen almost solid and then sliced so thin that any thinner and it would shred to mince. Boy oh boy! It was awesome. So I don't mind the meat being frozen if it's the trade-off for a thinly sliced steak - you would never tell I froze it anyway.

I'm curious to know how are the big stores slicing their steaks thin - are they freezing?

 

[old sarge]

"P.S. I know I'm going to get lots of flack for buying a Chinese machine but it's the only suitable machine I could find in my budget - go easy on me :-D"

I doubt you will get any flak for buying something made in China. Whether it is a slicer or a vacuum packer or a wifi temperature controller or a smart phone or computer (and the list goes on) domestic made gear is rare. And even if it is listed as Made/Manufactured is USA/Germany/Japan etc., parts are sourced globally. I recently purchased a Bosch Jigsaw 572. Great saw. Made in Hungary, not Germany. Times change! Get what you want/need and enjoy.

 

[sawhorseray]

Those little tubes of meat don't look like anything I've ever seen on a Philly cheesesteak. How much does that unit cost, and what does it weigh in at? I'd think you might be able to get a used auto carriage Hobart for what that goes for. RAY

 

[rexster314]

Get you a decent used Hobart or Berkel. The 1712 I have can do paper thin slices of semi frozen roast beef perfectly. And it can switch into an automatic mode as well

 

[LanceR]

Billman, your location isn't listed and I'm in North Carolina, USA so this may or may not help you.

For what it's worth, the technique is often called freezing to a "frost crust" and is often used for any thin slicing job whether by machine or by hand.

The Hobart 1712 Rexster mentioned is a solid choice. As an older machine, they are getting harder to find in good enough shape for use in a food service operation subject to inspection, though. But a nice clean one will do the trick very nicely.

Of the more recent slicers, Hobart 2712 and 2912 slicers are automatic slicers with a great reputation for frost crust slicing. The 2712 is a 12", 1/2 HP blade drive motor with two slicing speeds. The 2912 is a 12", 1/2 HP blade drive motor and has six slicing speeds. Both have an auxiliary motor to run the slicing mechanism and can be use in manual mode.

On the lowest speed setting of my 2912 I still had trouble neatly stacking full width slices of pastrami or corned beef made from brisket before another slice rolls off the blade guard so they can slice pretty darn fast. A beef ribeye is shorter side-to-side so stacking those slices is easier.

https://assets.centralrestaurant.com/pdfs/specsheets/492-002.pdf

https://www.bakedeco.com/images/spec/Hobart%202912%20slicer%20specs.pdf

Have you ever wondered what slicers are sitting in the back of an Arby's cutting those thin slices of critter parts all day long, every day, and lasting for many years? For a couple decades now it has been a Hobart 2912 toiling away at as much as 65 slices or more per minute, year in, year out.

A good 2912 will likely set you back somewhere from $900-$2000 USD depending on market and condition. I have refurbished and sold more of eboth models than I can remember with most being 2912s.

Parts for both models are interchangeable except for a few bits and pieces in the auto slicing mechanism. All are readily available and will likely be available for many years.

Aftermarket blades from folks such as Alfa, Old Slicer Parts and etc. are every bit as good as OEM for a fraction of the OEM cost. If you buy a slicer that still has the sharpener attachment I'd advise storing the attachment and not letting anyone else use it. A few seconds improper use or carelessness can ruin a blade.

Of note, product with a height of more than half the blade diameter increases the likelihood of tearing the slice which is why the vast majority of deli slicers are 12" or larger. Lastly, specialty cheese blades with fine edge serrations are available and may be worth trying if you slice a lot of frost crust product often and don't need a smooth rim blade.

If you want to look into this route or have more questions about these machines please let me know.

Thanks and best regards to all,


Lance