How to Use a Berkel Meat Slicer Step by Step | Parts Town

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Chef thinly slicing a cut of pork - How to use a Berkel meat slicer

If you work in a deli, sandwich shop or other professional kitchen that caters to meat lovers, there’s no way you can keep up with orders without some metal strong arming provided by a mechanical meat slicer. Whether you’re new on the job or just bought a slicer to help the growing demands of a booming business, we can teach you how to use a Berkel meat slicer manually or automatically in no more than 6 steps!

Preparing the Meat Slicer

Taking the time to properly test your equipment can help your company avoid any injuries and the tedious paperwork that comes with it, like filling out incident reports or having to pay worker’s comp. Follow these steps to learn how to prep your slicing machine before cutting product:

Step 1. Prep the meat slicer – Before using the meat slicer, you should always check that it’s safe to use. To do this, ensure the power is switched to the off position and the thickness control is turned as far right as it will go. This step is important, as it protects the user from the knife during testing.
Step 2. Align the center plate knife guard and sharpener – Make sure the knife guard and sharpener are set properly and are not touching the knife.
Step 3. Plug the power cord in – Only use a 120-volt grounded outlet and the plug that came with the slicing machine.
Step 4. Slide the handle back and forth – This step tests the meat slicer’s tractability and performance. If the product table snags or meets any resistance during operation, stop the slicer right away, turn off the power and call an authorized service technician.
Step 5. Turn the meat slicer on – The switch is typically located on the unit's base. Switch it to the on position to test that the blade runs smoothly.
Step 6. Turn the meat slicer off – Once you’ve determined that everything is operating as intended, switch the meat slicer off before loading the product into the unit to be cut.

How to Use a Berkel Meat Slicer

Using a Berkel meat slicer is as easy as turning the machine on and off with a few simple steps in between. These are the instructions for how to use a manual and automatic Berkel meat slicer.

For Manual Slicers

Step 1. Lock the slicing table – Using the pusher plate’s handle, slide it left so that the product table is free for loading. If the meat is too long, ensure the pusher rests on top of the product and attach the two hooks so it stays in place.
Step 2. Adjust the slice thickness – You can adjust the meat thickness between paper thin and ¾ or 9/16 of an inch, depending on the model. You can find the thickness control knob at the side of the slicer. For thicker slicers, turn the knob to the right, and for thinner slices, turn the knob to the left.
Step 3. Turn on the meat slicer – The switch is typically located on the unit's base. Switch it to the on position.
Step 4. Slice the meat – For manual operation, use the handle to slide the product table back and forth to slice the meat.
- Note: Never try to feed the product through the knife, as this could result in bodily harm.
Step 5. Turn off the meat slicer – After each use, it’s important to turn the slicer off for safety purposes.

For Automatic Slicers

Automatic slicer models are still capable of being used manually. However, the procedure is not the same. If you’d like to use the automatic function, follow the steps as described below:

Step 1. Turn the slicer off – Before using the speed selector, ensure the slicer is turned off.
Step 2. Adjust the speed setting – You can find the speed selector located on the lower left-hand side of the base. Select a high or low-speed setting.
Step 3. Lock the slicing table – Using your right hand, slide the slicing table by the handle to the left until it locks into place.
Step 4. Place the meat on the product table – If the meat cut is too long, you can rest the pusher on top of the product, securing it with the two hooks attached to the pusher.
Step 5. Turn the slicer on – After the meat is on the table, go ahead and turn the slicer on, making sure hands are free of the slicer’s blade and any moving parts.
Step 6. Turn the slicer off – After each use, it’s important to turn the slicer off for safety purposes.

For more resources on how to work your Berkel meat slicer, check out some of our articles on how to sharpen and clean your unit.

Please contact a local authorized service agent who can help with these specific units and all your commercial kitchen equipment needs.