I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for
years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place
twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better
approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it
with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with
my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO
suggested that this might hurt too...

So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.

"Travis McGee" > wrote in message
...
>I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop them
>apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for years:
>if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place twice, and
>I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better approach has been
>to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it with my hand. The
>problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with my hand can be
>painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO suggested that this
>might hurt too...
>
> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound on
> the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.

I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I used
it for. Hmmm...

On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
>> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
>> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
>> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
>> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
>> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
>> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
>> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
> used it for. Hmmm...

My kind of girl!

On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
>> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
>> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
>> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
>> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
>> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
>> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
>> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
> used it for. Hmmm...

Did it have anything to do with "honey powder"?

On Monday, May 19, 2014 1:25:25 PM UTC+10, Travis McGee wrote:
>
> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
> on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.

BTDT, it works. Super-tough pumpkin rather than ribs, but similar problem and similar solution. A rubber mallet was conveniently near the kitchen. You see lots of old cleavers with hammer dents on the back - rubber/wood/rawhide mallets will avoid those dents.

The right kind of cleaver will work without a mallet, but can be a bit harsh on the block/board.

On Mon, 19 May 2014 00:47:08 -0400, Travis McGee
> wrote:

> On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
> >
> > "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
> >> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
> >> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
> >> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
> >> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
> >> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
> >> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
> >> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
> >>
> >> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
> >> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
> >
> > I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
> > used it for. Hmmm...
>
> My kind of girl!

I had one too. Used it as a meat mallet.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

"Travis McGee" > wrote in message
...
> On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
>>> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
>>> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
>>> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
>>> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
>>> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
>>> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
>>>
>>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
>>> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>>
>> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
>> used it for. Hmmm...
>
> Did it have anything to do with "honey powder"?

Nope!

Travis McGee > wrote in news:g1gev.870906$k7.252986
@fx20.iad:

> On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
>> used it for. Hmmm...
>
> My kind of girl!
>
One with dementia?
>


--
--Bryan

"Happy ****ing 'new years' that was when me and my father
had to identify her dead mud covered body they pulled from
the family car she'd driven into the Mississippi river!"
--John Kuthe in rec.food.cooking, 3-7-2014

Travis McGee > wrote in news:u6gev.295753$w93.203093
@fx08.iad:

> On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
>>> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
>>> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
>>> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
>>> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
>>> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
>>> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
>>>
>>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
>>> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>>
>> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
>> used it for. Hmmm...
>
> Did it have anything to do with "honey powder"?
>
Silly. That was a feather duster.

Just to be silly, I typed the following into Google:

erotic "rubber mallet"

The results were disturbing. You probably don't want to go there, or,
maybe you do.


--
--Bryan

"Happy ****ing 'new years' that was when me and my father
had to identify her dead mud covered body they pulled from
the family car she'd driven into the Mississippi river!"
--John Kuthe in rec.food.cooking, 3-7-2014

On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me
>> for years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same
>> place twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A
>> better approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and
>> pound on it with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it
>> hard enough with my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my
>> head, but the SO suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to
>> pound on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
> used it for. Hmmm...

Yes, I've long used my workshop rubber mallet for pounding chicken and
turkey filets and I see no reason to buy a special kitchen tool. Another
vaguely workshop use is the threaded steel rod that I use to keep rolls
of aluminum foil in their boxes since the push-in tabs never work.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

On Mon, 19 May 2014 01:43:49 -0500, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Sun, 18 May 2014 23:25:25 -0400, Travis McGee wrote:
>
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for
>> years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place
>> twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better
>> approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it
>> with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with
>> my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO
>> suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
>> on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
>Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
>I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
>are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
>using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
>cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>
>-sw

'Zactly!

"Travis McGee" > wrote in message
...
>I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop them
>apart,

why on earth would you need to chop apart ribs?

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...

> Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
> I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
> are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
> using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
> cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>
> -sw

I was wondering that too.

Cheri

On 5/19/2014 2:43 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 18 May 2014 23:25:25 -0400, Travis McGee wrote:
>
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for
>> years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place
>> twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better
>> approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it
>> with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with
>> my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO
>> suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
>> on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
> Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
> I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
> are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
> using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
> cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>
> -sw
>
Excellent points, Steve. I've never had to hack at a slab of (cooked)
ribs with a cleaver. When cooked properly, you could slice between the
ribs using a table knife if you had a mind to, but mostly they just pull
apart.

Jill

On Mon, 19 May 2014 07:31:52 -0700, "Cheri" >
wrote:

>
> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
> > I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
> > are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
> > using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
> > cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
> >
> > -sw
>
> I was wondering that too.
>
Sounded to me like the backbone was still attached.


--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On 5/19/2014 1:43 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 18 May 2014 23:25:25 -0400, Travis McGee wrote:
>
>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for
>> years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place
>> twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better
>> approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it
>> with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with
>> my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO
>> suggested that this might hurt too...
>>
>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
>> on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
> Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
> I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
> are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
> using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
> cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>
> -sw
>
I was wondering as well. I usually cut a whole slab into two halves so
it fits better in the freezer and on the smoker or grill. I use a
regular knife.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

"Pico Rico" wrote:
>"Travis McGee"wrote:
>
>>I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop them
>>apart,
>
>why on earth would you need to chop apart ribs?

Maybe he's making riblets.

On Mon, 19 May 2014 11:54:46 -0500, Janet Wilder >
wrote:

>On 5/19/2014 1:43 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Sun, 18 May 2014 23:25:25 -0400, Travis McGee wrote:
>>
>>> I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop
>>> them apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for
>>> years: if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place
>>> twice, and I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better
>>> approach has been to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it
>>> with my hand. The problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with
>>> my hand can be painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO
>>> suggested that this might hurt too...
>>>
>>> So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound
>>> on the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>>
>> Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
>> I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
>> are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
>> using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
>> cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>>
>> -sw
>>
>I was wondering as well. I usually cut a whole slab into two halves so
>it fits better in the freezer and on the smoker or grill. I use a
>regular knife.

Btw, using a rubber mallet on a knife/cleaver is very dangerous, the
mallet and the knife can hit you in your face... old time butchers
used a kind of wooden club, has a particular name but I can't recall
now. Or use a dead blow mallet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_blow_hammer
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_9cbxpnqbsb_b

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 19 May 2014 07:31:52 -0700, "Cheri" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>> > Why aren't you just using a regular slicing knife like normal people?
>> > I don't know what kind of ribs you're trying to cut, but none of them
>> > are tough enough to need a meat cleaver - or tough enough to require
>> > using more than one whack of the cleaver. Especially after they're
>> > cooked (hopefully you're cooking whole slabs and then cutting them).
>> >
>> > -sw
>>
>> I was wondering that too.
>>
> Sounded to me like the backbone was still attached.

Possibly.

Cheri

On 5/19/2014 3:09 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Mon, 19 May 2014 08:42:34 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>
>> Yes, I've long used my workshop rubber mallet for pounding chicken and
>> turkey filets and I see no reason to buy a special kitchen tool. Another
>> vaguely workshop use is the threaded steel rod that I use to keep rolls
>> of aluminum foil in their boxes since the push-in tabs never work.
>
> There's push in tabs? I just keep the lid mostly closed and pull
> gently.

I learned that here some time back. There are push in tabs on
the ends of the boxes.

nancy

On Mon, 19 May 2014 15:40:34 -0400, Nancy Young
> wrote:

> I learned that here some time back. There are push in tabs on
> the ends of the boxes.

Have you seen the DIY holders for them that are curtain rod brackets
and a length of dowel cut to size?

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On 5/19/2014 3:40 PM, Nancy Young wrote:
> On 5/19/2014 3:09 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Mon, 19 May 2014 08:42:34 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, I've long used my workshop rubber mallet for pounding chicken and
>>> turkey filets and I see no reason to buy a special kitchen tool. Another
>>> vaguely workshop use is the threaded steel rod that I use to keep rolls
>>> of aluminum foil in their boxes since the push-in tabs never work.
>>
>> There's push in tabs? I just keep the lid mostly closed and pull
>> gently.
>
> I learned that here some time back. There are push in tabs on
> the ends of the boxes.
>
> nancy
>
Yeppers. Push in tabs on boxes of foil, plastic wrap, waxed paper...

Jill

On 5/19/2014 4:47 PM, sf wrote:
> On Mon, 19 May 2014 15:40:34 -0400, Nancy Young
> > wrote:
>
>> I learned that here some time back. There are push in tabs on
>> the ends of the boxes.
>
> Have you seen the DIY holders for them that are curtain rod brackets
> and a length of dowel cut to size?
>
Basically, I use a length of threaded rod, lock a washer on one end with
two nuts and use a wingnut (yes, they aren't all nutcases) on the other
end. It doesn't cost much and lasts for ever.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> Btw, using a rubber mallet on a knife/cleaver is very dangerous, the
> mallet and the knife can hit you in your face...

lmao :-D

Gary > wrote in :

> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>> Btw, using a rubber mallet on a knife/cleaver is very dangerous, the
>> mallet and the knife can hit you in your face...
>
> lmao :-D

Sheldon is actually right this time, maybe not the face part, but the dead
blow hammer really would be safer than a rubber mallet.

--
--Bryan

On Sunday, May 18, 2014 9:42:29 PM UTC-7, Julie Bove wrote:
> "Travis McGee" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >I barbecued some ribs yesterday. I was using a heavy cleaver to chop them
>
> >apart, and ran into the same issue that has been bedeviling me for years:
>
> >if I try to just hammer down, I usually don't hit the same place twice, and
>
> >I end up with bone splinters and mushed up meat. A better approach has been
>
> >to put the cleaver in the right spot, and pound on it with my hand. The
>
> >problem with this is that hitting it hard enough with my hand can be
>
> >painful. The next step was to use my head, but the SO suggested that this
>
> >might hurt too...
>
> >
>
> > So, I went out tonight and bought a rubber mallet. I'll use it to pound on
>
> > the cleaver, and hopefully all of my problems will be solved.
>
>
>
> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I used
>
> it for. Hmmm...

Maybe to soften a pear?

On Monday, May 19, 2014 4:41:14 AM UTC-7, --Bryan wrote:
> Travis McGee > wrote in news:g1gev.870906$k7.252986
>
> @fx20.iad:
>
>
>
> > On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> >>
>
> >> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember what I
>
> >> used it for. Hmmm...
>
> >
>
> > My kind of girl!
>
> >
>
> One with dementia?
>
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> --Bryan
>
>
>
> "Happy ****ing 'new years' that was when me and my father
>
> had to identify her dead mud covered body they pulled from
>
> the family car she'd driven into the Mississippi river!"
>
> --John Kuthe in rec.food.cooking, 3-7-2014

One with the 44 DD's.

Chemo > wrote in
:

> On Monday, May 19, 2014 4:41:14 AM UTC-7, --Bryan wrote:
>> Travis McGee > wrote in
>> news:g1gev.870906$k7.252986
>>
>> @fx20.iad:
>>
>>
>>
>> > On 5/19/2014 12:42 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> >>
>>
>> >> I used to keep a mallet in my kitchen but now I can't remember
>> >> what I
>>
>> >> used it for. Hmmm...
>>
>> >
>>
>> > My kind of girl!
>>
>> >
>>
>> One with dementia?
>>
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> --Bryan
>>
>
> One with the 44 DD's.
>
You feel there's an association between very large breasts and ditziness?


--
--Bryan
You can cover up your guts, but when you cover up your nuts
You're admitting that there must be something wrong.
-The Who https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FSZhCKbQZc

Winters_Lackey wrote:
>
> Gary > wrote in :
>
> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >>
> >> Btw, using a rubber mallet on a knife/cleaver is very dangerous, the
> >> mallet and the knife can hit you in your face...
> >
> > lmao :-D
>
> Sheldon is actually right this time, maybe not the face part, but the dead
> blow hammer really would be safer than a rubber mallet.

LMAO once again. If you believe that, maybe John is right and you
*should* seek help. Ever use a rubber mallet? They aren't made out of
"superball" material."

G.

Gary > wrote in :

> Winters_Lackey wrote:
>>
>> Gary > wrote in :
>>
>> > Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Btw, using a rubber mallet on a knife/cleaver is very dangerous,
>> >> the mallet and the knife can hit you in your face...
>> >
>> > lmao :-D
>>
>> Sheldon is actually right this time, maybe not the face part, but the
>> dead blow hammer really would be safer than a rubber mallet.
>
> LMAO once again. If you believe that, maybe John is right and you
> *should* seek help. Ever use a rubber mallet? They aren't made out of
> "superball" material."
>
I have a rubber mallet, but it doesn't get used for cooking. It would
never occur to me to hammer on a knife. A rubber mallet would be far safer
than a metal hammer, but a dead blow hammer would be safer still.
>
> G.
>



--
--Bryan
You can cover up your guts, but when you cover up your nuts
You're admitting that there must be something wrong.
-The Who https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FSZhCKbQZc

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 8:08:57 AM UTC+10, --Bryan wrote:
>
> I have a rubber mallet, but it doesn't get used for cooking. It would
> never occur to me to hammer on a knife.

It's a standard technique for cleavers. More precise than taking big chopping swings, and safer.

> A rubber mallet would be far safer
> than a metal hammer, but a dead blow hammer would be safer still.

The only (significant) risks with a metal hammer are eye injury from chipping the hammer head, and denting the spine of the knife. The latter is the main problem.

Wooden/rawhide (or copper etc) mallets give better cutting with small taps, compared to rubber, without damaging the spin of the knife like a steel hammer. More force delivered to the cutting edge for a given blow since the impulse is transferred more quickly since the wood/hide/copper has less give than rubber. So you don't have to hit as hard to deliver the same force at the edge. (A dead blow hammer will perform worse - delivering less force for the same impulse is what it is designed for.) There's a reason why wooden mallets are used with froes - they work well.

But rubber works well enough (cleaver on food is less demanding than froe on wood). And is safe. No reason to be scared of mallets.