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Almost ruined a whole side of beef with a dull knife last Tuesday
I was working on a full breakdown at the shop in Portland and my main boning knife just wasn't cutting right. I kept forcing it through the seams and ended up shredding a whole strip of the ribeye cap. Cost me about $30 in lost meat just on that one piece. Had to stop, sharpen everything, and start over on the next side. Now I check my edge every 30 minutes no matter what. Anyone else have a moment where a dull blade cost you real money?
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roberts.leo10h ago
Did you try steeling it mid-breakdown? I read somewhere that a good honing steel can get you through a whole side if you hit it every few cuts. I used to think sharpening once was enough for a whole session, but then I lost part of a loin to a dull blade too. Now I keep a steel right on my station and give it a few passes every time I switch primals. It's not the same as a proper sharpening, but it keeps the edge from dying on you in the middle of a money cut.
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wendy8209h ago
Oh man, I totally feel you on that! I actually heard a tip from a chef I follow online about steeling every 10-15 cuts during a breakdown and I tried it on a whole ribeye primal last week. It makes a huge difference, honestly. I used to think steeling was just for show or something, but now I swear by it. It keeps that edge from just giving out when you're trying to slice through something delicate like a tenderloin. Plus it saves you from having to stop and grab your stone mid-job, which is such a hassle when you're trying to stay in the zone.
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