Butchering Jones

[Chris Amirault]

Driving home in the blizzard of ought-five yesterday, we stopped at the local Portuguese meat market, which carries the sorts of cuts that I can only find in "ethnic" shops, not in Whole Foods or the local tony grocery. I ogled a wonderful looking pork shoulder (or is it a butt? I'm mystified by this) that I needed for the char siu bao I'm making, and then ordered it. The butcher asked, "Do you want me to cut it up?"

I paused. I didn't know what to say. Since there was a massive crowd there, he hurried me along ("C'mon, buddy, what'd'ya want?"), and roused from my stupor I finally said, "No, I'll break it down at home."

I got home, stuck it in the fridge, and then today, while the storm was raging, I broke that shoulder down into fat back, meat, dog food, and bone. It was an astonishingly satisfying experience.

I felt, as Tony Bourdain and Fergus Henderson state, a sense of the appropriateness of recognizing the import of every part of that hunk of flesh. I felt grateful to the pig who gave it to me. Really, I did! Bizarre though it may seem to some, I had a sort of butchering epiphany; I realized what that animal had contributed to my home, how its striated muscle cells, bone structure, and fat would contribute to my family's life. And the half hour that I spent -- lovingly, even delicately -- carving up that meat was positively remarkable to me.

I realize that this is just this side of nuts. But, since eGullet is devoted to foisting one's own obsessions onto others in the hopes of camaraderie, I ask: does any one else harbor this butchering jones?

edited to add the link to the char siu bao thread -- ca

Edited January 24, 2005 by chrisamirault (log)

[Behemoth]

I realize that this is just this side of nuts. But, since eGullet is devoted to foisting one's own obsessions onto others in the hopes of camaraderie, I ask: does any one else harbor this butchering jones?

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Oh yeah, definitely. (See today's entry in the dinner thread.) And I don't think it's nuts. For all the reasons you mentioned, as well as cost, and a feeling of connection to my "homesteader" grandmothers.

Basically ever since I found a used copy of "cutting up in the kitchen", I've gotten all crazy DIY about my meat. If I had the freezer space I would only buy primary cuts. I wish I could find an equivalent book for french-style cuts though. Anyone know of any?

[ladyyoung98]

as of yet ive not been hit with that bug for anything other than cutting up a whole chicken...but given time who knows

[snowangel]

I realize that this is just this side of nuts. But, since eGullet is devoted to foisting one's own obsessions onto others in the hopes of camaraderie, I ask: does any one else harbor this butchering jones?

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Me, and my father, and my grandmother (RIP). I grew up spending summers in a Nebraska farm. Where, if you wanted chicken for dinner, you chased one down, lopped it's head off, defrocked the bird, and either cut it up or left if whole (depending on how you wanted to cook it). When it was time for beef or pork, grandfather and I went to the yard, and selected the animal. Throat slit, blood collected (I never did remember or even know what happened to the blood).

I remember well that my father, in 8th grade, for a 4-H (or was it an FFA) project raised and butchered a cow.

During the school year, living in Thailand, meat was purchased much different than in the U. S. It would have been at an outdoor (OK, covered, but still basically outdoor) market, sides of beef or pork handing from thingies. They would wack of a hunk. If you were savvy, you would specifify where that hunk would be wacked from.

I have always eaten well. Oddly enough, I can kill a chicken, or help kill a cow or pig, but pass out every time they draw blood from me or one of my children.

[Anna N]

Yes, I have taken to buying larger cuts of meat and "butchering" them myself and find it very satisfying. The most ambitious yet was a whole filet of beef. I will also buy a fresh duck when available and we have two meals from it - braised legs and pan-fried breasts and then loads of duck fat and duck stock. Whole chickens I have always dealt with but the pork and beef cuts are new to me. I still have lots to learn but find it much more economical - there is so little waste when you do it yourself. I see more and more huge hunks of meat now in the supermarkets - may have to get myself a bandsaw.

[peppyre]

Well, since my father is a butcher and my grandfather was a butcher, and I spent my very early years playing in amongst the sides that were aging in the butcher shop, yes I understand the "butchering jones". When I broke down the primal at Christmas, I had this surge of pride, and felt like I needed to do it again. I certainly "get it".

[fimbul]

I'm very much in the butchering camp. I dunno if it's machismo, a desire to better understand a craft I love, or just penny-pinching, but I'd rather break down anything myself, from chickens and rabbits on up to cows (er, not that I get the chance to buy a whole cow very often, or at all).

Besides, in my area of the world, finding a butcher is very, very difficult. If I cut my own meat, I have a chance of doing it right. Buying meat pre-packaged from the supermarket, on the other hand, almost ensures I'll get two lopsided chops of differing shape and size.

[jmcgrath]

I ogled a wonderful looking pork shoulder (or is it a butt? I'm mystified by this) edited to add the link to the char siu bao thread -- ca

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A butt is the top half of a shoulder while a picnic shoulder or picnic is the bottom half. You will rarely find whole pork shoulders in New England. Picnics seem to be more common but either will work just fine.

"Country Style" pork ribs are usually just sliced butt and this is an easily otbained alternative. Edited to add reference to country style ribs.

Jim

Edited January 24, 2005 by jmcgrath (log)

[Anna N]

... Buying meat pre-packaged from the supermarket, on the other hand, almost ensures I'll get two lopsided chops of differing shape and size.

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Why is this, I wonder. Almost always steaks and chops are lopsided. It cannot be that difficult to cut straight, can it?

[irodguy]

A Tenderloin or Ribeye is not that bad. You pay less and have a lot of great scrap to make stock from. On the other hand cutting up a Sirloin now that's another story

[FaustianBargain]

I realize that this is just this side of nuts.

I hear you.

It is oddly cathartic. I wonder why. I must investigate.

And I was raised a vegetarian too. My mother thinks that I just finished a patisserie course. She'd go ape-shit if she knew that I enjoyed butchery.(which is actually a very good reason to tell her. where is that phone now...)

[andiesenji]

I have done a fair amount of butchering - I used to hunt and always had to dress out my own kills, first deer, age 14, however I had been dressing small game from the time I was 10.

I can't handle the big stuff any longer, because of arthritis, but up until a couple of years ago I helped several local hunters who didn't have the facilities for skinning or breaking a carcass.

(Plus their wives didn't want it anywhere near their homes.)

There is something satisfying about it, probably a primal memory.

[Shalmanese]

I love taking down a big chunk of flesh. Chickens I do all the time but it's rare for me to do beef or pork, usually because the pieces I want don't seem to be on sale often.

It's nice to portion meat exactly how you want rather that how the supermarket dictates.

[FaustianBargain]

Speaking for myself, I am not sure if its a 'primal memory'. I am positive that I wont be enjoying the slaughter of any animal. It is rather messy, noisy and quite unpleasant, isnt it? But then again, I dont rear animals.

I think I like butchery(rather..cutting up of dead animals) because it gives me a sense of 'putting things in the right place'. There is a sense of adventure, of dismantling something secretive. It is like a puzzle. It is also a little like sculpting...in a slightly different sense. And not very unlike cleaning a messy cupboard. Also, the 'feel' of the animal(even when its dead) underneth my fingertips is oddly comforting.

Edited January 25, 2005 by FaustianBargain (log)