First 2 hours this morning I ran the Hobart steady and pre-sliced about 20 pounds, mostly turkey and top-round beef, to get ahead of the lunch rush. I keep the dial right around 1/16-inch so the slices fold clean, don’t shred, and stack tight on deli paper — it makes portioning smoother and the line moves faster. Wiping the blade between proteins saves me flavor crossovers and keeps the finish clean. When tickets start flying, the build that flies out is thin roast beef with provolone on a seeded Italian roll, a swipe of horseradish mayo, shaved onion, and a little arugula for bite. Those thin stacks lay flat, so I can wrap tight without crushing the crumb, and the scale lands on weight without me trimming. Anyone else pre-slice to a specific thickness for turkey, or do you go thicker to avoid curl?
I keep turkey at 1/16 too, but top round slices cleaner if I firm it up first — 15–20 minutes in the freezer and I’ll go a hair thicker. I also pre-tare the scale with deli paper and keep a stack at the slicer to shave a few seconds per ticket.
I took a feeler gauge to the Hobart and marked the true 1/16 on the dial with a paint pen, so anyone can hit it instantly and our stacks stay uniform during the rush. I marked a hair thicker spot for top round too, which pairs well with a quick chill so it folds clean without shredding.