c/butchers

I used to cut pork shoulders into big chunks for sausage

I would just hack it up after boning, but the grind was always a bit off. Then I saw a guy at the Cincinnati meat show cube everything into 1 inch pieces and chill it hard before grinding. I switched to that method last month and the texture is way better, no smearing. Anyone else have a small change that made a big difference in your grind?

My cousin's new shop in Spokane only uses a scimitar for breaking down primals

I visited his place over the weekend and watched him break a whole rib section with just that one knife. He says it's faster and he gets cleaner cuts on the bone. I've always been a cleaver and boning knife guy for that job, thinking you need the right tool for each step. It got me thinking about sticking with a set method versus streamlining down to one piece of gear. Has anyone else moved to a single knife for most of their breaking work?

A regular at my shop in Milwaukee said my pork shoulder cuts were too thick for his smoker.

He told me they took way too long to cook through and dried out. I started cutting them about an inch thinner, and now he says they're perfect. Anyone else get pushback on cut sizes from home cooks?

I used to trim brisket fat down to a quarter inch, now I leave a full half inch.

For years at my shop in Boise, I followed the old school rule of a quarter inch fat cap. Last fall, a pitmaster from Texas told me he needs a thicker layer for his smokers to protect the meat. I tried it on the next five briskets I prepped, and every customer said the meat was way more juicy. Has anyone else switched up their trim for a specific cooking style?

Overheard a customer in Phoenix call a pork shoulder a 'pork butt roast' and it threw me

This guy was telling his friend he was going to smoke a 'pork butt roast' for 14 hours. I had to bite my tongue because we all know it's just the shoulder. It made me realize how much our trade's own lingo can confuse regular folks. Do you guys have any other funny names you've heard customers use for cuts?

Tried a new brand of boning knife and it cost me a whole pork shoulder

I saw a deal online for a set of three boning knives for $60 last month. The first one snapped at the handle while I was working on a 20-pound shoulder. The blade went into the meat and I had to throw the whole thing out. That was about $45 down the drain right there. Has anyone found a decent budget knife that actually holds up?

Just lost $300 on a 'professional' knife sharpening service that absolutely wrecked my edge.

They used a belt grinder way too aggressively and now my main breaking knife has a wavy, overheated edge that won't hold, so has anyone found a truly reliable sharpener in the Tampa area?

I keep seeing folks over-trimming pork shoulder before smoking

They take off almost all the fat cap, thinking it'll be healthier or something, but that's what keeps it moist over 12 hours. I had a guy bring one in last week that was basically just muscle, and it dried out bad. What's your take on the right amount to leave?

An old timer in Omaha told me my ribeye trim was too lean

He said I was leaving too much fat on the cap, maybe a quarter inch, and that customers want a good bite of it for flavor. I started cutting it closer, about an eighth inch, and the feedback has been way better. How do you all handle the fat cap on your ribeyes?

TIL my shop hit 2000 pounds of sausage made in a single week

We got a huge order from a new restaurant in town and had to run the grinder non-stop for three days straight. I've never seen that much product go out the door so fast. How do you guys handle big surprise orders without burning out your gear?

Cut a whole beef round with a new Victorinox 10 inch breaking knife last Tuesday... the fat cap just slid right off like butter. Never had a blade feel that smooth before. What other knives give you that kind of clean separation?

Warning: My new $300 scabbard sharpener was a complete waste

It just doesn't hold an edge on my boning knives like my old stone does, and now I'm out the cash. What's a better sharpening system for daily use?

My band saw blade snapped mid-cut on a whole ribeye yesterday afternoon

PSA: My band saw blade snapped mid-cut on a 40-lb pork shoulder Friday morning.

It was the third blade I'd gone through this month, which never happens. Anyone else having issues with a specific brand's durability lately?

I finally stopped using a scabbard for my boning knives after a trip to a big plant in Kansas City.

I was touring a large processing facility there last fall and saw their whole line using magnetic strips on the wall for knife storage. They said it cut down on blade damage and was faster for busy shifts. I argued that scabbards protect the edge better, but after trying it myself for six months, my knives actually stay sharper longer without the constant in and out. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a real difference in their daily work?

Switched from a 6-inch boning knife to a 9-inch breaking knife for primal breakdowns last year.

I used to think the smaller blade gave more control, but the longer one lets me follow seams in one clean motion and saves my wrist. Anyone else find a specific tool change that sped up your work?

Update: I thought hanging beef for 14 days was just a waste of time

I was at a meat cutting demo in Kansas City and saw a side aged for 21 days next to a 14-day one, and the difference in color and smell was huge. The guy running it said the extra week lets the enzymes really break down the muscle fibers, which makes the meat way more tender. Has anyone else tried pushing past the two-week mark on their dry aging?

Vent: I never appreciated back fat until today

I mean, it seemed like waste, but it adds so much flavor when rendered. Maybe it's just me, but I'll save it from now on.

A roadside butcher stall in Morocco changed how I source my spices.

Watching them blend cumin and coriander right before grinding taught me to freshen my own mixes for sausage.

Vent: My cousin thinks he can run the counter without knowing basic cuts.

If you can't tell a ribeye from a sirloin, you have no place in our family butcher shop.

Finally got the hang of dry-aging beef like my granddad taught me

Looking back, the patience it taught me beats any new machine for quality.

A Goose Tried to Steal My Brisket During the Town Cook-Off

We were setting up for the annual town cook-off yesterday. I had just trimmed a beautiful brisket for the smoker. Out of nowhere, a goose from the pond waddled over and grabbed it. I had to chase the bird around while everyone laughed. Thankfully, we got the meat back, but it was a messy scene.

Seeing a shift towards bone-in roasts at my counter

I've been behind the counter for a good while now, and something's changing. Customers used to go for boneless everything, but now I'm getting asked for bone-in pork loins and rib roasts weekly. Just yesterday, a regular came in and specifically wanted the chine bone left in for flavor. It's a bit more work to cut, but I get it. They say it makes the meat juicier when they cook it. I've even started saving more rib bones for gravy because folks are asking. It feels like people are going back to old school methods. Makes the job more interesting, honestly.

Why does my venison jerky always come out either bone dry or rubbery?

I got a nice deer this season and wanted to make use of the trim for jerky in my home dehydrator. I cut it with the grain, like I was told, but I can't seem to get the texture right. It's either like eating leather or it's weirdly soft and chewy. Any tips on marinating time or temperature to hit that perfect pull-apart consistency?

Always dumped our fat trimmings, but a composting talk got me rethinking...

I figured it was just messy waste to get rid of. Then someone showed me how rendering it down cuts landfill use and even makes cooking grease. Anyone else try turning scraps into something useful?