I've never heard of using a mandolin for slicing meat, but if the meat is frozen (or very close to frozen), it is very easy to slice thinly with a good knife.

Lars

Yes, Lars is right...use a knife. I partially freeze meat all the time to make thin slices for stir-frying.

Meat is fibrous and needs to be cut with a sawing motion such as is provided by a knife or meat slicer like the ones used in a deli. Pressing a blade straight through as with a mandolin "doesn't cut it". :-)

Jim

Thing is I don't want to slice...down the sides (not sure how to say this) for small slices. I want to slice down the face so I have thin big pieces like they do at the commercial places.

If you have a long sharp slicer or even a long serrated bread knife, and lay the half-frozen meat flat, you can still cut reasonably thin slices. They won't be as thin or as uniform as the butcher's meat slicer produces, but the meat's getting cooked and jumbled up and stuffed in a roll, so I bet no-one will notice.

It is disappointing that the butcher wouldn't slice the meat for you, though. Maybe time to find a different butcher?

I wouldn't call my mandolin cheap, but I think my $$ just got me a better grade of plastic. Anyway, the only meat I've sliced with it are hard dry salamis, and it works pretty good for that. For raw meat, you would have to have it quite frozen, and I'm not sure that would work, due to the moisture content.

There is a technique which will let you slice unfrozen meat very thin. It is difficult to describe in words. I have not been able to find anything on YouTube to show. One of these days, I will make a video.

The only thing is that you do need a very sharp knife.

dcarch

Find a grocery store that specializes in Italian foods. Go to the meat counter and ask for freshly sliced "chip-steak", or tell the man behind the counter what you want the sliced steak for. He will then go to his freezer and take out the proper cut of meat, for the purpose, and slice it just the correct thickness, (he also has the very efficient commercial equipment to do the job) for making the cheese-steak sandwiches.

I patronize an Italian Grocer to buy my chip-steak. I doubt that you could slice the meat the correct thiness with a kitchen (chefs) knife in your home kitchen. If you have a slicing machine, maybe!

Just recently I was waiting at the deli counter when I heard a customer request her luncheon meat chipped. The deli lady looked at her and then looked at me. I shrugged, then she asked the lady what you meant. Now I understand. That term means nothing here in Daytona!

I wish we had Italian deli's in Dayton but I seriously doubt it. I suppose I could try a "real" butcher store, they MIGHT do it for me.
Meanwhile, not having ever missed having a mandolin before it will be going to the goodwill.
Thanks everyone

Mary:
I buy a piece of Sirlion or Rib Eye and let the butcher;
at my Market, slice it.
He freezes it slightly first , and slices it 1/8 inch thickness.
When I had the Pizzeria I bought eyes from Australia and sliced them myself.
Find a Butcher shop or Deli that would do this for you.
Or use a very sharp knife.
LOU