What with the bacon curing and branching out into salt beef, a new gadget was called for!
It was, of course, bought secondhand through eBay. It’s missing a handle, although the security guard is still there – I’ve removed it for the picture. It’s a Buffalo CD277, the baby of the range with a 9 inch blade. They also come in 10 and 12 inch sizes. But this is a good compromise between the huge commercial machines and the ineffective domestic ones. I have to say that it cuts both cooked meats and cured meats brilliantly.
Once upon a time we used to make frozen lunches for an elderly relative. This would have been incredibly useful. We’re back in business on a smaller scale nowadays, making around 30 lunches at a time. For the current batch we cooked a nice piece of leg of pork, and some silverside. Both cut into beautifully even slices on the machine, with almost no waste. And for ready prepared meals, presentation is an important part of making them appetising.
The only disadvantage of this particular slicer is that it’s a bit of a fiddle to clean, with nooks and crannies in which shreds of meat get caught. But antiseptic spray and kitchen towels are your friend in this situation. It doesn’t take too long.
John Norman's Blog 
You’ll be upgrading to a commercial slicer befor you know it, John. Have you thought about getting half a pig and butchering it yourself? Once you’ve started with the sausages and the curing, the next thing is the quality of the pork and getting exactly the cuts in exactly the sizes you want. Getting your own half pig (and maybe butchering it yourself) is the next logical step.
I must admit that we’re toying with the idea of “adopting” a pig – one of those schemes where you pay for the animal to be reared, and receive it as meat once it’s fully grown.