My grandpa said to always keep a sharpening steel in the freezer for tough gristle.

He swore it helped the blade bite better on silverskin. Tried it yesterday on a pork shoulder, and honestly, it just made my hands cold. Anyone have a better trick for that tough membrane?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim19114d ago

Feel your pain on the cold hands. I just use a paper towel to get a good grip on the silverskin, then slide a sharp boning knife under it.

aliceshah13d ago

Oh that's such a good point... it's all about finding the right tool for the job, or even just a simple workaround like a paper towel. I see it everywhere now... like using a rubber band to open a stubborn jar lid. @kim191 your trick is just a smarter way to solve the basic problem of grip. It makes the whole annoying task way less of a fight. People get so stuck on doing things the "right" way they miss the simple fix right in front of them.

the_paul10d ago

That freezer steel trick always sounded like an old wives tale to me... a sharp, dry blade and just lifting the corner with the tip is all you need. Once you get that first little bit up, you can pull the membrane off with your fingers. The cold just seems like it'd make everything more slippery.