[ad_1]
Thinly sliced pork or beef is the important thing ingredient in lots of in style Japanese recipes. Right here‘s my easy hack for how you can slice meat thinly at dwelling for scrumptious Japanese dishes like shabu shabu, okonomiyaki, and gyudon.
Most Japanese recipes that embody pork or beef will listing “thinly sliced meat” as one of many elements. In case you don’t stay close to a retailer that sells it already sliced, you are able to do it your self! On this tutorial, I’ll present you how you can slice meat thinly in your individual kitchen with my easy trick and a really sharp knife—no fancy deli slicer wanted!
In case you take pleasure in Japanese pork and beef dishes, strive my Shabu Shabu, Gyudon, and Okonomiyaki recipes!
Learn how to Slice Meat Thinly
- Choose the meat. Use any reduce of meat that’s barely leaner and a bit firmer.
- Prep. Wrap the uncooked meat with plastic wrap. If the steak or block is massive, reduce it in half on the chopping board earlier than wrapping.
- Freeze. Place the items on a metallic tray or small baking sheet and freeze 1½–2 hours for meat chunks which are about 1 lb (about 450 g) every. Freezing time varies primarily based on the scale and fattiness of the meat.
- Slice. Test that the meat is agency. With a chef knife, reduce 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices towards the grain utilizing a delicate sawing movement. It’s now prepared to make use of.
Nami’s Suggestions
- Choose premium-quality meat. I like to recommend beef tenderloin, high sirloin, strip loin, ribeye, filet mignon, pork loin, and pork stomach. Generally, I recommend in search of a reduce of meat that’s barely leaner and a bit firmer.
- Select thicker cuts. I like to purchase steaks which are at the very least 1.5 to 2 inches (3.8 to five cm) thick. This manner, you’ll reduce wider slices of thin-cut meats which are appropriate for Japanese recipes.
- Use a really sharp kitchen knife. Sharpen the blade earlier than you begin. This manner, you’ll slice by way of the frozen meat easily. You’ll be rewarded with clear, stunning slices! For this activity, I like to recommend a chef knife just like the Nagomi Damascus Gyuto Chef Knife at JOC Items.
- Minimize massive steaks in half. Earlier than wrapping and freezing massive steaks like beef ribeye, I like to chop it in half into two smaller items which are about 1 pound (450 g) every. I prefer to work with smaller chunks so I’ve leverage to slice extra simply.
- Pack filet mignon tightly. In case you’re utilizing filet mignon, be sure to pack the meat tightly whenever you wrap it in plastic. This freezes the meat in a strong chunk so you may get stunning skinny slices that keep collectively.
- Slice when the meat is agency. Your slicing knife ought to undergo the meat easily and slice it thinly. In case you have hassle slicing as a result of the meat remains to be too delicate, it’s not frozen sufficient. Put it again within the freezer till it corporations up.
- Minimize towards the grain. If you have a look at the meat, you will note muscle fibers going in a single path. You could reduce throughout this grain, not with it. Chopping towards the grain is the key to a young texture.
Storage Suggestions
To refrigerate: Layer the skinny slices of meat on a tray or plate and canopy with plastic wrap. Retailer within the fridge as much as 3 days till you’re prepared to make use of.
To freeze: Seal the layered meat in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Retailer it within the freezer for as much as 1 month. If you’re prepared to make use of it, defrost it within the fridge in a single day.
The place To Purchase Thinly Sliced Meat
In case you’re fortunate sufficient to stay close to a Japanese or Korean grocery retailer, you’ll find handy pre-sliced packages of thinly sliced meat. These shops normally have high-quality meat choices. Test our listing of Japanese Grocery Shops across the World to see if there’s a retailer close by.
Recipes Utilizing Thinly Sliced Beef
When you discover ways to slice meat thinly, you may prepare dinner every kind of scrumptious Japanese dishes utilizing beef or pork. Beneath are my favourite thin-sliced beef recipes.
Recipes Utilizing Thinly Sliced Pork Loin
Along with Shabu Shabu, recipes utilizing thinly sliced pork loin embody these crowd pleasers.
Recipes Utilizing Thinly Sliced Pork Stomach
Continuously Requested Questions
Sure, you may! Slicing your individual meat means that you can management the cuts of meat you employ in your recipe.
Freezing hen earlier than thinly slicing just isn’t obligatory. If you would like skinny, flat hen slices, see my tutorial Learn how to Minimize Sogigiri.
Forestall your display from going darkish
Earlier than You Begin…
-
For finest outcomes, choose a high-quality reduce of beef or pork as described above. I like to recommend selecting thicker cuts; steaks ought to be at the very least 1½–2 inches (3.8–5 cm) thick. Additionally, sharpen your kitchen knife earlier than you begin slicing. For this activity, I like to recommend a chef knife just like the Nagomi Damascus Gyuto Chef Knife at JOC Items.
To Put together the Meat
-
Put together your premium-quality meat. For a ribeye steak or different massive steak, reduce it in half into two smaller items. I discover {that a} smaller chunk is less complicated to slice thinly as soon as frozen.
-
Tightly wrap each bit individually with plastic wrap.
-
For a filet mignon, be sure to pack the meat tightly whenever you wrap it in plastic. This freezes the filet right into a strong chunk so you may get stunning skinny slices that keep collectively.
To Freeze
-
Put the meat on a metallic tray and place it within the freezer till agency, about 1½ to 2 hours for meat items which are roughly 1 lb (450 g) every. Freezing time varies relying on the scale and fattiness of the meat.
To Slice the Meat
-
Test that the meat is able to slice. It is prepared if a very sharp knife goes by way of easily and the meat is agency sufficient to slice thinly. In case you have hassle slicing as a result of the meat is just too delicate, put it again into the freezer till it‘s firmer.
-
Slice towards the grain utilizing a delicate sawing movement. If you have a look at the meat, you will note the muscle fibers going in a single path. Please reduce throughout these fibers within the different path. Nami’s Tip: Chopping towards the grain is the key to tender meat.
To Retailer
-
The meat is now prepared to make use of. Layer the skinny slices on a tray or plate, cowl with plastic wrap, and retailer it within the fridge till prepared to make use of, as much as 3 days.To freeze it for later, seal the layered meat in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Retailer it within the freezer for as much as 1 month. If you’re prepared to make use of it, defrost it within the fridge in a single day.
Editor’s Notice: The put up was initially printed on September 21, 2013. It was republished on Could 15, 2025, with up to date photos and useful tricks to supply clear directions and steerage.
[ad_2]