Well, you have survived holiday shopping, and even those tricky office party conversations. What you are about to face now, however, is the daunting prospect of the large piece of meat, and the scary knife. Roasting meat dishes, whether beef or pork, is the real test. Make a mistake here, and your guests will be chewing leather till Tuesday.
Let the meat rest first. Yes, we know how hungry you are, and how alluring that smell is. But slicing it immediately means losing all that tasty liquid into the carving board. The meat needs about twenty minutes of rest – same amount of time as a Zoom call.
Acquire a good knife. Not doing so is dangerous. My cheap but effective recommendation is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro. Sharp knife cuts for you, and keeps your meat together. Hold your meat in place using the fork, but do not press too hard.
Learn the grain of your meat. In order to maximize tenderness, you need to slice across the grain. Slicing the meat with the grain is something nobody really wants to deal with while enjoying a meal. Cut in long smooth strokes, no sawing allowed.
Patience is important. Your slices should be thin, about a half-inch in thickness. It is much easier to slice continuously than to do it all at once. Try to make sure your slices stay close together, and that their heat is maintained until the serving. In case one of them looks jagged, cover it with gravy.
The truth is that nobody is paying attention to your knife skills like you are. They are just glad that someone else is doing the hard job of cooking for them. Own the plate, take another sip of wine, and enjoy the feast. Welcome to the adult world with all its sharp knives and big roasts.
