How to cut meat properly

The taste of meat is influenced by how you cut it, among other things. So if you want to show off a perfectly prepared steak, steak or chop to your guests, first of all read up on how to cut meat properly.

Cutting by type of meat

There is no meat like meat. While poultry meat is sliced on the grain, beef (and also venison) is recommended to be sliced on the grain so that you don’t serve a tough sole instead of a juicy steak. When cutting pork, it depends on the type of meat and the way it is prepared.

The right choice of knife will help you when cutting meat.

Our tip. Take a good look at your slice of meat – you will see tiny veins and lines that represent muscle fibres. When slicing beef, you need to cut perpendicular to them so that the long fibres break and the meat can be easily bitten off.

Cutting according to the type of meat

Cutting meat also varies depending on what type of meat you brought from the butcher shop.

• Carve pork or veal chops across the muscle fibers, this will make them more tender and juicy. Slice the edges of the chops in several places to keep the portions from shrinking and curling.
• How to cut chicken breast cutlets? Cut the meat for the cutlets parallel to the course of the muscle fibres or diagonally. Be sure to pat the meat to even out the portion and make it thinner and more tender.
• How to cut meat for steak? According to the chefs, it is essential to slice the steak at least 2.5 cm thick. Too thin a steak would result in a tough and dry steak.
• Remember when we told you that beef should be sliced through the grain? If you’re preparing beef butt rolls, let our advice go for a moment. To make your rolls easy to roll, you need to cut the meat along the grain.

Slice the meat for the steak into slices at least 2,5 cm thick.

Slicing by method of preparation

Meat can be prepared in countless ways and it’s up to you which one you choose. However, be sure to adjust the way you cut and portion the meat to ensure a perfect and flavourful result.

• Cut the meat for cooking along the grain into oblong pieces. For example, cut beef into strips of approximately the same shape weighing half a pound to achieve even cooking.
• Also slice the meat for roasting along the grain, but leave it in larger pieces.
• Thin slices of meat will be useful for roasts, fillets, rolls or steaks.
• For stews and stews, cut smaller cubes.
• You’ll need the noodles for sautéing and in meat mixes.
• Meatloaf and meatballs can’t do without ground meat.

Cut the meat for roasting along the grain.

Meat knives

You can’t do without a quality knife when cutting and carving meat. A basic chef’s knife with a blade length of 20 cm is sufficient for cutting smaller pieces of meat and should not be missing in any kitchen. Larger cuts of meat (steak, for example) are better handled with larger chef’s knives, which have a blade length of 23-25 cm and in some cases up to 32 cm.

You can’t do without a quality knife when cutting and carving meat.

Specific types of kitchen knives, such as boning, skewering or filleting knives, will also make meat preparation easier.

• The boning knife has a very sharp and thin blade that is ideal for trimming fat and sinew and for separating meat from bone. In addition, it can be used to cut up fish and poultry.
• The skew knife has a sharp and pointed blade that is suitable for skewering meat and sausages, but also for slicing raw, roasted or cooked meat.
• The carving knife is used for carving larger pieces of meat or for cutting raw and cooked meat. It is useful for slicing ham, sausages and other cold cuts.
• The spit knife is one of the equipment of professional butchers. The massive blade is used for cutting and slicing raw meat or for skimming off fat.
• A steak knife has either a serrated or a smooth blade that penetrates the meat better.
• The fish knife has an extra thin and flexible blade that allows you to cut through even delicate fish meat.
• Chopper has a long and wide blade that easily separates meat from bone. Use it when cutting meat with bone or when chopping bones for stock and sauces.
• Japanese Santoku knives have versatile uses, not only for slicing, chopping and mincing meat into small pieces, but also for scraping, chopping, shredding and cleaning.

A boning, skewering or filleting machine will make meat preparation easier. knife.

Quality kitchen knives for meat need to be taken care of. How to do it?

• Wash them under running water as soon as possible after use (never put them in the dishwasher) and be sure to wipe them dry. Beware of hot water and steam, which will destroy the blade.
• Store clean and dry knives in a sheath or handy knife block to prevent dulling. Never leave them lying loose in a drawer with other knives or other metal utensils.
• Above all, the knives must be sharp, which is what a knife sharpener or knife grinder is used for. Some people use a whetstone to sharpen their knives and then use a whetstone to flatten the blade. If you don’t dare to use a sharpening stone, you can buy a professional electric grinder, which can sharpen the knife to a 15-degree angle.

Above all, knives must be sharp, for which a sharpener, knife grinder or sharpening stone is used.

How to choose a cutting board

You would certainly find a chopping board in your kitchen. But did you know you should have three? One for preparing meat, one for slicing vegetables and one (in a small version) for chopping herbs.

In a professional kitchen, the number of chopping boards must be even higher, which is mandated by the HACCP standard. It is generally recommended to assign a different colour cutting board to each type of ingredient to avoid cross-contamination. As a result, it may look like this:

• Red board – raw meat
• Blue board – raw fish
• Yellow board – prepared meat
• Green board – fruit
• Brown cutting board – vegetables
• White board – dairy products

V professional kitchen, do not forget about the HACCP standard.

When choosing a cutting board, ask yourself:

• Is the cutting board gentle on the kitchen knife? The harder the surface, the faster it will dull the blade of your knives.
• Is it easy to wash?
• How much does it hold? Won’t it need to be replaced after a few uses?
• How big of a cutting board do you need? And how much space do you have on your kitchen counter?

Plastic cutting boards are a classic as they are very lightweight, easy to maintain and dishwasher safe (unless the manufacturer states otherwise). The many colour variations make it easy to distinguish between meat, vegetable and cheese cutting boards and prevent odour contamination. At the same time, plastic cutting boards are the only ones that can be used in a professional kitchen, according to the HACCP standard.

Wooden cutting boards are much more robust and stable, many of which are equipped with a channel around the perimeter to catch excess liquid (for example, when cutting meat or tomatoes). However, a wooden cutting board should never go in the dishwasher – it requires hand washing and thorough drying to prevent it from warping or cracking.

Our tip: We recommend disinfecting the wooden cutting board with a cloth soaked in fresh lemon juice or white vinegar after cutting the meat. This procedure will also ensure that unwanted odours and flavours of previously cut foods do not remain on the cutting board.