Easily Sliceable Meat Starts With One Important Choice

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When you're working with meat, the actual cooking method is just one part of the overall picture. It's important to prepare meat properly, and it's also paramount that you serve it well — and that includes slicing it as it's meant to be sliced. To slice meat with ease and get that picture-perfect presentation, make sure you use the right knife.

With so many types of kitchen knives on the market — a chef knife, a paring knife, or even a santoku knife — it's hard to know which is best for a certain cut of meat. In general, a chef's knife can get the job done, but to slice meat extra thin with ease, look for a carving or slicing knife (one of Ina Garten's three recommended knives you actually need in a kitchen) with a Granton edge. Both these knives have a long, thin blade and are used on all kinds of meat, from carving a thick Thanksgiving turkey to slicing dense brisket, but that Granton edge helps give them even more precision. The Granton edge design has small, scallop-like indents toward the bottom of the blade (popular on santoku knives), as opposed to the standard smooth blade you might think of when you picture a knife. Those tiny indents offer greater control, so you can get the thinnest, cleanest slices of meat possible.

If you've found a carving or slicing knife with that Granton edge, then that's half the battle. But to properly slice meat with a knife, you need to do some additional preparation. First, familiarize yourself with the knife you're working with. Get used to using it and understanding how it handles. Buying a knife then trying to slice meats on the first try likely won't give you the most precision.

Freeze the uncooked meat slightly before cutting it. This will firm it up, meaning it won't move as you slice it, and you'll be able to get even more precise cuts. Finally, make sure you have a strong, sturdy cutting board beneath the meat. A good cutting board is a kitchen essential. Opt for a board that doesn't shift around on the counter, and choose a wood type that can handle the sharpness of your carving knife, such as an acacia wood board, which is sturdy but has a good price point. You can grab a well-rated Lipper International board on Amazon for less than $70.