# Portioning Frozen Beef



## Nik333

I love Bulgogi!

Wouldn't it be easier to defrost a little and separate it out while it's kind of a frozen mush?


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## pwcopy

Nik333 said:


> I love Bulgogi!
> 
> Wouldn't it be easier to defrost a little and separate it out while it's kind of a frozen mush?


Can I refreeze a partial thaw? I'm checking out electric carving knives. Might be the solution.


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## SW Dweller

Several serrated blade knives could solve your problem. A cleaver would also do the job.
Your looking for a heavy blade with a fair sized wideness on the butt of the blade
I would avoid any powered device if possible.


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## de-nagorg

SW Dweller said:


> Several serrated blade knives could solve your problem. A cleaver would also do the job.
> Your looking for a heavy blade with a fair sized wideness on the butt of the blade
> I would avoid any powered device if possible.


 I have an antique hand meat saw.

It looks similar to a very large hacksaw, with a sharp toothed blade.

It cuts bone, frozen, and even your hand if you ain't careful.

Guess how I know.

Passed down in my family, from a Rancher great grandfather. 


ED


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## de-nagorg

A local Sportsman's Warehouse, has an electric meat saw, in their store, for around $150.00, that might be a great investment, if you plan to buy this dish often.


ED


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## Bud9051

For occasional use I agree with ED, the hand meat saw. Once you have one you will find more uses for it.
I function mostly as a house of one so also try to portion when I freeze things.

Bud


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## wooleybooger

Amazon has several hand saws for butchering. Forget the power saws, too much trouble and mess to clean. This from a guy that had to clean the cutting room in a grocery store meat shop, daily. If the food still has ice crystals in it, it should be OK to refreeze.


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## de-nagorg

Another thought:

Around here every shop with a deli counter, that sells bulk meats, will cut it for you for FREE, at the time of purchase.

See if this shop will divide it for you the next time that you purchase.

saves time and effort at home.

I have used that many times myself.


ED


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## Shrewboy

Do you have a guillotine in your backyard? I haven't used mine in awhile, and this post made me realize it might have a good use aside from cutting watermelons in half!

You could pack the round hole with newspaper or something, so the meat doesn't go flying out when the blade hits it


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## John Smith_inFL

I cut a frozen chicken down the middle with my bandsaw back when I was young-n-dumb.
forgot to clean out the "chicken dust" - - - needless to say, 3 days later in the hot shop,
eeewwwwww (so don't do that)

but, of course, if you are going to be doing this a lot, I would get the right tool for the job.


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## mathmonger

9" Stainless Steel Reciprocating Saw Blades for Food Cutting - 5TPI Big Teeth Stainless Steel Reciprocating Saw Blades Multi Cutting for Frozen Meat, Beef, Turkey, Bone, Wood, Pruning (5 Pack): Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement


9" Stainless Steel Reciprocating Saw Blades for Food Cutting - 5TPI Big Teeth Stainless Steel Reciprocating Saw Blades Multi Cutting for Frozen Meat, Beef, Turkey, Bone, Wood, Pruning (5 Pack): Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement



www.amazon.com


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## Nik333

pwcopy said:


> Can I refreeze a partial thaw? I'm checking out electric carving knives. Might be the solution.


Yes, but, don't thaw it all the way, just until you can manipulate it.


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## rjniles

Go to Walmart and buy a bow saw in the garden dept. 

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


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## AllanJ

I have used ordinary carpentry hand saws, also used a hacksaw.

Thawing and refreezing again and again just to cut off a portion is not good.


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## Nik333

AllanJ said:


> I have used ordinary carpentry hand saws, also used a hacksaw.
> 
> Thawing and refreezing again and again just to cut off a portion is not good.


No, what I meant was one time. I would bet that by the time he got it home, it was probably in a frozen mush, or soft freeze & could have been divided up by a spoon or ordinary table knife. But, otherwise, you can defrost it slightly in a bowl in cold water & divide it.

But, if you want a new tool. . .. 😊


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## huesmann

I don't see why you couldn't use a chop saw with a clean blade. You might get meat "sawdust" everywhere though...


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## Colbyt

For years I cut the hocks off salt cured hams with a new coarse hacksaw blade that I sanitized. Can see no reason why frozen meat would be harder than bone.


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## de-nagorg

Colbyt said:


> For years I cut the hocks off salt cured hams with a new coarse hacksaw blade that I sanitized. Can see no reason why frozen meat would be harder than bone.


 Sanitize it well, and store it, in a dust proof container, waiting for the next usage. 

A cheap hacksaw, and a bottle of CLOROX, and a rag, you're good for life.


ED


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## GrayHair

This works best with ground meat but should work fairly well with frozen blocks of small strips. You might have to finish up with serrated knife.
Cut a slot in a flat (no feet), thick wooden cutting board to accept a sturdy knife. You only want about 3/8" of the knife above the surface of the board. The slot in the board should be just wide enough to accept the back of the knife.
Place the board on a flat surface, lay plastic wrap across the board and put the knife in the slot *sharp edge up*. Lay the frozen meat block across the knife and cover it with a second sheet of plastic. Holding one end of the block securely on the cutting board, use a flat meat pounder on the meat directly over the knife, working your way the length of the blade.
If the block doesn't break, remove the top plastic, flip the block, reapply the plastic and press sharply on the ends of the block. Small blocks probably won't break, so repeat pounding after flipping.
Rewrap the frozen meat, discard the plastic, wash the knife and pounder, then wash the cutting board.
The knife doesn't have to be too sharp, but sturdiness is important.

*EDIT:* Since the slot weakens the cutting board, the thicker the board the better. It's also important to place it on a flat surface. Several layers of kitchen towel underneath the board provides some cushion and reduces noise.


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## pwcopy

Thanks for all the tips, guys! I never knew you could do a partial thaw, portion, then refreeze. I think, that's the solution! I'm going to put the 7x6x2" frozen block in the fridge overnight (8 hours) and see how it feels in the morning. When it feels right, I will use my original Ginsu knife (as seen on TV cutting aluminum cans, old shoes and FROZEN FOOD)! I've had it for 40 years, and it still cuts tomato slices as paper-thin as it did in 1980 when I bought it at the Los Angeles County Fair. Didn't want to use it for this because it's really a great kitchen tool and I thought after all this time the handle might break if used on a frozen block.


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## MaryCull

I had a Ginsu knife, my father gave it to me because I often go hiking. I cut even the toughest meat and vegetables for grilling with it when I'm camping. Honestly, I'm sick of fried meat, I want to try something new, like jerky https://www.bigwigjerky.com.au/how-to-make-the-best-homemade-beef-jerky/. I think it's so yummy. By the way, this knife is perfect for jerky, I use it instead of a slicer for thin slices. Thin slicing is a kind of art, this kind of serving is done in restaurants. Now I know how to make jerky and cut it thin, great. Also, I want to learn how to cook BBQ meat, none of my friends know how to do it well, I need to fix that.


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## Nik333

Such a funny thread! Not the question, just the answers. How did it work out? I hope you didn't need a John Deere tractor, too!


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## John Smith_inFL

I cut a frozen chicken in half on my old Craftsman band saw - cleaned the blade by cutting up some scrap wood..
BUT - I didn't clean the chicken "dust" from inside the cabinet. 3 days later, I knew I had made a mistake.


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## de-nagorg

John Smith_inFL said:


> I cut a frozen chicken in half on my old Craftsman band saw - cleaned the blade by cutting up some scrap wood..
> BUT - I didn't clean the chicken "dust" from inside the cabinet. 3 days later, I knew I had made a mistake.




ED


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