Last Updated on June 9, 2018
Steve e-mailed the Kitchen Shrink to ask if there was a trick for thinly slicing raw meats for stir fry.
As I mention in my recipe for Japanese Beef Fondue, the best way to thinly slice meat without a fancy slicing machine is to partially freeze the meat so it is firm enough to keep its shape but not to resist the knife. In the recipe I suggest about 30 minutes but that depends on the initial temperature of the meat and the thickness of the cut. It is best to test it for firmness after 30 minutes and return it to the freezer if it needs more chilling.
For anyone with a Japanese grocery store in their city, they almost always have thinly sliced beef intended for Sukiaki or Shabu-Shabu. Sunrise Market here in NYC carries it fresh, whereas Katageiri has more variety, but frozen. It’s what I get for Cheesesteak. Note however that it tends to be pricy, as the Japanese lean heavily towards Prime meat.
Some mainstream groceries may be catching on however, due to customer requests. Food Emporium (NYC) is advertising in this week’s Sale flyer “Thinly sliced ribeye for cheesesteak, $11.99/lb”. But when I tried to get some my local FE said they didn’t have it.