It is possible to slice ham with a mandolin; in fact, most of the mandolins possessed by people can be used for slicing more challenging food items like cheese, and vegetables rather than meat as the entire process is based on cuts and push.
If you want to do a good job cutting ham with a mandolin, you should freeze it first. If you don’t freeze it, the cutting will not look professional, although you are doing it at home.
Even though we agreed that the mandolin could be used to cut ham, there is a need to prepare it properly before the whole process. We will show you the guide you can follow to do it well, and following the guides properly will aid you in cutting a thin slice.
There are different types of mandolin, and they all work for different preparation. We have the french, Japanese, and V-Shaped mandolins, and some of them have legs while some do not.
If you are using a mandolin with legs, you will fold out the legs before propping the mandolin on a sturdy cutting board to prevent it from wobbling or slipping while working with it.
Apart from the mandolins with legs, the other types are those that come with an attachment to accommodate the chopped food; other types are the ones that are plain lacking legs and weight.
Note: while using your mandolin, always ensure that the closest end is near you to prevent uneven cutting.
The Second Step Involve
While using a mandolin, be careful not to cut yourself. Luckily, most of the mandolins come with a handguard; ensure that yours has one and you know how to use it properly.
If you don’t have the handguard type, use a hand-resistant glove to protect your hand. We usually advise our readers to use hand gloves to protect their fingers correctly in case the blades accidentally nick their fingers.
Third Step Involve
It is time to freeze the ham, so you must freeze the ham before the cutting process, ensuring that the ham is easy to slice. The ham, when frozen, will glide smoothly over your mandolin to give even slices.
If hams are not frozen before slicing them with a mandolin, there will be dragging and tears, and the slices will not be equal. However, don’t wholly freeze the ham to prevent it from being too hard for the mandolin. Don’t forget to clean your mandolin correctly before and after use.
Start Using your Mandolin
We don’t know the type of mandolin you are using. However, you can adjust the knob thickness. Hold the mandolin firmly with one hand, and do the slicing with the other.
As you slice your ham with the mandolin, ensure that you wear-resistant gloves and glide it to and fro, applying equal pressure. The even pressure applied will cause the blades to cut the slice in equal sizes throughout the process.
Don’t apply too much pressure while slicing ham using a mandolin because it is designed for vegetables, not for meat.
Clean your Mandolin after Use
As soon as you are done using your Mandolin, it is ideal to clean it, to prevent disease and germs, and also to make the next use faster.
The Best Mandolins Use for Slicing Ham
Now that you already understand how to use the mandolin and the different types available let us recommend those you can find on amazon.
Mueller Multi Blade Adjustable Mandoline
Mueller Multi Blade Adjustable Mandolin slicer is a premium quality machine designed to last for a long time; although very cheap you can’t compare most of the models under $70. It is the adjustable German engineered 5 ultras sharp, 420 grade hardened surgical stainless steel blades. Due to the high quality, LFGB approved it.
The ABS plastic is not toxic; therefore, you will be making a healthy meal for your family using this mandolin.
Mueller mandolin comes with five interchangeable blades for grating and Julienne, slicing, and unlimited thickness settings with thumb dial control. You can use it to chop onions perfectly, peel vegetables, and chop garlic. Using this item make meal faster, and it is easy to clean.
A mandolin is a knob-controlled machine, a fully adjustable monster that can give you more features than most competitors. The price is friendly, so you don’t need to break the bank to purchase this incredible tool.
Pros
- It has a massive amount of blades.
- It is a sturdy mandolin.
Cons
You will have to store many pieces.
Swissmar Borner V-Slicer Plus Mandolin
Swissmar Borner V-Slicer Plus Mandolin is another great tool you can use to slice vegetables conveniently. The kitchen item comes with many usefulness you will soon learn about. You will enjoy using the powerful machine as soon as you purchase it.
It is 5 pieces set Mandolin, and it includes a strong ABS plastic frame, 3 blades, a safety holder, and a storage caddy with a locking clip.
It has a 7mm blade, 3.5mm blade, plus thin/thick slicing blade that is reversible and can slice julienne, shred thicknesses.
The Mandolin is a premium quality machine made in Germany with surgical-grade stainless-steel blades that are sharp and snap in and out of the base with convenient movement.
For the protection of your food items, the Mandolin comes with Ambidextrous food safety that holds the foods for absolute protection; there are prongs that hold food, and the guard protects your hands.
The Mandolin equally comes with a storage caddy that safely holds all the components; while working with it; you can quickly rinse, clean, and rinse the tool under running water after use, i.e., it is dishwasher safe Mandolin.
Pros
- It is a universal Mandolin for cutting vegetables.
- The blades are incredibly sharp.
Cons
- There are no cons for now.
OXO Good Grips Chef’s Mandoline Slicer
Oxo Good Grips, as the name suggests is another excellent Mandoline slicer you can ever find on the market. The mandolin is powerful but inexpensive, which means you can leverage the quality to your advantage.
Being an excellent machine for slicing your vegetables, it comes with an indicator window that displays thickness settings clearly from above in millimeters and inches.
Another powerful feature is the spring-loaded food holder that features a wide rim that protects your fingers and stores on the underside of your mandolin.
It has a soft non-slip handle that provides a comfortable grip and also has a textured runway that prevents food from sticking and Parrales floors to create even slices without wedging.
The Japanese stainless steel blade is designed to slice even soft foods with convenience; the two-sided blade can establish straight slices or waffle/crinkle cuts, including integrated julienne and French fry blades.
Pros
- It is a sturdy machine that cuts vegetables easily.
- It has a large grip and feet for durable balance.
Cons
You may find it a bit challenging to grasp the hand protector.
Fullstar 11 in-1 Mandoline Slicer, Vegetable Chopper
You will like this mandolin for slicing vegetables as well. The machine is one of the best in the market, and the rate is really going which is a sign that the tool is helpful to people in the kitchen. As we proceed, you will discover other features that may entice you.
When you want a mandolin for compact and practical reasons, this one is the answer, it can be easily disassembled. The machine comes with a blade box to store the blades properly.
Aside from being a great kitchen tool, the mandolin is dishwasher safe also possesses specialized cleaning tools, to make the cleaning easy.
The stainless steel razor-sharp blades are made with high-quality material, for that reason, the mandolin comes with a fingerguard and protective glove to keep you and your family safe, especially when using the spiral slicer.
The ABS plastic that comes with it is nontoxic and BPA-free, which means your meal will be healthy for your family.
To make things easier for you after slicing vegetables or as an improvision for slicing meat or ham, the mandolin is designed to prevent mess and slips, it also comes with a catch tray which makes cooking convenient. At the end of the whole slicing process, the cleaning will be effortless. The non-slip base also makes slicing and grating easier for you.
Pros
- It is sturdy and durable.
- It is easy to clean.
- It is a universal mandolin.
Cons
It is possible your order may not come with attachments as stated. The error may be during the delivery process.
Conclusion
Normally, mandolins are used for cutting vegetables, and great precautions must be taken to avoid injuring yourself during the process. We explained the trick for safeguarding your hands above. If you want to make it safer to use mandolins, wear your handguard to protect them from accidents.
As you can see, mandolins can be used to slice ham too. When you have a mandolin and there is no chef knife or food processor readily available, don’t hesitate to use your mandolin, it will do the job perfectly. However, before using a mandolin to slice ham, ensure that the ham is frozen moderately. It will allow the slicing goes smoothly.