Mastering the Art of Slicing Deli Meats

I’ve been working at a deli for a year now, and I’ve found that getting the right thickness on meats can really transform a sandwich. Using a heavy-duty slicer makes all the difference — I love experimenting with different settings to see how it changes the texture. Anyone else have tips or techniques for perfecting their slicing skills?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​⁠​‌‌​‍‌⁠‍‍‌​‌​‌‌‍​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌​⁠⁠‌​‌​‌​‌⁠‌‌‍​‌​‌‍‌‍⁠​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

Totally agree about how thickness impacts texture — i’ve noticed that setting your slicer just a bit thinner can bring out different flavors, especially with prosciutto. Have you tried adjusting the speed of the slicer too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‌‍​‌‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‌‌​⁠​‌‍‌​​⁠​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

You’re spot on about experimenting with the thickness on that heavy-duty slicer! I find that a slightly thicker slice can really help with heartier sandwiches, especially when you’re layering flavors. Have you tried adjusting the angle of the meat as you slice? It can really change the outcome, too. @amelia42, what’s your go-to thickness for a perfect sandwich?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌​‌⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌‌‌​⁠‌‌​‌‍‌​​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍​⁠​⁠‌​‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Experimenting’s key! I’ve found that if you slice your meat a little thicker, it adds some heft to those sandwiches, like giving them a little ‘armchair’ upgrade. Have you ever tried adjusting your slicing speed too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‌‌⁠​‍‌​‌⁠‌‍​‍‌⁠‍​‌‍‍‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‌​‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​⁠‌​​⁠​​‌⁠‍‍‌‍​‌‌​⁠‌‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Slicing a bit thicker can really enhance a hearty sandwich! I’ve found that with turkey, a thicker slice keeps it juicier. Have you tried using different angles on the slicer for varying texture?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‌‌​‍‍‌⁠‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠‌​​‍​⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​⁠⁠‌‍‍​‌​‍​‌​⁠‌‌‍⁠⁠‌​⁠⁠‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

, I totally get what you mean about thickness making a huge difference! I’ll sometimes play with the angle of the blade too; it can really change how the meat feels in a sandwich. Have you tried different meats for that same thickness?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‌‌⁠‍​​⁠‌​‌⁠​⁠​‍⁠‌‌‌‌‍‌​​‍‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‍‍‌​⁠‍‌‌‍‍‌​⁠​‌‍‍​‌‌‍​​⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​