Tenderizers: Meat Tenderizer, Steak Tenderizer, Venison Tenderizer, Even Tenderize Chicken

Tips for using the Jaccard Safe Hands™ Mandoline

The first time I used a Mandoline, I did a terrible job. I squashed the tomatoes and could not make French fries from the potatoes. I was so frustrated, I didn't think it was worth using. About a month later, I got it back out. This time, I did a little better. But, I was still not happy with the results. Now that I have learned a few of the basics, I love using the mandoline. Hopefully, these tips will make your learning curve a little easier than mine was.

Be sure to read the complete instructions that come with your mandoline before using it. These are just additional tips to make the process more understandable.

Deciding where you are going to use your mandoline is probably the most important step. Keep in mind that it needs to be located at a height that allows you to stand behind it and to be comfortable with a downward forward motion. Most people can not apply the correct pressure needed if they are standing beside it or if it is too high for them to exert an aggressive forward sweeping motion.

You can click on any of the images below for a better view.

After locking the legs in the open position and inserting the blade or blades for the desired cut, slide the food holder base over the mandoline frame and allow it to rest at the bottom of the lower plate.

Insert the food to be processed into the bottom of the base of the food holder. I prefer to cut uneven items like potatoes in half to have a flat surface for my first cut.

Place the two piece food holder top over the base, pressing down on the two handles, impaling the food on the internal spikes. The first picture shows the 2 piece food holder top with the spikes extended. The second picture shows the food being impaled by pressing down on the two handles.

Lift the two piece food holder top off the base (with the food attached to the internal spikes). Rotate it 180 degrees and place it back on the food holder. This will reposition the food securely against the rear portion of the food holder base so that it will not move as it engages the blade(s).

Adjust the dial for the thickness desired. Standing behind the mandoline, grasp the soft handle of the frame with one hand. Place your fingers of the other hand in the food holder's finger cavity. Push it aggressively forward with steady downward pressure until it reaches the bottom of the frame. You do not want to hesitate or change your pressure as the food makes contact with the blade(s). The most important part is the aggressive forward motion. You do not need a lot of downward pressure for the food to make contact with the blade.

Very dense vegetables like sweet potatoes are difficult to slice. I recommend using a knife to slice these items.
I recommend firm tomatoes when slicing them with a mandoline. Very ripe tomatoes can be difficult.