c/butchers

Had a close call with my band saw blade in the shop this morning

The blade snapped while I was breaking down a side of beef, and a piece flew right past my face (I was in Cincinnati, working on a custom order). Has anyone else had a blade fail like that, and what brand do you trust now?

3 comments

wadec92•1d ago

A rancher in Boise changed how I handle pork shoulders

I was at the Idaho State Fair last fall, talking to a guy who raises heritage hogs. He asked me how long I let my pork shoulders rest before breaking them down. I told him maybe 20 minutes. He shook his head and said, 'Try two hours, wrapped in a cooler. The fat renders different, and you'll get a cleaner pull.' I tried it the next week on a Berkshire shoulder, and the difference was huge. How long do you all rest your big cuts?

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eric_adams11•1d ago

I thought my old bone saw was fine until I borrowed a friend's new Victorinox

For years I used a basic saw from a hardware store, thinking a blade is a blade. My buddy let me use his Victorinox 12-inch breaking saw on a whole pork shoulder last month. The difference was huge, it cut through bone like butter with half the effort and no binding. I'm looking at buying one now, but that price tag is steep. Anyone have a good spot to find a deal on a solid breaking saw?

3 comments

leom74•1d ago

TIL how much weight a full beef side actually loses during dry aging

I was reading an old trade journal from the Kansas City Butcher's Guild and it said a standard 700 pound side can lose over 100 pounds of water weight after 28 days in the cooler. I always knew there was shrinkage, but seeing that number really surprised me. Anyone else have good data on yield percentages for different aging times?

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grant.olivia•2d ago

Shoutout to the older guy at the farmers market in Knoxville who asked for a specific cut

I was working my stall last fall when a man, maybe in his seventies, asked if I could cut a pork shoulder for him the way his grandfather did. He described it as a 'cross-rib roast' with the bone left in a certain way, a method I'd never heard of. He was so patient, drawing a little diagram on a scrap of paper right there on my cutting board. I followed his instructions as best I could, and when I handed it over, he just nodded and said, 'That's it. You got it right.' It wasn't a big sale, maybe $18, but the way he trusted me with that old knowledge really stuck with me. I've tried to find more about that cut since, but it doesn't come up in any of my modern books. Has anyone else had a customer teach them a truly old-school, regional cut that's fallen out of common practice?

3 comments

the_claire•4d ago

Changed my mind about aging brisket after a chat with a guy in Kansas City

My cousin, who runs a small shop there, kept telling me to dry age my briskets for at least 28 days. I always thought it was a waste for a cheaper cut. Last month I tried it on one, and the flavor was so much deeper, like a different piece of meat entirely. Anyone else find a specific aging time that really works for them?

3 comments

shane357•4d ago

A regular at my shop in Tacoma told me my ribeyes were cut too thin for the price, so I switched to a full 1.5 inch thickness and sales jumped 20% in a week.

Has anyone else found that a slightly thicker cut actually moves faster, or is that just a local preference thing?

3 comments

dylanb67•6d ago

Shoutout to the old-timer who showed me his dry-aging setup

About six months ago, I visited a retired butcher in my town who still runs a small locker plant. He showed me his walk-in cooler where he dry-ages primal cuts for a full eight weeks. The difference in the meat he pulled out, compared to the standard 28-day aging I was doing, was night and day. The flavor was deeper, almost nutty, and the texture was so tender it practically melted. He explained his exact method: keeping the humidity at 80% and the temp at 34 degrees, with constant air flow. I've been trying it on a few rib sections since then, and the customer feedback has been amazing. Has anyone else pushed their dry-aging past the one-month mark and found a real sweet spot?

3 comments

milaj95•7d ago

Why does nobody talk about compostable trays making meat go bad faster?

Lots of shops are using compostable trays now to help the planet. But in my shop, these trays get soft and fall apart in the cold case, especially with juicy cuts like steaks. When that happens, the meat drips and can spoil quick, meaning we toss more out. I think using reliable plastic to cut down on food waste is actually better for the environment.

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zara465•7d ago

After years in the shop, I question dry aging hype.

Too much aging can make beef taste funky, not better.

4 comments

sage_jackson56•8d ago

Trimming silver skin seemed pointless until a tough brisket made me see it differently

I used to think a little silver skin left on wouldn't hurt the meat. After one brisket came out real chewy, I now clean it off every time and the results are much better.

3 comments

the_gray•10d ago

I finally saw my grandad's ham curing shed and it sparked a debate in my shop.

My grandad cured his hams in an open shed, trusting the seasons. Now, we use walk-in coolers with exact settings. I see pros and cons: his way had deep flavor, but modern methods are safer. Do you miss the old styles, or prefer today's consistency? Let's debate.

3 comments

kai_lee•12d ago

Serious question, why do so many butchers ignore wrist support?

I've seen too many guys cutting without proper wrist braces. After ten years, my wrists are always sore from the same motions all day. Buying a simple support strap when you start can prevent serious injury later. It's a small step that makes a big difference in how long you can work.

4 comments

phoenix_martin40•13d ago

Update: Our dry-aging corner is getting more custom orders than expected

I've seen a big jump in people wanting dry-aged beef at my shop. We set up a corner in the cooler for aging last year. It was just for fun at first. Now, a guy asked for a ribeye aged two full months. We had to watch the temperature and moisture close to get it right. The result was a steak with rich taste and less waste. This trend is making us think about offering more aged options. What do you all do for aging in small spaces?

3 comments

hugo_mitchell•15d ago

DAE still hand-tie their own bacon?

Got shown how by a retired butcher when I was just starting out. Feels proper, even if the machines are faster now.

4 comments

henry_west•15d ago

My grandad's butcher block is still in use after fifty years, but my new guy prefers plastic boards.

Wood blocks last forever and give better control, but plastic is cheap and sterile, which side are you on?

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the_brooke•15d ago

My neighbor's kid thought the meat grinder was a toy and tried to feed it his action figure.

I caught him just in time and now I have to explain why G.I. Joe can't be turned into sausage.

3 comments

nina_hall48•16d ago

Bone-in cuts are getting ignored, and that's a flavor fail in my book.

I see more people at my shop asking for boneless everything now. They think it's cleaner or saves time. But bones give meat a richer taste when you cook it. Take a simple chicken thigh, the bone keeps it juicy and adds depth. Without it, you just get bland, dry meat sometimes. I've had customers switch back after tasting the difference. It's sad to see good craft lose out to quick fixes.

4 comments

wesleyflores•16d ago

I always sliced against the grain for flank steak.

But a customer said it chewed tough that way. Tried with the grain and it's actually more tender.

4 comments

anna_perez•16d ago

I finally let my brisket rest the full time

I used to think resting meat for hours was not needed. Last week, I left a brisket wrapped in a cooler for four hours after smoking. The juices stayed in and every slice was perfect. Now I always plan for that long rest.

4 comments

lee.noah•17d ago

Showerthought: Dry-aging vs. wet-aging beef has me split down the middle

I run a small shop and I've been testing both methods. On one hand, dry-aging gives ribs a deep, rich taste that customers love. I had a guy drive an hour just for my dry-aged steaks. But wet-aging is so much faster and I lose less meat to trimming. Last month, I wet-aged a whole side and sold it all in three days with no waste. I see the value in both, but I can't pick a side for my regular stock. What do you all think is better for a busy butcher?

4 comments

young.ryan•18d ago

Question on pre-cut meat from a messy family dinner

Everyone says real butchers only hand-cut, but when my uncle dropped the whole tenderloin, store-bought strips kept the party going. Maybe having a backup isn't so wrong.

4 comments

robin_morgan34•20d ago

Can we talk about the time I accidentally bought a lamb's head?

I was on a trip to Marrakech and stopped at a market for some meat. The butcher there did not speak English, and my Arabic is just a few words. I pointed at what I thought was a leg of lamb, trying to mime cutting a steak. He nodded, then brought out this whole lamb's head from the back, eyes and all. I was so surprised I just paid for it, not knowing what else to do. A friendly local saw my face and laughed, then showed me how to roast it with spices. It turned out pretty good, but what a way to learn about different cuts. Now I stick to shops with pictures or bring a translation app for meat terms.

4 comments

amy_lewis•20d ago

My shop manager insists on old school methods, but I think we need to adapt.

Sticking to only hand tools slows us down when electric saws could help.

9 comments