Category Archives for Electric Knife Advice

How to Sharpen a Meat Slicer Blade Properly?

Meat slicers are a great complement to any deli or cheese shop, basically, any food establishment that serves machine-cut slivers of meat, vegetables, and cheeses. Knowing how to sharpen a meat slicer blade, in turn, complements owning a meat slicer as it empowers you to prolong the life of this nifty equipment and ensure that whatever food it cuts is not contaminated by debris and bacteria from previously cut food items.

These slicing machines help maintain consistency when it comes to the size of the servings, which bodes well when it comes to the economy of the shop since you will be able to predict how long your stocks would last. Aside from maintaining consistency, meat slicers also streamline food preparation and production by cutting the time spent by at least half of what usually would take train someone to finely slice ham and other kinds of meat using a regular knife.

Tools for the Job

First things first. What are the things you need to sharpen your meat slicer blade? Check this list out:

• Cut-proof Gloves

These gloves are usually made of chain links or mesh, something similar to what you find in ancient armors but lighter and purposely built for handling sharp objects.

• Safety Goggles

These are thicker than usual glass that protects the entire eyes, sealing them in a dome. This offers much better protection than traditional glasses

• Soft Washcloths

Never use sponges and abrasive scrubs to wipe and clean meat slicers as these will scratch the surface which can lead to rust and other unsightly blemishes. Soft washcloths are preferred.

• Sharpening Stone

A quintessential requirement for sharpening a blade, or any other sharp items for that matter, is the sharpening stone or whetstone. Some meat slicers have whetstones that come as an attachment while others would require you to buy or use your own.

• Blade Sanitizer

A blade sanitizer is a disinfectant explicitly made for items used for handling food, like a meat slicer blade. Most specialty shops would carry this, but if you cannot find one, then you can use rubbing alcohol as a substitute, although it would not be as effective in preparing the blade for handling food.

• Instruction Manual

Most, if not all, meat slicers come with their instruction manuals, and they are there to guide you in your effort to maintain this food handling equipment.

• Tools

Most manuals would have a specification of what tools you would need to use to accomplish this particular task and that. Some would even come with their set of customized tools, especially if they have patented screws and bolts.

• Lubricant

You can use sharpening oil or cooking oil to make sharpening go smoothly and seamlessly.

Guidelines for Safety and Efficient Meat Slicer Maintenance

Before going any further though, here are some basic instructions you need to follow before, during and after maintaining a meat slicer.

Before:

• Wear cut-proof gloves
• Don protective goggles or eyeglasses
• Unplug the meat slicer
• Make sure your tools are on hand
• Prepare all other things you need
• Read the instruction manual

During:

• Maintain a safe distance
• Keep things unplugged
• Don’t play with it
• Do not submerge the meat slicer
• Follow the steps, if any, included in the product manual

After:

• Disinfect the blades
• Lube moving parts
• Air dry, do not wipe
• Tighten any loose screws and bolts

How to Sharpen a Meat Slicer Blade

To maintain the benefits that meat slicers bring into a food establishment, you must know how to sharpen a meat slicer blade and to maintain the whole meat slicer contraption as a whole. Proper maintenance and cleaning help keep everything looking and feeling sharp no matter what.

Step 1: Turn the meat slicer off and unplug it. If it’s a little warm from a constant operation, then let it cool down for a bit.

Step 2: Uninstall the blade cover and wipe it clean. Clean the blade with your soft washcloth soaked in warm water mixed with a mild detergent. Rinse the blade and dry it with a new washcloth.

Step 3: Apply some lubricating oil on the surface of the blade.

Step 4: Using the product manual, adjust the blade to align with the sharpening stone attachment. If you are using a separate whetstone, then make sure that the whetstone sits close to the blade. Ensure that everything around the machine is dry and then plug the meat slicer back in.

Step 5: Turn the power on and let the blade spin for a minute while grinding on the whetstone. If you are using a separate whetstone, then make sure that it is secured and would not fall off while sharpening the blade.

Step 6: Using a piece of paper, test the blade’s sharpness and rerun it if you are not satisfied with how sharp it is. Once you are satisfied, turn the machine off and unplug it again.

Step 7: Clean the blade again with warm water and mild detergent to ensure that any dust and metal fillings are washed again.

Step 8: Use another washcloth to apply your blade disinfectant or rubbing alcohol. Air dry the blade while you clean the rest of the meat slicer.

Step 9: Once everything is dry, place everything back together and ensure that nothing is loose. Plug the machine back in and run another test. Once satisfied, unplug it and put its cover back.

Step 10: Store your meat slice in a secure and dry place, away from kitchen traffic when not in use.

Maintain your meat slicer regularly to prolong its sharpness and life as a whole. It should at least be wiped clean after every use, regardless of what kind of food item was sliced using your machine. The blade itself should be sharpened at least once every two weeks, and the whole contraption maintained and oiled once a month.

Some instruction manuals would direct you to bring your meat slicer to a certified service center near you, but it would cost you more money than it should, and you wouldn’t know if everything has been done properly. This is the prime benefit of knowing how to sharpen your own meat slicer. When you know how your equipment is maintained, you would know if it is indeed sharp and clean, meeting your standards of cleanliness.

How to Clean a Meat Slicer: Benefits and Other Maintenance Tips

Meat slicers are a permanent fixture in grocery stores and sandwich delis and are often seen in food shows and recipe segments that call for freshly cut meat and other cold cuts. For anybody who owns one, knowing how to clean a meat slicer is a viable skill that should be learned as this versatile piece of equipment can wear out easily.

Aside from making sure that your meat slicer is hygienically clean, you should also know how to maintain it so it will not break down just when you need it the most. Maintenance is a very serious topic as it not only protects your equipment, but it also saves you your investment.

Benefits of Having a Clean Meat Slicer

A clean meat slicer brings a lot of benefits into a kitchen or restaurant, and some of these benefits include:

• Helps You Pass the Health Inspection

A health inspection is a requirement for any establishment whose purpose is to cook or serve food items, regardless if its in raw form or cooked to perfection. This is also part of the government’s efforts to keep the public safe and away from illnesses stemming from contaminated food. This being said, a meat slicer encounters a lot of meat, bones and all the other parts you can think of, it is only natural to assume that some of this stuff we pass through the slicer will stick to the equipment and this is something health inspectors look for specifically.

• Prevents Food Contamination

A genuinely clean meat slicer gets rid of all the bacteria and other contaminants that might have transferred over from the food items that have passed through the equipment. This transference is not a rare occurrence, and it does happen on a daily basis, which is why regularly cleaning your meat slicer is a best practice shared among professionals.

• Looks Good on Camera

Most food establishments nowadays utilize the power of social media to promote their brand and the food that they make. This means tons and tons of photographs and videos revolving around the kitchen and the dining area, focusing on how each item is made and what not. This also means that your equipment is also put on the spotlight, and a clean meat slicer complements all the shiny stuff that your kitchen already has.

• Helps Build Your Reputation

A clean establishment that serves good food is a place worth supporting and spreading the news about. Following this logic, maintaining a clean kitchen and having clean equipment like an electric meat slicer is worth a million dollars when it comes to word-of-mouth marketing. When people see their food being prepared using a clean machine, they know that that food is safe to eat. Plus points if the food is tasty. The news about it and you will spread, not like wildfire maybe, but trust us, it will spread.

• Makes Slicers Last Longer

Well-maintained equipment, regardless of the industry, is bound to last longer than it should. All of the equipment that you see in the market today has a hidden expiration date, and this date is dependent on how well you treat your machine.

The Best Time to Clean a Meat Slicer

Ideally, you should wipe down your meat slicer after every use with a clean rag, regardless of what food item you passed through it. This keeps the blades clean and free of obstructions, which then prevents any miscuts from happening, especially when a bone gets lodged deeply, and you’ll have to take the entire the machine apart to get to it. A full clean-up should be done at the end of every day, and regular maintenance should be done every month to preserve the lifespan of the slicer.

Know How to Clean a Meat Slicer

Before cleaning your meat slicer, it is essential to observe some few rules to ensure that you don’t experience any untoward accident while cleaning your meat slicer.

• Always wear cut-proof gloves, which are available in handyman stores and the kitchenware section.
• Do not use steel wool to clean the meat slicer as it will just scratch and ruin the finish for you.
• Always read the instruction manuals for specific cleaning instructions.
• Do not submerge your meat slicer in water.
• Always unplug the slicer before touching it with wet hands.

Once you have you’ve set the safety reminders on your consciousness, here is how to clean a meat slicer:

Step 1: Set your meat thickness to zero and then use a soft sponge or cloth to wipe both sides of the blade as you spin it manually. If it cannot be rotated manually, then plug it back on for a bit and then let it spin slowly. Remove any large particles and make sure to watch where your hands are going.

Step 2: Once you are done cleaning the blade, make sure that the meat slicer is plugged off and that the plate is in a fully closed position.

Step 3: Remove the tray, slice deflector, and the center plate so you can wash and rinse them before sanitizing in a cool, dry area. Do not wipe it dry with a cloth, let it air dry.

Step 4: With the slice deflector and other components still drying themselves out, wipe the rest of the blade with a soft cloth.

Step 5: You can use a soapy solution to do this, or you can opt for a store-bought degreaser.

Step 6: Make sure to wipe both the front and back of the blade, starting from the center going out.

Step 7: Using a different cloth, wipe down the remaining pieces of the slicer and then rinse it with another washcloth, but soaked in hot water this time.

Step 8: Use a store-bought sanitizing spray to sanitize the blades and the plates. Let them air dry.

Step 9: Lubricate all the other non-food touching moving parts, so it maintains a steady glide while in use.

Maintenance Tips

Aside from the daily cleaning requirements, meat slicers should also be maintained frequently to ensure that it is performing in tip-top shape. Here are some tips to ensure that your meat slicer works when you need it:

• Blade Sharpening

The blades are the most crucial part of the slicer for obvious reasons and keeping it sharp and clean is always a good way to go about it. Most manufacturers have specific instructions on how to sharpen the blade, but you mostly need a sharpening stone to accomplish this task. Make sure to clean and disinfect the blade again after sharpening it.

• Proper Storage

If for some reason your meat slice is not going to be used for quite some time, then it should be placed in a relatively dry area that is far from the usual kitchen traffic and stored in a secure cupboard or cabinet. Cover it with a tea towel or its cover to prevent dust from accumulating. Make sure to clean and disinfect it before using it again.

• Parts Replacement

Most machine parts get worn out for one reason or another, and no matter how well you maintain or clean it, if it’s bound to give, it will give. Make sure to follow the instructions in the manual that it comes with or you can also contact a certified repair center to have it checked.

Maintaining a clean and sanitized meat slicer can bring wonderful benefits into your kitchen, including the fact that it can save you from health inspection fines here and there. While instruction manuals often recommend calling a certified professional to do it for you, knowing how you can do it on your own can certainly be worth it in the long run.

How to Sharpen Electric Carving Knives: The Easiest and Most Effective Methods

More often than not, we sharpen dull knives at home using a sharpening stone. While this is something that works for regular, plain-edged knives, sharpening an electric knife is a tad bit different. Thus, today, we will talk about how to sharpen electric carving knives.

Before we can do that, though, we must first be aware of some basic knowledge about knives such as the reason why we need to sharpen them and knowing when it needs to be sharpened exactly. After all, if we understand how they work, then we can have a better chance of taking good care of them.

Why Should You Sharpen Them

If you own a knife—whether it be electric or regular ones—there is no escaping knife sharpening. All knives become duller as you use them. For that reason, it is imperative that you sharpen them time and again to maintain its sharpness. However, that is not the only reason why you should do so.

• Better Cuts

A sharpened knife works better—there is no denying that. With sharp knives, you will need to put lesser force when cutting as compared to using dull knives. Consequently, this also means lesser damage to the food, especially when you deal with delicate ingredients like herbs.

• Safer Use

Another reason why you should sharpen your knife is that they are much safer to use when sharp. Why? A sharp knife is predictable. You know it won’t slip when it strikes or when it is drawn across the food’s surface. As a result, you would have better control over the blade.

• Easy to Do

Lastly, sharpening is not as difficult as you think—neither does it consume too much time. Alternatively, you could also opt for professional knife sharpening services if you fear that you will just cause damage to the blade if you do it yourself.

While these may be expensive, they do a fantastic job in making sure that your knife performs at its best. The downside, however, is that it may take some time for the knife to be returned.

Knowing Whether Your Knife is Dull or Sharp

There are times when it gets tough to figure out whether your knife is dull or the food you are cutting into is the culprit. If you do not know the state of your blade, then how can you take care of it properly?

Luckily, you can do a simple test to make sure, and this test is fairly easy to do too. All you need is the knife in question (obviously) and a piece of paper. Here is how you can do it:

• Take a piece of paper and have it folded but not creased.
• Place the blade against the edge at the top and at an angle.
• Slice the paper outwards.
• If the knife fails to slice it cleanly, then it definitely needs to get sharpened.

How to Sharpen Electric Carving Knives

There are different ways with which you can sharpen your electric carving knives. Below, allow us to discuss each method briefly so that you can find out which technique suits your needs and preferences the most.

• Using Electric Knife Sharpeners

Using electric knife sharpeners are perhaps the easiest way to sharpen blunt knives. These devices come with abrasives that are on wheels and run with the help of an electric motor. As these wheels spin against the blade, it sharpens its edges in the process.

While the instructions for using one may be simple, it is best to follow the user manual. Generally speaking, though, once you switch the sharpener on, all you need to do is hold the knife down securely on the wheels. You have to make sure that you are doing so lightly, just enough to allow the machine to do its work.

Once you see it touching the wheels, you should very slowly and smoothly pull the blades through the slots. Do this for both sides of the blade to ensure a balanced sharp.

Electric sharpeners come in different makes and models. In fact, some even have a dedicated slot for very dull knives. A very dull knife would need at least 70 strokes on an electric knife sharpener to achieve a nice edge. Some sharpeners are also designed to narrow the angle of the blade.

The downside to using this machine, though, is that it cannot be used for knives that have a full bolster. Moreover, they can be quite costly as well, which leads us to another method of sharpening knives—using manual sharpeners.

• Using Manual Knife Sharpeners

While electric sharpeners are definitely the better choice, not everyone can afford to buy one. So, the next best option is to use a manual knife sharpener instead. Like electric ones, manual sharpeners have abrasives on wheels too, but they are not motorized. The abrasive can also be in a V-shaped chamber.

With a manual sharpener, you should also follow the manufacturer’s instructions. However, typically, what you need to do is put the knife through the chamber and carefully push and pull it while applying even pressure.

The upsides to using manual sharpeners are that the tall walls help in holding the knife steady and in place. Because of its small size, manual sharpeners can also be stored away in a drawer easily and quickly. Most importantly, they are extremely cheap and can be bought in just about any kitchen store.

On the other hand, it also poses its own set of setbacks. The most major issue that comes with using manual knife sharpeners is the fact that these are not meant to be used on knives that are extremely dull.

Knife Sharpening Hack: Using a Coffee Mug

Own a blade but no tool to sharpen it? Well, you can actually use your coffee mug to do so! Simply flip the mug upside-down and use the unglazed bottom of the ceramic mug to sharpen the blade.

This method of sharpening dull knives is ideal for quick sharpening. Simply apply moderate pressure on the knife as you hold it at a 15-degree angle. Very carefully, draw the entire blade across the rough surface.

While this is typically meant for small knives, you can also do this to give large carving knives a quick sharpening. It will definitely not yield the same results as the previously mentioned methods, though.

Final Words

So, now that you know how to sharpen electric carving knives, do you think you will do it yourself or hire a professional to do it? As you may have seen, it is not too hard to sharpen them; you just need the right equipment, and you are good to go!

How to Sharpen Serrated Electric Knife Blades the Right Way

Do you want to know how to sharpen serrated electric knife blades the right way? There is a common belief that electric knife blades do not ever get blunt, hence, never need to be sharpened. However, that is far from reality. In fact, sharpening an electric knife blade, most especially a serrated one, is not easy.

For that reason, we are left wondering: are electric knives worth the hype? Does it really offer huge conveniences that we are willing to go through the hassle of investing money in it? What are the advantages that come with using this remarkable kitchen tool?

The Benefits of Using an Electric Knife over a Regular Knife

Electric knives are gaining quite a bit of popularity of late, even though they have been around for a very long time now. The first electric knife that was patented was made in the year 1939. Back then, they weren’t as good as the ones that we have today.

Aside from that, they were highly expensive too, which means that very few people had the means to buy it and enjoy the convenience it offers. As technology advanced, though, these knives got better and more affordable.

Here are some of its most notable benefits:

• Saves Time and Energy

There is no doubt that a traditional knife will also provide you with some good slicing results. However, if you are trying to cut through a piece of meat or something else that is extremely tough, you would end up putting in way too much effort and time to get the job done.

As a result, there is a big chance that you will have damaged the food in the process too. This is where the electric knife is so beneficial. No matter how tough the food is, it will cut through it like butter, thus saving you not just your precious time but also energy.

• Safer To Use

Knife-related accidents are quite common in kitchens all over the world. With the use of electric knives, however, these accidents can be significantly lowered. The reason behind this is the fact that most electric knives are equipped with safety features.

Among the most common safety features modern-day electric knives have are the safety lock and the double lock. Surely, you won’t find this in any of your regular knives, right?

These are just some of the most regarded benefits that an electric knife offers. Now, do you think its worth it? Maybe, you have already bought one for yourself and wondering how to maintain it properly. Don’t worry; we have got you covered.

How to Sharpen Serrated Electric Knife Blades

One of the biggest reasons why people tend to believe that electric knife blades should not be sharpened is all because of false advertising. Electric knife manufacturers try to convince people—albeit wrongly—to buy a whole replacement set instead of just sharpening the one that they already have.

Basically, this myth is only a marketing gimmick to boost the manufacturer’s revenue. However, now that you know better, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars and follow our easy guide to sharpening electric knives below.

Sharpening the blade in your electric knife is possibly the most cost-effective way to maintain its performance and make it last for a long time. Then again, it is important to note that sharpening it is different from sharpening a regular knife.

There are different tools and machines available to do the job such as an electric sharpener or a sharpening rod. Using these tools will not only provide you with a better sharpening but also decrease the time you spend doing it.

Let us talk about each sharpening tool to find out which one is best suited to sharpen serrated electric knife blades.

• Using an Electric Knife Sharpener

When it comes to buying an electric knife sharpener, always check if it can be used to sharpen serrated knife blades. This is because it is quite easy to scratch the knife and damage it if you do not know how to use an electric sharpener.

Besides, there are also certain electric sharpeners that can only handle a particular type of blade. What we suggest is to buy one that is capable of handling both regular and electric serrated knives.

Using an electric knife sharpener on your serrated blade is quite easy too. You simply have to place the blade between the two sharpening rods, push and pull it in a back-and-forth motion, and you’re good to go!

• Sharpening with a Sharpening Rod

On the other hand, if you choose to use a sharpening rod to sharpen your serrated edge blade, then you must follow a series of steps very carefully. Below, we have listed a step-by-step guide to how to do so effectively.

1. Start by taking the electric knife and detaching the serrated blade from the machine. Be very careful in doing so as the blade might cut you.
2. Now, hold the blade with its flat base while having the tip of it facing away from you. Take your sharpening rod and hold it in your other hand.
3. Begin by resting the sharpening rod in the very first serration of your electric knife blade. Slide the blade in an upward and downward motion on the sharpening rod and ensure that the rod’s metal remains in the very same serration spot.
4. Continue repeating this action on each and every serration until you reach the very end of the electric knife’s blade. Continue to sharpen the other side of the blade as well in the same fashion.

Final Words

Now that you know the techniques on how to sharpen serrated electric knife blades, which do you think is the most effective method? Which one do you prefer the most?

If you ask us, then we would definitely recommend investing in a good quality electric knife sharpener. After all, you would not need to do any hard work besides placing the blade in the slot, which is hardly any work at all.

How to Fillet a Crappie with Electric Knife: A Beginner’s Guide

Crappie fish is among the best-tasting freshwater fishes. They can be caught through angling or ice fishing, making them available for all seasons. Yes, you would probably have some good catches to fill your bucket, but what about cleaning them? And if you are using an electric knife, do you know how to fillet a crappie with electric knife properly?

Making fillets out of the bunch will require your energy and tedious hours of cleaning. Let’s accept it, not all of us have a good hand on the techniques required by fillet knives.

What if you were told that you can fillet an entire bucket full of crappie fish half the time when you use a traditional fillet knife with the help of an electric knife? That the process is actually quite simple?

Yes, it’s possible. Just follow through to know how.

How to Fillet a Crappie with Electric Knife

A fish fillet can be made with or without the skin, so make sure how you want your fillet before you proceed.

Prepare the Fish:

Prep up by setting up your cutting area with a proper cutting board and a bucket of cold clean water. Cold clean water helps clean the dirt and blood from the fish.

As soon as you open the fish and remove all the innards, slip them into the bucket of cold clean water to clean it. It is also necessary that you are familiar with the bone placement of the fish as you do not want to cut through some bones that could end up on your plate.

Choose the Tool:

It is essential that you have the right tool for filleting. Although there are many electric fillet knives available for different users, some electric fillet knives are rated best for the process. Some of the well-known electric knives available are Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric Fillet Knife, Rapala Heavy Duty Electric Fillet Knife, American Angler PRO Professional Grade Electric Fillet Knife, Rapala Lithium Ion Cordless Fillet Knife, and Mister Twister Electric Knife.

You must remember that there are models that come with two pieces that can be replaceable. You can also find cordless models while others are corded. When choosing an electric fillet knife, you must also check the length of the knife and the edge of the blade.

Also, try to hold different types of electric knives in your hand to feel the grip. If the handle of the knife sits in your hand comfortably, then it will be easier for you to work. When holding a knife causes discomfort, then you will not be able to work and achieve the results that you want and need.

Know the Proper Procedure:

Once you are sure that the fish is clean and you are comfortable with the electric knife you chose, you can start filleting by following the steps below.

1. Place the crappie on your cutting board horizontally. If you are right-handed, the fish head should be facing your left and vice versa. It is easier to glide through the meat when you are comfortable with your hand placement.
2. With the electric knife’s sharp edge angled towards the head of the fish, cut in with a gentle pressure behind the pectoral fin of the crappie. The pectoral fins of a fish are located on either side of the fish, just behind the gills.
3. For fillet with skin:
   1. If you want to make fillet with skin, you need to remove the scales of the fish before you start cutting your fish.
   2. Slowly slip the knife horizontally while holding down the fish gently to cut through.
   3. Remove the rib cage with your knife.
   4. You now have a fillet.
4. For skinless fillet:
   1. Once you cut in, lightly press on the fish with your free palm and gently move your knife through until close enough to the tail. Do not slide completely through the tail.
   2. Flip the cut open.
   3. With light pressure, cut with your electric knife below the attached rib cage to remove it. Not cutting through the tail makes this step easier.
   4. From the tail, continue to cut until the fillet comes off.
5. Fill the areas of the fillet where the bones were located to make sure that there are no pin bones. If there is, remove them.
6. Drop the crappie fillet into the cold water bucket to clean.
7. Repeat the same on the side.
8. Keep your scraps aside.

Remember the Following Tips:

It is important to first get a grip on the knife rather than focusing your mind on saving the meat. Once you have set your hold on the knife, making fillets becomes easier as you have more control over the movement of the knife and your hands.

As a beginner, you will have some unequal fillets, or there would be more meat left on the bone than your fillet. Also, it is expected that if it is your first time to use electric knives, you will not be able to move through easily. It will take a few tries before you are able to understand the electric knife’s movement. So, be patient.

At this point, you do not have to worry about wastage as you can use the scraps for making fish sauce, broth or stock. After a couple of attempts, you will be able to glide your knife through effectively. Remember, practice makes perfect and it is more valid for the use of electric knives with fish.

Conclusion

Although the process of filleting with a regular and electric knife is similar, regular knife requires a precise movement to work through to make the fillets. If you are working with a tub full of fish, then it will take you hours to clean up good fillets.

You will not only save time but also your strength if you learn how to fillet a crappie with electric knife. Once your hand is set on the knife, you will be piling up good size fillets in your bucket in no time. Just be careful when you use the electric knife.

So, make things easier for you and try new gadgets like an electric knife. You will be amazed at the result and effectiveness once you get the hang of it.

How to Fillet a Catfish with an Electric Knife

Out of the 3000 catfish species, a high percentage lives in freshwater. That makes them a top and tasty option for your dinner table. Since catfishes come in different sizes, you can cook different recipes out of one piece of fish. However, there is a challenge. In order to have the perfect dish, you must know how to fillet a catfish with an electric knife.

As similar to any type of fishes, catfishes can only be cooked properly and deliciously if you know how to cut them well. Since their meat is delicate, you cannot just cut them the way you want to. There are steps to follow and right tools to use, and one of them is an electric knife.

Why Electric Knives?

The popularity of electric knives is increasing day by day since they are more efficient and effective in cleaning and cutting meat. They are also comparatively sharper, but the top reason why many anglers and homemakers prefer electric knives over traditional knives is the amount of time they save.

If you are using a traditional knife, it will take almost twice the time it will take to fillet a fish if you are using an electric knife. Here is the catch though, as electric knives are a modern gadget, some people who are new to its use often don’t know the proper way of using electric knives.

Unfortunately, if you don’t know how to fillet a catfish with an electric knife, it can ruin the fish, and you may end up eating a fish with bones or a squishy fish. A good rule to remember if you would use an electric knife to fillet a catfish is that you need to have some patience and care because handling an electric knife is not that easy if you are new to its use.

Nonetheless, once you have a good grasp of the process, you can just zip through the pile of catfish with an electric knife. So, take time to practice and do the process slowly until you become used to it. So, whether you’ve caught a catfish, or just bought one from the market for dinner, here is how you can use an electric knife to fillet it.

How to Fillet a Catfish with an Electric Knife?

Before starting the process, make sure you have washed the whole fish and removed its innards. If you have a large catfish, it is also recommended to use a rope to hang it as it makes the process of filleting much easier for you.

Another consideration is not to skin the fish when it is alive. It is not only cruel, but it can also make the process harder for you.

The Process

1. Remove the Head

The first step is to remove the head of the fish, especially if the size of the fish is small. Ideally, you should cut it off from right behind the gills.

To do this, hold the fish from the tail and keep the blade pointed towards the fish or across its body. Start cutting from behind the gills, and towards the head, and let the backbone guide your knife. Remember to apply gentle pressure as pushing too hard might damage the fish.

2. Remove the Skin

For this step, you can use the help of pliers to keep the fish steady while skinning it. Before the actual removal of the skin, you must first get rid of the fins, followed by the tail.

Once you are done, the next step is to make an incision right at the back of the catfish. You can use the electric knife by starting from the top part of the fish to the bottom portion. If the fish is small, you can do it on the kitchen counter, but if it is a large one, it is better to make this incision by hanging the fish in front of you, unless you have a large counter space.

By splitting the fish in half, you can now easily use the electric knife to remove skin. Start with the first half, and then move to the other half. If you are doing the right thing, you would notice that the electric knife allows you to skin the fish precisely compared to the traditional knives.

3. Fillet the Fish

Now, after you have removed the head, the tail, and the skin, the fish is ready for the actual filleting process. For this, use the electric knife to cut right next to the spinal column of the fish and continue until you reach the ribs. If you are new to the use of an electric knife, make sure to keep it steady since the knife is very sharp, so with a little extra force, you can cut through the ribs which can ruin the fish.

Once you reached the ribs, slide through the top part and move toward the tail, making sure that you are cutting through the area beside the spine of the fish. Once you are done, repeat the same process on the other side of the fish.

This is it! You are done. It may look like a challenging task if you would do it for the first time, but it only gets easier. In fact, after filleting two to three catfishes, you can do the process more efficiently and quickly.

Summary

If you’ve noticed, the process is almost similar to the fixed or traditional knife, but if you try to do the process with a fixed and electric knife, you will see that using an electric knife is more efficient and saves a lot of time. Once you have enough practice with an electric knife, you can do it in half the time you need with a traditional filleting knife.

An electric knife is also a lot easier to handle, and as most of the catfish species are large in size, an electric knife is recommended. Simply put, the electric knife is designed to make things easier for anglers or housewives, so why not take advantage of it?

Different Uses for an Electric Knife

Back during the late 70’s up until the 80’s most homes had an electric knife set as a part of their must-have kitchenware.

Today the electric knife is not as popular or as common as it used to be because people prefer to stick to the traditional knife rather than spend extra for a device that does the same job. If you never thought that an electric knife can be used as a multi-purpose tool, you’re about to be proven wrong.

Aside from being a great tool for carving your holiday roasts, turkeys, soft bread and cutting and slicing food in bulk, here are some unusual uses for an electric knife:

• Cutting small pieces of wood for decorative purposes or cake tiers
• Shaping foam for cushions, stools, and other furniture
• Cut and style Styrofoam in a neat, intricate, and straight lines
• Cut through insulation foams
• Slice through bulky cardboard boxes
• Cut through thin PVC pipes
• Many other arts and crafts needs that require you to cut through both hard and soft materials in a straight line

How to Use Electric Knife Sets

It is true that the best way to preserve the life of your electric knife is to only use them for what they are made for cutting and slicing food.

Which is why using them for arts, crafts, and as a multi-purpose tool is not very common. But for those who want value for money when it comes to their electric knife sets, extending their use beyond the kitchen is a norm.

But before you can start using the electric knife as a multi-purpose tool, you must first learn how to use the knife properly.

1.  Getting Familiar

Similar to most handheld tools, an electric knife needs some getting used to before you can carve, cut, and slice like a pro.

2.  Specialty Uses

There are different types of electric knives available in the market. Some are made to be used for cutting and slicing meats and bread at home while others are meant to be used for commercial and professional meat cutting. Determine how and where you will use the electric knives before purchasing a set for yourself.

3.  Caring, Cleaning, and Maintaining

Caring for, cleaning, and maintaining your electric knife blades should be made a priority especially if you are planning to use the knives beyond cutting It would be better to have separate blades to perform these different tasks to avoid any cross-contamination. Although, cleaning the blades is never an issue since these are usually removable and dishwasher safe.

The Best Uses for an Electric Knife

Determining the use of an electric knife set is very simple. The first question you should ask yourself is: will I need the knife for personal or commercial use?

If you are simply planning to use the electric knife at home you are liberty to use the electric knife as you see fit.

Although you do have to make sure that you clean the blades properly after each use to make sure bacteria or non-food items come in contact.

Electric knives like Cuisinart’s High-Powered Electric Kitchen Knife Bundle and the Hamilton Beach 74275 Handle Grip Electric Knife Carve N’ Set are great motorized knives to have at home.

Electric knives made for professional and commercial use like the KeyTop Professional and Commercial Electric Knife or the Coolbiz Professional Wireless Electric Knife sets should only be used for cutting meats.

Not only is it because the electric knives will come in contact with meats that will be served for customer consumption, but also because these professional knives are not designed to cut through materials other than meat.

More than Just Your Average Knife

Yes, it is true that electric knives are more expensive than traditional and manual knives. Many also find that beyond the roasts and turkeys for holidays they do not know how to use electric knife sets.

Although electric knives are best kept in the kitchen, more creative owners will find more uses for their knives to make sure they don’t just gather dust and take up space in a kitchen drawer.

Your electric knife can be handy and all around multi-purpose tool, just as long as you know how to take proper care of it. A sharp and well-taken care electric knife can out-perform any manual knife any day.

The Proper Way to Sharpen an Electric Knife

It is common knowledge that the secret to extending the life of a knife is to keep it well sharpened. This can apply to both traditional and electric knives. It is even more imperative to keep an electric knife sharpened because these are more expensive tools that are not as easily replaced.

It is also a common, but very wrong notion that since electric knives are usually serrated, they will not need any sharpening. Although it will take longer for the serrated electric knife to become dull, it will eventually need to be sharpened and learning how to sharpen your knife blades properly will help in making them last a lifetime.

Whetstone Versus A Sharpening Steel

Before you can jump right into sharpening your electric knife blades, learning the difference between the two most commonly used sharpening tools is imperative in ensuring that you do the job properly.

If you talk to chefs or hunters or anyone who uses a sharp knife regularly you will realize that everyone has their preferred method and tools for sharpening. These two are just the most common.

Whetstone

For most kitchen knife sets a whetstone is usually included as a sharpening medium. This is because using a whetstone is easy to use evena beginner can learn how to use a whetstone for sharpening knives quickly. Although a whetstone is easy to use, it may not be the best tool for an electric knife with a serrated blade.

Sharpening Steel

Another common knife sharpening tool you will find in kitchens is the sharpening steel or also known as the honing steel. This is a rod typically made out of steel, ceramic, or a diamond encrusted steel.These rods are lined with longitudinal ridges that serve as the abrasive parts used to sharpen the blades. The sharpening steel is what is most commonly used by top chefs to keep their knives sharp, which means it is a reliable and effective knife sharpening tool.

Between the two types of sharpening tool, a whetstone is the best way for beginners to learn how to sharpen knives, but the sharpening steel is the best tool to use for sharpening serrated blades.

It is also important to know that whetstones are best used to sharpen dull knives while sharpening or honing steels are best used for maintaining the sharpness of a knife.

In effect, sharpening steels are not good tools to use on dull knives, but they are however the correct tools to use for serrated knives like those that are commonly found with electric knife sets.

How to Sharpen Electric Knife Blades

Learning how to sharpen electric knife blades can help prolong the life of your expensive electric knives. Follow these steps to familiarize yourself with the simple sharpening techniques.

Step 1: Get your sharpening rod ready and remove the blades from the motorized device.

Step 2: Place a firm grip on the flat base of the knife, with the tip facing away from you. Hold the sharpening rod firmly with your other hand.

Step 3: Place the rod on the first serration, nearest to your hand and slide the knife up and down the sharpening tool, making sure it stays on the same serration at all times.

Step 4: Repeat the process until the last serration and do the same for the other side of the serrated blade.

Using a sharpening or honing steel to sharpen your knives means you will be doing this task regularly as part of your knife’s maintenance. This means that your electric knives will never become dull and will last you a lifetime if it is done correctly.

Do not fall for the misconception that serrated knives do not need sharpening because all knives will need to be sharpened once in a while. If you haven’t had the fortune of using an electric knife yet, give the Hamilton Beach 74275 electric knife set a try. It has made a big difference in many households and it might just make a difference it yours too.

Sharpening an electric knife’s blades is not a difficult task, but it can be dangerous if you are not careful. Make sure to always concentrate on what you are doing to avoid any accidents. If you are unsure of what you are doing, it would be better to consult with someone who has the experience. Don’t forget, it’s safety first and foremost when dealing with knives.

How to Sharpen Electric Knife Blades

 

It’s a known fact that all blades dull over time. Some will dull slower than others while some will dull faster, all of which depends on intensity of usage as well as other factors such as knife storage. The best electric blade knife sharpener is an electric knife sharpener. Luckily, nowadays there are lots of such products available to make you knife sharpening experience a whole lot easier.

Today we’ll look at how to sharpen electric knife blades as well as which electric knife sharpeners to use. Note, electric knife sharpeners are recommended since they are fast and also guarantee that your knives are protected from damage and excessive wear.

How to Sharpen

The first step is to clean your knife blade if you have been using it or if it has some/any residue. Such dirt can interfere with the sharpening process so make sure the blade is clean.

As mentioned earlier, sharpening using an electric sharpener such as the Chef’s Choice M120 is the best way to go.

Note: Most electric knife blades are serrated therefore make sure that the electric knife sharpener is able to sharpen such a blade.

However, this is not the only way to sharpen blade. You can always use the traditional sharpening rod which is slower and more strenuous. Nevertheless, it gets the job done. To sharpen with a rod, place the rod within the first serration – this is the first serration on the blunt end you are holding it from.

Next, begin sliding the electric knife blade gently back and forth on the sharpening rod. Remember to have the sharpening rod placed in the same direction as the serration on the blade. Slowly work your way to the outermost serration at the tip of the electric blade.

All that’s left is to sharpen the opposite edge of the blade remembering to place the rod in the same direction as the serrations. That’s all it takes to sharpen an electric knife blade using a sharpening rod.

Best Electric Knife Sharpeners

Note: Sharpening electric knife blades is more or less the same when using different sharpeners from different manufacturers. However, there are some variations when it comes to features and angle sharpening. Ensure that you check the manufacturer information on things like angle sharpening. Some of the best electric knife sharpeners and their key features include;

Chef’s Choice M120

• 3-stage high precision sharpening
• 100 percent diamond sharpening rods (first 2 stages)
• Blade polishing in final stage
• Sharpens both serrated and plain electric knife blades
• Works on all-purpose sharpeners i.e., kitchen knives, utility-type knives and garage knives
• Stage 2 recommended for regular/normal sharpening while stage 3 is for extremely blunt knives

Wusthof 3 Stage

• 3-stage protective sharpening
• 14º angle sharpening
• 100 percent diamond abrasives for stage 1 sharpening
• Second stage smoothens and evens out the edge which is now sharper that factory-standard
• Works on all-purpose sharpeners i.e., kitchen knives, utility-type knives and garage knives
• Stage 2 recommended for regular/normal sharpening while stage 3 is for extremely blunt knives

Note: This sharpener is able to sharpen knives which may be too sharp for camping, pocket or hunting knives.

Chef’s Choice M320

• 2-stage sharpening
• 100 % sharpening diamond abrasives
• Not recommended for sharpening extremely dull knives – it takes longer even with the solid-diamond abrasives
• Recommended for sharpening pocket knives, kitchen knives and hunting knives
• Stage 2 recommended for sharpening serrated blades
• 20º angle sharpening perfect for use as mentioned above
• Less pricey compared to similar electric blade sharpeners

Chef’s Choice M220

• 2-stage high precision sharpening
• High quality sharpening electric motor in the first stage
• Manual sharpening in 2^nd stage
• Fixed 20º angle making it the perfect multi-purpose sharpener
• Manual sharpening can be a bit strenuous especially for extremely dull knives
• Pull-through functionality in 2^nd stage
• Affordable

Presto 08800

• 2-stage sharpening
• Initial stage for shaping the blade, especially for dull knives
• 2^nd stage is for achieving a smooth finish
• 20º angle sharpening recommended for kitchen knives
• Not suitable for Asian-type knives which require 15º angle sharpening

Conclusion

Choice on whether to sharpen your blade using the tradition sharpening rod or using an electric knife sharpener is entirely up to you. However, we do recommend that you use the above mentioned electric sharpeners if you want to achieve a perfect finish in less time. Nonetheless, both are methods of how to sharpen electric knife blades.

How to Carve a Turkey with an Electric Knife

 

Whether it’s Thanksgiving or just a meal with friends, one thing is for sure, turkey will be there and you need to know how to carve it when the time comes. Carving a turkey is a big deal, especially if you are the man of the house. Doing it right will mean a successful meal, however, get it wrong and you’re staring at a messy table.

Using an electric knife is more beneficial than using your everyday knife. The main reason is that you are using less effort to separate limbs and get to the meat. Of course, with both knives, you have to be careful, however with the electric knife, you have to be extra careful – all that power can chop off you limbs effortlessly.

With that said, here is the 6-step process of how to carve a turkey with an electric knife the proper way.

Step 1: Give it Time

The first step is where most people go wrong when carving the bird. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, you want to immediately start carving. This is wrong. Allow the bird to rest for about 20-30 minutes before you begin.

This will allow the meat to cool down so that it doesn’t burn you. In addition, giving the turkey time to cool means that all the juice is stored and the meat won’t be dry during serving.

Step 2: Separate the Thighs and Legs from the Body

Using the electric knife gently cut the meat which separates the body and the leg. You’ll need to dislocate the joint where the leg bone is in contact with the body.

To do so, simply hold the leg in one hand and the body in another and pull them apart. You’ll hear a pop sound when the two separate. Start carving the joints until fully separated. Do the same for the other limb.

Step 3: Separate the Thighs from the Legs

With both legs separated from the body, the next thing is to separate the thighs from the legs. Do this by holding the drumstick and cutting between the drumstick and thighbone. Ensure that you hold the thigh upright so that you’re able to cut with ease.

When you run into resistance, simply hold the knife in a way that minimal resistance is felt. At this point, it is safe to cut off the thighs from the legs.

Step 4: Work on the Thigh Meat

Now that you have the drumsticks set aside, you can begin cutting the thigh meat. The secret to great carving is getting all the thigh meat off in one piece.

However, if you end up with two or possibly more, it just means there’s more for everyone. To separate the meat from the bone, simple hold one end of the bone and start rasping away the meat until all you’re left with is the bone.

Step 5: Separate the Wing and the Body

After you are done with both thighs, the next step is separating the wing from the body. The wing is connected to the body by a ball joint. Begin by cutting the meat until your electric knife reaches the joint.

Put the knife aside and pull the wing and body apart until it pops off. Separate the meat left on the ligaments and tendons until fully separated. Choice on whether to cut or serve the wing as whole is entirely up to you.

Step 6: It’s time for the Turkey Breast

There are two ways you can carve the breast. The traditional way is to cut off chunks of meat from the breast but this has some downside – the meat will be dry and if you’re not careful the meat will look unattractive when served.

The second method and the proper method to do so is to work on the whole breast and later on, start carving small chunks off of each breast.

Begin by locating the breast bone in the middle and carve off one side of the breast. Here’s where the electric knife strives since there’s lots of meat to cut through and doing so with just a knife is strenuous.

Once you have separate one side of the breast, slice it into whichever size a meat you like. Do so for the next breast and that’s it! The carving process is done.

Conclusion

So there you have it, the simple and proper way to carve a turkey with an electric knife. All that now left is to serve the meat to your hungry guests. Don’t forget to wrap any extra meat in order to preserve its taste and juice.