Essential equipment for the butcher
The utensils of the butcher of old consisted of mainly meat hooks for hanging meats to dry, knives, saws, grinders and cutting blocks.
While these tools of the trade are still in use today, most of them have evolved to make the butcher’s life simpler, faster and safer.
Before the age of refrigeration, when butchers slaughtered animals as and when fresh meat was required, they had to slice the meat as well and as straight as they could (and as carefully to avoid injury). They also minced meat and stuffed sausages manually. Today, reading the mostly automated equipment’s instruction manuals and pushing the required buttons produce perfectly cut meat and stuffed sausages.
Modern processing machinery such as meat grinders and slicing machines are automatic and can be set on a specific speed to instantly cut whatever length of meat is required. Contemporary equipment is also designed to perform multiple tasks. The vast arrays of new scales, for example, not only perform the function of weighing, but also price labelling.
Even the humble meat tenderising mallet has evolved. Modern butchers have replaced the mallet with a stainless steel hand-operated “cuber”, which tenderises tougher cuts of meat.
Large meat processors no longer peel either silver skin on meat or salmon using knives. Today automated skinning machines do the job in seconds. The salmon skinner is ultra fast and basically no skill is required to operate it. Meat skinners require some skill and the operator must wear special gloves that shut off the machine if contact is made.
Be that as it may, good old-fashioned knives will never be far from the butcher’s hand. The discovery of high carbon steel was a remarkable breakthrough for knife design, but more about that in another feature, in which take an in-depth look at these indispensable cutting tools.
Many butchers still believe that the traditional butcher block made of hardwood (often rock maple) is essential, but others use a stainless steel table or plastic boards for cutting.
Plastic cutting boards are made of polyethylene and come in a variety of thicknesses. Their disadvantage is that over time they get nicks and cuts in them which can harbour bacteria. However, to sterilise the surface of plastic cutting boards, they can be washed in a dish machine if small enough to fit or they can be sanitised with chemicals such as bleach and then rinsed thoroughly and left to air dry. Wood, on the other hand, will absorb cleaning chemicals. Rather use vinegar and carbonated soda or lemon juice.
Another positive aspect of plastic boards is they can be coloured to designate uses: yellow for poultry, white for meat, green for herbs and spices and so on.
Wooden cutting boards made of hardwoods that have a tight grain are best, and can be planed to resurface. Maple boards resist bacterial growth, and bamboo is cut and layered to make a very hard board that resists cuts, but can dull knives to some extent. Bamboo boards can be light and thin and very easy to clean.
Wooden boards can be cleaned with abrasive scrubbers such as steel wool, which actually takes a tiny layer off to seal the board’s cuts, but they cannot be allowed to be continually moist or soaked in sinks, as they can split and mould can form in the cracks.
Another type of board is made from rubber. This is an expensive option, but features some of the best of both worlds. Rubber is renewable and can be sanitised like plastic without dulling knives. They can warp but they can also be heated in an oven to be reshaped. Small cuts in rubber boards, like wood, seal back up, keeping them free of bacteria.
When chopping with a cleaver, plastic, wooden and rubber boards will be damaged, but the maple chopping block is designed for heavy-duty use.
The bone saw is a vast improvement over cleavers and axes, as it is more precise and safer to use, and doesn’t leave bone splinters behind in meat. Bone saws come in a variety of different lengths and saw blade strengths – some cut just small boned meats while others can split a carcass.
Meat saws have also been revolutionised. Electric floor models have band saws efficiently cutting large segments of meat, and tabletop meat slicers and grinders can process different cuts to suit customer requirements. Some meat grinders can process frozen meat as well, and even produce different sizes of minced meat.
Modern equipment is, of course, much safer to use than the traditional ones. Hand guards on saws and grinders protect the butcher, and emergency shut off buttons or switches protect the equipment when it gets too hot.
Even though vast safety improvements have been made over the years, butchers still use dangerous equipment, and therefore protective clothing is a requirement. Goggles, hard hats, aprons able to resist accidental knife strokes, arm guards and gloves are all in use.
Finally, it doesn’t matter how sophisticated equipment becomes, it still needs to be cleaned and sanitised – a vital part to sanitation and preventing harmful bacteria from growing and transferring to meat. And, fortunately, modern equipment is easy to clean.
Easy-to clean stainless steel construction ensures that optimum hygiene standards can be maintained, and removable parts allow for easy access to all areas for thorough cleaning, but it is vital to remember the basics. For example, it is important to get to the blades when cleaning equipment.
Take the equipment apart according to the specific instructions in the manual, wipe down the equipment to remove as many large meat chunks as possible, and gently rub any places where the meat is stuck. Warm water with baking soda and vinegar will remove dirt efficiently.
Get a scrub brush wet and rub gently to get into crevices in the machine and remove any remaining meat. Rinsing methods will differ based on the size and type of equipment, but usually using a kitchen faucet spray hose will work. If the equipment is electric, take extra care to prevent getting the electric parts wet.
Though cleaning with brush and cloth removes the meat left in the equipment visible to the eye, it cannot clean all of the bacteria. The high heat produced by a steam cleaner kills bacteria. After steaming, allow the equipment to cool before touching, and air-dry the equipment before putting it back together when it is fully dry.
Don’t overfill your refrigeration equipment and make sure that you keep the filters and condensers clean by wiping with a cloth and making sure there is no build-up.
There are a number of companies in South Africa that can assist with all your requirements such as MIMA, CATERWEB, EXIM INTERNATIONAL, BIZERBA, CROWN NATIONAL , RENLAW and FREDDY HIRSCH to name but a few.
EXIM INTERNATIONAL
Exim International has an extensive collection of industrial and retail machinery for cutting and processing meat and MDM.
Our industrial butchery equipment range consists of flaker mincer combo machines, bowl cutters, mincers, mixers, flakers and dicers. We also offer equipment accessories and attachments such as mincer knives and plates.
Our retail range consists of a full range of bandsaws, slicers and patty machines. This is complemented by accessories and attachments like band saw blades, knives, meat hooks and machine spares.
CATERWEB
Caterweb was established in 2009 and has become one of the leading catering equipment and commercial refrigeration companies based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Caterweb is well-known for supplying quality catering equipment, restaurant equipment, and commercial catering equipment to industries who need it the most at the most competitive prices.
We offer the most reputable brands and broadest range of commercial catering equipment suitable for any size project or event, from small intimate cafes to large well-renowned restaurants.
Our Products
We provide you the luxury of shopping online – Our “One-Stop Online” virtual catering equipment showroom offers commercial kitchen equipment, processing food equipment, butchery equipment, and commercial refrigeration to name just a few. Caterweb offers all your commercial kitchen and catering supplies under one roof, including everything you will need to fully equip your restaurant, cafe, bar, butchery, bakery, or hotel from start to finish.
Whether you require cutting-edge commercial cooking equipment or the best in commercial refrigeration or supreme chef ware, you can be sure to find it all at Caterweb. If you need it, we’ve got it.
Our Categories are as follows:
• Chefware – chef jackets, chefs trousers, aprons, chef hats, disposable chefware
• Displayware & Buffetware Service – Chafing dishes, juice dispensers, display dishes, cake displays, condiment servers, and more
• Heating – Bain marries, chip dump, coffee machines, fryers, crepe machines, grillers, plates, warmers, chicken rotisseries, commercial ovens, pie warmers, popcorn machines, and more
• Infiniti Buffet ware – Bread baskets, coffee urns, teapots, carvery stations and more
• Processing – Blenders, biltong slicers, dough mixers, food liquidizers, bandsaws, slicers, juice extractors, bowl cutters, wrapping machines and more
• Refrigeration – Ice cream machines, meat display fridges, underbar fridges, beverage coolers, wall chillers, and chest freezers for restaurants, butcheries and supermarkets.
• Storage & Handling – Crockery racks, food pans, meat trays, refuse bins, storage containers, shelving systems, tea trolleys
• Washing & Cleaning – Dishwashers, glass washers, buckets & wringers, scrub brushes, mops and more
Our services include delivery within Johannesburg and throughout South Africa as well as neighbouring countries.
MIMA
Since 1995 MIMA has been supplying butchers and meat lovers with all that is needed for the processing side. Need casings? Spares? Spice?
We can help.
We assisted many newcomers to the market in the choice of buying the correct equipment for their individual needs. Our large range of models and brand names ensure that your specific requirements are met.
Our after sales service made our clients come back. We promise that if we do not stock the spares that you are looking for – we will do our best to find it for you.
Over the years many butchers, hunters and home industries learnt that they could trust the casings coming from MIMA. There are those that have been buying from us for the past 20 years!
The MIMA brand has been added to our list of spices. ALLDAYS BILTONG, ALLDAYS BOEREWORS & ALLDAYS DRYWORS have become popular amongst those that thought it worth a try.
Looking for smalls like cutting boards, knives, scrapers, skewers etc.? We can help! We stock anything needed in the production process of meat.
Mima is a well-established business based in Pretoria, but we are more than willing to come to you!
